Sasquatch Mountain Resort facts for kids

Sasquatch Mountain Resort is a fun ski resort located in the Douglas Ranges in British Columbia, Canada. It's found between the towns of Mission and Agassiz.

This resort was once known as Hemlock Valley Resort. It had to close for a short time in 2005 because of money problems. In 2006, a company called Berezan Hospitality Group bought it. They reopened the resort in December 2006. After that, they started planning a big expansion. This plan would make it the largest resort in the Lower Mainland area of British Columbia.

The big plan for the resort includes many new things. There would be 18 ski lift areas, two golf courses, and a boat dock on Harrison Lake. It also includes new homes and shops. This plan was almost approved, and a final agreement was expected in 2014. However, the resort did not open for the 2014-2015 winter season. This was because there was not enough snow.

Sasquatch Mountain Resort gets a lot of snow each year, usually about 30 to 35 feet. The mountain drops about 335 meters (1,099 feet) from top to bottom. The highest point is 1,317 meters (4,321 feet) up. The base of the mountain is 980 meters (3,215 feet) high. The resort has 121 hectares (300 acres) of ski area. There are 34 ski runs, and the longest one is 1.4 miles (2.3 km) long.

The resort has four lifts to take skiers up the mountain. These include one quad chair, one triple chair, and one double chair. There is also a special "magic carpet" lift for beginners. You can also enjoy night skiing here. There are 13 kilometers (8 miles) of trails for cross-country skiing. Plus, there's an 8-lane area for tubing and tobogganing, also with a magic carpet lift.

Resort History: How It Started

Hemlock Valley first opened for skiing on December 21, 1969. A company called Hemlock Valley Recreation (HVR) started it. At first, the resort was very simple. It had only one rope-tow lift. An old school bus with a wood stove served as the ski lodge. About 30 to 40 families came to ski that first winter.

Growing in the 1970s

During the 1970s, the resort grew a lot. A proper lodge was built for visitors. Three chair lifts were added to help skiers get up the mountain. The third lift was finished in 1978. A community of 225 lots was also developed for people to build homes.

Changes in Ownership

In the early 1980s, the resort faced money problems. The government of British Columbia took over ownership for a while. Then, a new company bought the ski hill. It operated under the name Hemlock Valley Resorts Inc. (HVRI).

Snow Challenges and Reopening

The resort had trouble with snow in some years. In 2004-2005, there was not enough snow, so it could not open. It also stayed closed for the 2005-2006 season because of financial issues.

In the fall of 2006, a company called Berezan Group bought the resort. This company is based in Langley, BC. Hemlock Valley reopened for the 2006-2007 season. It was then called Hemlock Resort.

The 2013-2014 ski season opened late, on January 16. This was also due to a lack of snow. The entire 2014-2015 ski season was cancelled for the same reason.

In 2015, the BC government approved a huge expansion plan. This plan for Hemlock Resort is worth $1.5 billion. It aims to make the resort an all-season destination.