If you’ve been lucky enough to ski the powder playground of British Columbia with Kingfisher Heli, you’ll probably agree the experience is a perfect 10. The operation’s nearly 300,000-acre tenure is blanketed in an average of 60 feet of annual snowfall. Access to three distinct ski zones in the Monashees, the Pinnacles and the Valhallas combined with a 3:2 guest-to-guide ratio goes some distance to make sure every run is a dream run, be it untouched pillow lines or well-spaced, old-growth cedar forests. A new partnership now kicks that 10-out-of-10 up to an 11. The Colorado-based adventure collective Eleven is known for its global portfolio of over-the-top skiing and fishing lodges. “Every Eleven property has a few signatures,” says founder Chad Pike. “There’s the ultimate hang space, great food, wellness offerings, and we weave in local experiences to bring in a sense of place.”
Eleven Revelstoke, the brand’s latest addition, now serves as Kingfisher Heli’s adventure base. While many B.C. helilodges have remote settings, Eleven has redesigned a historic building one block off Revy’s main street. Exposed wood beams and original brick from 1911 give the 12-room property an industrial chic vibe. The adjacent Quartermaster Restaurant serves breakfast and, at day’s end, a locally inspired menu of dishes such as beef tartare with gaufrette potato chips and Fraser Valley duck breast with lemon sage couscous.
A disco ball spins from the boot room, where each guest is assigned a locker with a boot dryer, avalanche safety gear, and snacks. By day, you’ll ski some of the deepest, driest powder in Canada. “Our tenure has the best deep powder tree skiing I know of,” says Matt Scholl, lead guide at Kingfisher Heli and global senior guide at Eleven. “When conditions are safe, we have big bowls and alpine terrain to enjoy too.”
When your legs can’t muster another turn, Scholl and his crew fly home where, after a short drive back to town, a massage room, rooftop hot tub and sauna await. Guests are pampered with craft beers and fondue by the firepit. An upstairs living room, anchored by a fireplace, doubles as a setting for après whiskey tastings hosted by a local distiller who highlights B.C. spirits that include a single-grain style Quarter Cask Ancient Grains from Devine Distillery in the Saanich Peninsula and The Fathers Share, a single malt from Monashee Spirits Craft Distillery. The lodge’s location makes it easy to explore town or have your own party with friends in the private speakeasy, tucked away in the old boiler room. “Eleven creates an exclusive guest experience,” says Scholl. “Kingfisher specializes in taking people heliskiing. The partnership creates a complete package.”
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