dHzmedia

Media Backgrounder

Along the rolling foothills of the Okanagan Valley, twelve kilometres west of the charming community of Westbank, lies the Crystal Mountain Ski and Golf Resort. Crystal Mountain, known for its sunshine and exceptional powder, has been providing relaxing ski holidays to families and ski enthusiasts since 1967. Fourteen years ago the Tschanz family of Lenzerheide, Switzerland bought the Crystal Mountain ski resort. David Tschanz, Chairman, Crystal Ski & Golf Resort Inc., and prime consultant, Pheidias Development Management Corporation, have now applied to the Central Okanagan Regional District for rezoning for the first phase and an Official Community Plan (OCP) amendment. A Master Development Agreement has been approved by the Province.

The Crystal Mountain Expansion Plan will transform Crystal Mountain into a four season resort with world class golf and an expanded family ski resort. Crystal Mountain will showcase and protect this special area of the Okanagan while providing social and economic benefits to the region. Expansion plans include adding additional lifts and developing the east and north faces to open up more ski able terrain. The adjacent mountains provide for a nearly 700 metre vertical drop, from the summit of Mount Last to the area below Mount Miller. The views from the top of the proposed main lift gondola to the summit of Mount Last capture a panorama of mountains and Okanagan Lake. The summit of Mount Last provides a good location for re-establishing the old teahouse that once existed at the top of Mount Last.

For those who relish the beauty of the Okanagan Valley in the spring and summer, the first phase features a world class 18-hole Signature Golf Course, a luxurious spa, tennis facilities and a resort including up to two boutique quality hotels, bed and breakfast operators, single family chalets, and a condominium and townhouse complex. Nestled in the trees, the resort will be complementary to the surrounding scenery. The expanded four season resort community will take advantage of the area’s internationally recognized climate in both winter and summer. 

Lands within the Expansion Plan area are currently beyond direct Regional District land use regulations, and are also under senior government authority. The entire area under study is Provincial Crown Land. Resort development on Crown Land in BC is subject to the Commercial Alpine Ski Policy administered by the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts. The total resort development area, including the golf course, the single family chalet area and parking facilities, cover approximately 150 hectares.

The excellent climate of the region is well known, and of extreme importance when considering site analysis criteria. Westbank is a semi arid desert climate with over 2000 hours of sunlight per year. The average July temperature is 24 degrees Celsius and the average January temperature is -1.6 degrees Celsius. Crystal Mountain has the advantage of sitting high above the fog that traditionally blankets Okanagan Lake, allowing visitors to enjoy sunshine and conditions favourable to powder skiing as well as a variety of other outdoor activities.

Developers, stakeholders, provincial and municipal government, residents and the Westbank First Nation are now taking part in an information process and public consultation to participate in the expansion project process, and its benefit to the area.

Crystal is located twelve kilometers northwest of the Glenrosa Interchange of the Coquihalla freeway connector that leads from Vancouver to Westbank and Kelowna. Greater Vancouver is only three and a half hours away to the West and Kelowna is twenty minutes to the East.