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  • Writer's pictureDean Nelson

Vancouver Island Pride Weekend Comes to Mt. Washington

VIP Winter Events will be held February 28th to March 3rd


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 31, 2019 - MT.WASHINGTON, VANCOUVER ISLAND – Vancouver Island Pride’s first VIP Getaway Weekend will be held at Mt. Washington Alpine Resort from February 28th to March 3rd. The event, which Vancouver Island Pride intends to hold annually, will include a robust itinerary of on-snow and off-the-snow activities with highlights that include a charity ski race, a celebratory Pride Parade, and evening social events. Vancouver Island Pride selected Mt. Washington as the venue, which is known for record snowfall, varied terrain, and unique views, because it is recognized as one of the best destination resorts in British Columbia, and the hope is the iconic location will help increase attendance. The VIP weekend is expected to attract many first-time visitors to the resort and the Comox Valley. New guests can orientate themselves to the 1,700-acre resort by joining daily guided tours of the slopes. For skiing and snowboarding novices, VIP has arranged to make group lessons available with Mt. Washington’s Snow School.

The weekend schedule will also cater to non-skiers. “There are a lot of activities to take part in outside of skiing or snowboarding,” explained Robyn Heron, Manager of Business Development at Mt. Washington. “For example, guests can explore Strathcona Park on Nordic skis or snowshoes. It’s a wild experience to see the old-growth forests covered in two meters of snow! We also have Fat Biking, which we just added this year, on a 15km groomed trail system.”  Heron noted other activities include the Tube Park, a groomed slope where guests descend the hill on a truck tire inner tube, and an après scene at the resort and in the Comox Valley rivaling bigger, more famous ski resort towns. Mt. Washington has indicated an interest in hosting the VIP Weekend as an annual event and has partnered with LGBTQ travel specialist, Dean Nelson of Departures by Dean to help coordinate travel for the occasion. Nelson provided some background for the origins of the winter Getaway stating, “Over the years we’ve heard from the Island’s LGBTQ community that they would love to see a gay ski weekend that’s affordable and easy to get to like Mt. Washington. We are so excited about the activities lined up for the inaugural event from the skiing to the après scene. It’s going to be a high energy weekend celebrating diversity on and off the slopes.” For more information on the Vancouver Island Pride Weekend and getaway packages visit www.mountwashington.ca.

ABOUT MOUNT WASHINGTON Mount Washington Alpine Resort is located just 30 minutes from the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia and hosts over 300,000 visits per year.  In the winter guests enjoy five chairlifts, and five carpet lifts accessing over 1,700 acres and 1,657 vertical feet of alpine terrain.  The resort also has 55 kilometers of designated cross-country skiing and 25km of snowshoeing trails along with a dedicated Nordic lodge. This summer Mt. Washington will open an iconic peak to peak ZipTour.  Other summer activities at Mount Washington include lift-accessed mountain biking, a quad bungie trampoline, scenic chairlift rides, disc golf, miniature golf, boardwalk chess and checkers, shopping and dining.  The resort also plays host to over 30 weddings per year plus numerous group and corporate events.

Off-island visitors can use WestJet, Air Canada, Central Mountain Air, and Pacific Coastal Airlines which provide air service to the Comox Valley Airport (YQQ) or they can fly right into Comox Marina via Harbour Air.  Additional carriers serving the Victoria Airport (YYJ) includes Alaska Airlines out of Seattle.

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