Manning Park Resort

The E.C. Manning Provincial Park is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts in British Columbia, and the Manning Park Resort ski area is the park's winter attraction. With the completion of the Hope-Princeton Highway in 1949, visitors began to flock to the initial facilities that have grown into today's winter resort. Through contacts with the Provincial government, the resort owners maintain the resort, lodging, and campgrounds in the park.

The winter resort sits just north of the British Columbia/Washington state border, along Highway 3 in the E.C. Manning Provincial Park. Those driving Trans-Canada Highway 1 can exit onto Highway 3 east of Hope. Anyone flying into the region will likely use Vancouver's International Airport. Americans can use Interstate 5 to get into Vancouver across the border or US Route 97 if they drive from eastern Washington.

Resort Life in the Canadian Cascades

The Provincial park that the Manning Park Resort sits in is home to most of the Canadian Cascade's Hozameen mountain range. Visitors have used the ski resort for winter activities since the 1960s, taking advantage of the terrain for alpine, cross-country, and snowshoeing. The hill has a base elevation of 4,451 feet and a summit that reaches 5,868 feet. Its 1,417-foot vertical drop creates potential everyone can enjoy on the ranked trails that cross the slopes here.

Sitting in the middle of a Provincial park means that the Manning Park Resort ski area needs to supply amenities so that guests will not have to travel far. Cabins, chalets, and a hotel will match the needs and budget of visitors. The Day Lodge Cafeteria, Pinewoods Dining Room, Bear's Den Pub, and the Country Store provide beverages, food, supplies, and a place to relax. Guests needing gear can get alpine skis and snowboards or Nordic ski gear to rent.

The location of the Manning Park Resort provides access to plenty of snow. Its annual average snowfall of 296 inches helps create a great base to play on and offers guests several opportunities to downhill during a dump (or right after).

Plenty of Outdoor for the Size

The Manning Park Resort maintains 140 skiable acres. That said, there is plenty to do off the groomed slopes. Guests can book time during the day or evenings to skate on the outdoor rink or try some family fun at the tobogganing area. Tickets for the Polar Coaster Tube Park sell in two-hour increments, which is usually enough for younger guests.

The Manning Park Resort provides access to over 180 miles of trails that challenge all levels of snowshoe exploration, and nearly 40 miles of Nordic trails give skiers and skaters room to play. That is all in addition to the 34 downhill runs that the Manning Park Resort staff maintain. The terrain here rates as green/beginner (8 runs), blue/intermediate (11 runs), and black diamond/advanced (16 runs), with the longest run reaching 6,375 feet in total length. Five lifts move guests around the slopes at the Manning Park Resort, including a double, a quad, handle tow, T-bar, and surface lift in the tube park.