“Snowy” Joey O’Brien, managing director at Baldy Mountain Resort, is celebrating both winter and spring sports with a Triple Crown promotion. Participants can combine skiing with spring sports such as golf and mountain biking. (Richard McGuire file photo)
The days just keep getting nicer, and the overlap of spring and winter weather brings out the best of both seasons at Baldy Mountain Resort.
Beginning today, March 1, multi-talented outdoor enthusiasts can book a great deal on skiing through the Triple Crown promotion.
“Snowy” Joey O’Brien, managing director of the resort, explained how the idea is being recycled from the Canmore/Banff area.
“Generally, a bunch of guys would meet for a greasy breakfast at 8 a.m. then go mountain biking for two hours,” he said. “Then zip up to Sunshine Village for a couple of hours of skiing, then we would tee off at 4 p.m. for 18 holes. After this we would retire to someone’s place for a barbecue and tell lies.”
The actives of golf and mountain biking are interchangeable, but in order to achieve the Triple Crown, three major activities have to be completed in one day, including a trip to the ski hill.
To connect with all the activities in the region, Baldy has teamed up with Designation Osoyoos and the Oliver Tourism Association. By showing proof that you enjoyed any two local attractions in the same day as you buy a lift ticket, Baldy will give you an additional lift ticket, good to be used any time, by any person, until the end of the season on April 17.
“Just show us proof,” O’Brien said. “Recipients, pictures from your phone – just some sort of proof and we’ll give you a one-day lift ticket.”
As the spring weather can make some people forget about fun at the ski hill, O’Brien said March brings the mountain some of its best snowpacks of the year.
“Baldy has the highest base elevation in Canada which gives us great snow, and yet in the valley, only 38 km away, summer hits in March.”
Beyond biking and golfing activities, Triple Crown-goers can get their other two notches by visiting a winery, stand-up paddle boarding, walking along one of the many picturesque shorelines, or visiting a museum.
“As soon as it gets nice at the valley bottom people stop coming here – and that’s when its at its prime,” he said. “So we began looking for a partnership with valley-bottom entities.”
For the social media savvy, it’s easy to snap great pictures after enjoying three major outdoor events in one day. And the best way to show those photos off is by tagging them #baldytriplecrown.
DAN WALTON
Regional Reporter
