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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Mount Washington Alpine Resort
Go for 1–2 nights if you ski or ride; day-trip from Courtenay (40 min) otherwise. No car in winter means the ski bus or nothing.
Mount Washington is Vancouver Island's largest commercial ski area, 18 km up Strathcona Parkway from Highway 19 near Courtenay. Winter is downhill, cross-country, tubing and snowshoeing; summer is hiking and lift-served mountain biking. There is no town at the base — you sleep in Alpine Village or drive up from Courtenay or Campbell River.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Dec–Mar for snow; Jul–Sep for hiking and biking
- Avoid
- Nov and Apr–May (thin or closed snow, mud season); check snow reports before booking
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$120–180 excl. bed (lift ticket, packed food, bus) · Mid C$200–320 excl. bed (lift ticket, rentals, on-mountain meals) · High C$350+ excl. bed (private lessons, gear demo, apartment) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Health advice (BC, 24 h) 811
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee on the mountain | C$3–6 |
| Burger or bowl at an on-mountain outlet | C$15–25 |
| Draught beer in the resort bar | C$8–12 |
| Lift ticket, adult full day | C$90–130 |
| Ski or snowboard rental, full day | C$50–80 |
| Valley bus, Courtenay/Cumberland return | C$20 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$15–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YQQ · Comox Valley Airport
- Closest airport, about 45–60 min by car via Courtenay (check); seasonal flights from Vancouver and Calgary — check the schedule.
- YYJ · Victoria International
- About 3.5 h by car; the Victoria ski bus runs Fri–Sun in season, daily over the Christmas–New Year weeks.
Typical fares
- Valley bus, Courtenay/Cumberland return
- about C$20, 40–60 min each way
- Ski bus from Nanaimo, return
- about C$52.50, 1.5 h each way
- Ski bus from Victoria, return
- about C$85.50, 3.5 h each way
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car or the ski bus. From Courtenay take Cliffe Ave north, right on 1st St, left on Condensory Rd, left on Piercy Rd to Highway 19, then Exit 130 and 18 km (11 mi) up Strathcona Parkway to the end. In ski season a valley bus runs between the resort, Courtenay and Cumberland (about $20 round trip, 40–60 min each way), and a Victoria–Nanaimo ski bus runs Friday to Sunday, daily over the Christmas–New Year weeks. On the mountain everything is walkable from Alpine Village.You need a car or the ski bus. From Courtenay take Cliffe Ave north, right on 1st St, left on Condensory Rd, left on Piercy Rd to Highway 19, then Exit 130 and 11 mi (18 km) up Strathcona Parkway to the end. In ski season a valley bus runs between the resort, Courtenay and Cumberland (about $20 round trip, 40–60 min each way), and a Victoria–Nanaimo ski bus runs Friday to Sunday, daily over the Christmas–New Year weeks. On the mountain everything is walkable from Alpine Village.
See and do
Known for
- Downhill and cross-country skiing on Vancouver Island
- Snow tubing and snowshoeing
- Summer hiking and mountain biking
- Alpine Village on-mountain lodging
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Courtenay | Drive 18 km (11 mi) down Strathcona Parkway, then Highway 19 southDrive 11 mi (18 km) down Strathcona Parkway, then Highway 19 south | About 40 min |
| Campbell River | Highway 19 north from Exit 130 | About 40 min |
| Comox | Highway 19 south to Comox Valley | About 50 min |
| Nanaimo | Highway 19 south, or the seasonal ski bus | About 1.5 h by car |
| Tofino | Highway 19 to Highway 4 via Port Alberni | About 3.5 h |
| Port Alberni | Highway 19 south then Highway 4 west | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Alpine Village (on mountain)
- The resort's on-mountain lodging: lodge rooms and 1–3 bedroom apartments steps from the lifts. Rates and minimum stays: check with the resort.
- Courtenay
- About 40 min down the mountain; hotels, motels, restaurants and groceries. Other on-mountain beds: check.
- Campbell River
- About 40 min north of the highway turnoff; useful if you are working your way up the island.
Language
English is the working language in most of Canada; French dominates Québec and parts of New Brunswick and Ontario. Québec's language law (Bill 96) makes French the language of signs, menus and services; a 'Bonjour' first earns goodwill, and in Montréal most people switch to English easily.
- Metric system: km, °C, litres — but people often give heights in feet.
- 'Eh', 'toque' (winter hat), 'loonie' and 'toonie' (CAD 1 and 2 coins), 'double-double' (coffee with two cream, two sugar).
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Winter driving: Strathcona Parkway climbs 18 km and can require chains or winter tires; check road and snow conditions before you leave Courtenay.
- No petrol, no hospital and very limited groceries on the mountain (check) — fill up and shop in Courtenay.
- Cell coverage is patchy on the upper mountain and on the parkway (check).
- Summer bike park riding is on steep, loose terrain: full-face helmet and pads, and check trail status daily.
- Book Alpine Village and lift tickets ahead for weekends, holidays and the Christmas–New Year period (check).
The mountain is safe for normal resort use; the real risks are winter driving on Strathcona Parkway, unmarked tree wells and deep snow off-piste, and riding beyond your level in the bike park. Tell someone your plan and carry a charged phone.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Mount Washington Alpine Resort yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Downhill and cross-country skiing on Vancouver Island
- Snow tubing and snowshoeing
- Summer hiking and mountain biking
- Alpine Village on-mountain lodging
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Mount Washington Alpine Resort — official site: www.mountwashington.ca/
- Mount Washington — valley bus service: www.mountwashington.ca/bus.html
- Mount Washington Ski Bus: mtwskibus.com/
- Wikivoyage: Mount Washington Alpine Resort, revision 5311137 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5311137
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Mount Washington Alpine Resort
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No consulate on the island; US consulate-general in Vancouver, other embassies in Ottawa. Check before you travel.
English is spoken everywhere; no local phrase needed.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/mount-washington-alpine-resort). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.