ARMR is a theoretical European-style ski resort in the pristine Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia. A brief description can be found below. For more information, please visit the Adamant Resort website! The Canadian Rockies hold some of the best potential worldwide for the ultimate mountain resort based on geography and weather. After surveying mountains all over the continent (and the world) using topographical/slope steepness data and extrapolated precipitation patterns, this location was decided upon for its vertical drop, slope aspect (skiable slopes mostly face north instead of south), projected snowfall totals and snow quality, varied terrain, and natural beauty. The development is modeled after resorts like France's Les Trois Vallees, Italy's Via Lattea, and Austria's Kitzbuhel (KitzSki). Ski resorts like these, which feature many villages interconnected by expansive ski lift and trail systems, are virtually unheard of in North America (Utah's One Wasatch concept would be the first if it ever garners approval). The proposed plan includes two large mountain villages (Everly and Loganville) and nine satellite villages; all eleven establishments are accessible by public transportation. The towns will encompass lodging, shops and eateries. All downtown areas are designed to be vehicle-free (in similar fashion to Zermatt) to add to the small-town ambiance and prevent congestion, but will have local transportation in the form of cable cars and buses to help move visitors around. Only full-time residents of the area will be allowed to have vehicles at all; vacationers will need to leave their vehicles in the parking lot in Donald and take the train (or arrive by plane or boat). A system of trains and trucks will move personal items between villages while patients ski during the day for those who are changing lodging accommodations. Some villages will have direct ski-in/ski-out access, and feature trails that weave right between the buildings. Small neighborhoods of custom homes will be available for permanent residents outside of each town and around the region based on demand. All buildings must meet pre-established architectural standards, and neighborhoods will be modeled after private communities like Martis Camp in California's Lake Tahoe region, The Colony in Park City, and Montana's Yellowstone Club. Each town will have a central architectural theme that models different areas of the world of skiing. The town of Everly will include a small college and a local hospital. Night-skiing will be available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays above the town of Everly on the Northeast aspect of Tabernacle Mountain. A scattering of luxury hotels and lodges can be found throughout the area, some of which are only accessible by ski lifts or helicopters. The resort will also feature a few golf courses. Two trams transport sightseers to the peaks of Adamant Mountain (10,974') and Mount Sir Sandford (11,545') for extraordinary views of the resort and surrounding mountain wilderness. Design and construction of all infrastructure, buildings, and ski lifts will be done in the spirit of environmental conservation to minimize impact, and the resort will develop renewable energy sources to work toward a zero net-energy presence. Three large subranges of the Selkirks will be involved in the ski lift infrastructure. A sizable portion of the area is covered by snow year-round. Based on data collected for nearby Valemount Glaciers Resort, natural snowfall should easily be able to cover areas above 4,000'. Similarly, CMH's Adamant Lodge (which sits at an elevation of approximately 3,000') usually has adequate powder for winter activities. Artificial snowmaking will be used to cover slopes along Kinbasket Lake (where the lowest elevations can be found) when needed. Due to the sheer size of the resort, entire areas can be closed when snow coverage is spotty without really affecting the overall availability and diversity of terrain. The lift system was designed to add as much skiable area as possible. British Columbia is known for its glades skiing, and many forests will be left untouched (apart from lift construction) for those seeking a more natural experience. In addition, private cat-skiing will be available to guests who desire it; areas that are not lift-served will be open to these types of operations. A ski school will be located just outside of Kirkwood (Red Carpet and Snoopy's Park lifts) for beginners. Terrain parks are scattered throughout, including an area above Everly which will be open for night-skiing and competitions. The region will become a tourist hotspot similar to nearby Revelstoke during the Summer, with activities such as mountain biking, hiking/backpacking, and boating on Kinbasket Lake. Backcountry and traditional camping will be available as well. Summer glacier skiing will be available in the Forbes Glacier Bowl above Vallee de la Cascade. ARMR is far larger than any existing resort on Earth and includes a vertical drop that tops all but Chamonix. Relevant statistics for the entire establishment can be found below: -Lift-Served Vertical = 9,002' [Cloud 9 Tram (11,496'), Sullivan Line (2,494')] -Total Number of Lifts = 175 -Total Length of Lifts = 222.61 miles Statistics regarding the ski area itself: -Total Skiable Area (Approximate) = 161.22 square miles -Lift-Served Vertical (Skiable) = 8,021' [Pioneer Lift (10,515'), Sullivan Line (2,494')] -Largest Continuous Skiable Vertical = 7,930' [top of Pioneer Lift (10,515') to Down The Hatch to Newton's Theory to Corner Pocket to Valley Forge to Meadows to base of Swan Bay Connector (2,585')] -Total Number of Ski Lifts = 171 -Total Length of Ski Lifts = 219.547 miles -Total Vertical of Ski Lifts = 357,811 feet -Total Number of Trails = 1,018 -Total Length of Trails = 1,021.556 miles -Total Vertical of Trails = 1,244,714' -Total Area of Inbound Glades = 8,171 acres -Total Length of Night-Skiing Trails = 22.0 miles -Total Length of Summer Glacier Skiing Trails = 9.89 miles Projected costs for a project like this are immense, and the combination of lack of funding, government roadblocks, and competition from established resorts nearby basically guarantees that plans like this will never be brought to fruition. The principles on which it was designed, however, are replicable. If the North American ski industry ever has a chance of rivaling its European counterparts, resorts of this style will be what evens the playing field. Disclaimer: I have never visited the area that this resort encompasses. All decisions made for where trails and lifts could be constructed were based on mapping software. The area is already used for backcountry skiing by Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH) and the Alpine Club of Canada, which both operate lodges here; claims from those organizations and personal accounts from their respective beneficiaries support the idea that this region has great potential for ski resort development.