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View from the South West Coast Path at Revelstoke. Photo by: Kate Jewell- Wikimedia.

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Revelstoke Dam, British Columbia

If you’re looking for a “powerful” (pun totally intended) way to spend the day, take a Dam tour of the Revelstoke Dam.

As per the BC Hydro Website, Revelstoke Dam is Canada’s second yielding project on the Columbia River and one of four dams in British Columbia that regulate the Columbia’s flow.

Looking for things to do in Revelstoke? Revelstoke is without a doubt one of our favorite places to visit in Canada. It’s a small town near the Selkirk Mountains and Glacier National Park known for its legendary powder.

It is not a busy Canadian mountain town like Banff because of its location off Trans Canada and near Rogers Pass. In both the winter and summer, Revelstoke has a lot to offer tourists.

1.Revelstoke has an award-winning spirits and beers across the world

Revelstoke may be a small town, but our beers and spirits pack a punch! Revelstoke’s local craft scene has really taken off, with two breweries and two distilleries. If you want to TASTE what #TheRealStoke is all about, you can go to Mt Begbie Brewery, Rumpus Beer Co, Monashee Distillery, or Jones Distilling.

2.The ruins of an abandoned hotel can be explored

Revelstoke British Columbia from Mount Revelstoke. Photo by: Darren Kirby- Wikimedia.

The ruins of the original Glacier House are a short walk from the Illecillewaet campground in Glacier National Park. The hotel, which was once at the pinnacle of luxury, was used by tourists who came to participate in the early 1900s rock climbing fad.

There are now only ruins and a few artifacts left (see if you can find the old bathtub). Following the 1910 avalanche, the over-ground train route through Rogers Pass was closed, signaling the beginning of Glacier House’s decline.

There are now some excellent hikes that begin near the ruins. The incredible Meeting of the Waters at the end of the valley is just a kilometer into the valley.

3.The most dangerous avalanche in Canada occurred in Revelstoke

A huge avalanche from the other side of the valley struck workers clearing avalanche debris from the railway lines in Rogers Pass on March 4th, 1910. The slide killed 58 people, buried over 400 meters of track, and turned a locomotive and plow upside down.

The avalanche was Canada’s scariest, and the disaster prompted a push to route Rogers Pass through a series of tunnels and snow sheds, creating a safer route through the mountains. They now have world-class avalanche preventative measures that uses explosives and infrastructure to keep the roads as safe as possible.

4. Revelstoke is a star in a movie

Downtown Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. Photo by: Sarah German- Wikimedia.

You may very well recognize Revelstoke; the area is fairly well-known. Revelstoke has served as a film location on numerous occasions, beginning with the 1936 film “The Silent Barrier.” 

We’ve appeared on numerous other shows since then, including Double Jeopardy, Mountain Men, and two Hallmark movies, Frozen in Love and Marry Me at Christmas. Not to mention the countless ski and snowboard movies.

5.Revelstoke Dam is the most powerful on the Colombia River

The Revelstoke Dam is a commanding tourist attraction. It also has some good performances! It’s one of BC’s most powerful dams, standing 175m tall and covering 155km2. In the summer, take a tour of the visitor center to learn all about how the dam works and to see the breath-taking view from the top.

6.There is amazing wildlife

Did you know that the Revelstoke area is also home to grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, cougars, wolverines, moose, martens, coyotes, lynx, deer, and mountain goats? The area has an explicit selection of wild animals one can see during their visit there. 

7.The most vertical in North America is at the Revelstoke Mountain Resort

Meadow, Mount Revelstoke, British Columbia. Photo by: XeresNelro- Wikimedia.

Revelstoke Mountain Resort has the most rideable meters in North America, with 1713m to tear down from top to bottom! Ride through alpine bowls to miles (literally) of groomed trails leading to the base – just make sure you do some squats first!

8.It was once a ski diving tourist attraction

Revelstoke is now known for its downhill snow-sports, but it was once the place to be for ski jumping. The Norwegians who settled in Revelstoke in the late 1800s and early 1900s brought ski jumping with them.

Before it was discontinued in the 1970s, five world records were set on the jump, including a staggering 73m jump by Nels Nelsen in 1925- when ski boots were made of leather, skis were one solid piece of wood, and bindings held the skis on- whatever happened!

Visit the Nels Nelsen historic site and lean into Nels Knickers to get a sense of how big the jump was here!

9.Revelstoke is a temperature rainforest in the inlands

Revelstoke Mid-Station. Photo by: Kyle Pearce- Wikimedia.

Revelstoke is not only located in a rainforest, but it is one of the world’s rarest rainforests! The inland temperate rainforest, particularly the old-growth forest around Revelstoke, is a diverse ecosystem of cedar and hemlock trees that supports a diverse range of animals and plant life.

This particular type of forest can only be found in British Columbia. Due to the deep snow in the winter, mountain caribou make their home in this type of forest, and the forests around Revelstoke play an important role in their safety.

Take a walk through the heart of the old growth on the Giant Cedars Boardwalk!

10.Revelstoke could have been called something else!

Mount Mackenzie, British Columbia. Photo by: Nthep- Wikimedia.

Farwell was the name of the first town established here. The town was built around the railway, and Mr Farwell was the first settler here. When Canadian Pacific Rail discovered that they couldn’t agree on the cost of doing business in Farwell, they established their own town next to Farwell and named it Lord Revelstoke. Farwell is still the name of the section of town closest to the highway.