Ski areas: Apex
Population: Penticton 29,000
Road and weather conditions: (800) 663-6000 or (604) 490-4997
Snow report: (604) 492-2929 ext. 2000
Annual snowfall: 220"
Ski season: November-mid-April
Chamber of Commerce: (604) 492-4103
Average cost 1-bedroom apartment: $420 Cdn.
Cost of adult 1-day lift ticket: $54 Cdn.
Local newspapers: Penticton Herald, (604) 492-4002; Western News-Advertiser, (604) 492-0444

Area Profile

Apex is known throughout western Canada as a high-end resort with plenty of extreme terrain. Skiers in search of bumps regularly make the trip from Spokane and Vancouver to this ski area near Penticton, B.C. The resort's biggest claim to fame is that a number of the extreme skiers featured in Warren Miller's films got their start working at Apex and developing their downhill skills.

Winter Activities

With a vertical drop of 2,000 feet and plenty of wild terrain, Apex is an expert's paradise. The area also has a fair amount of beginner and intermediate runs, but the focus here is on extreme skiing.

The resort is open for night skiing. Other winter activities include ice skating, cross-country trails, snowboarding, and sleigh rides.

Summer Activities

Nestled in the fertile Okanagan Valley, Apex is surrounded by vineyards, many of which are open for touring. Peaches, apples, cherries, and plums all can be found at nearby orchards depending on the month. The resort is also close to an amazing forty golf courses. Other popular activities include mountain biking, horseback riding, hiking, swimming, and fishing. The resort plans to build up its summer facilities, including adding a swimming pool, golf course, and tennis courts.

Apr�s-ski

Apex has its own hot spot watering holes right at the resort. Other restaurants and bars can be found in Penticton, thirty-seven kilometers from the resort.

Transportation

Apex is 230 miles from Spokane, Washington, on Highway 97, and twenty miles west of Penticton, B.C., in the Okanagan Valley. Penticton has its own international airport. Time Air and Air B.C. offer regularly scheduled flights from points across Canada, or connections can be made in Vancouver or Calgary from the U.S. Another option is to use Greyhound Lines of Canada.

There is no shuttle bus system, as nothing at the resort is more than a ten -minute walk apart. Access to Penticton is by car or hitchhiking.

Housing

Although no employee housing is provided, the resort does have an arrangement with four or five hotels in Penticton to rent kitchenette units to employees at a rate of $200 per month. Independent accommodations can also be found in the Penticton area.

Employment

Applicants should begin their job hunt by the end of September. Because this is a small resort with no separate personnel department, it's important to point out what types of positions you are interested in. Hiring for the winter season is usually completed by the first week in November.

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