Exploring Winter Flavours: A Gourmet Ski Adventure in Wells

Picture yourself gliding down pristine, snow-covered slopes, the crisp mountain air filling your lungs as you navigate picturesque cross-country ski trails and take in stunning scenery like never before. An exciting winter day unfolds before your eyes, and just when you think it can’t get any better, you stumble upon a food stand in a snowy forest, offering warm treats from around the globe. Welcome to the Wells International Gourmet Ski Festival. Your adventure has begun!

This non-competitive event has become a beloved highlight of Wells’ winter calendar, drawing both locals and visitors. Hosted by dedicated volunteers and members of the Wells and Area Trails Society, the Wells Gourmet Ski Festival also serves as a fundraiser to support the maintenance of local ski trails, helping showcase the region’s recreational treasures while sparking interest in its winter economy.

Snow, Food and Funny Costumes: Wells 17th International Gourmet Ski Festival

The 17th Annual Wells International Gourmet Ski Festival is set for February 15, 2025, attracting participants from across the province and beyond, including Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton. Registration opens in early January, so don’t miss your chance to join the fun.

“The total circuit has over 30 km of trails within the network, yet the event is confined to the front section. Novice skiers or families with kids can visit every station and return home on a 4 km stretch that is almost flat, encompassing breathtaking settings such as forests, meadows, and streams with mountain views,” explained Dave Jorgenson, president of The Wells and Area Trails Society.

Participants have the chance to go cross-country skiing around the Wells meadow and the hills of the Cornish Mountain trail network while enjoying incredible international cuisine served at pit stops along the way. If that’s not enticing enough, they also get to dress up in the most ridiculous costumes for a chance to win prizes. To wrap up a day filled with fun and adventure, participants can also stay for the evening and join the popular International Mountain Film Festival.

“As a festival, the Gourmet Ski should not be confused with a race. If anything, it’s part of the slow food movement. Seeing the success of the event, other communities have attempted to grow it too but without the same result. I think it’s because of the unique elements of our community,” Dave insightfully shared.

A Day Full of Delicacies: A Unique Gourmet Ski Experience

The happy skiers can spend a full day skiing and visiting all the food stations along the trail system to try the delicious international food carefully selected by volunteer chefs. “Food stations reflect local chefs’ interests in international cuisine and their culture. The Gourmet Ski always ends with dessert at the Canada station, back in Wells, at the Frog On The Bog, before heading over to the Jack O’ Pub for the award ceremony,” says Dave.

Elyssia Sasaki, executive director of Island Mountain Arts (IMA) and a volunteer with Wells Gourmet Ski for two years, was in charge of the exceptional Levant station, serving food from the Easter Mediterranean, along with the couple Amber and Patrick Courtin. “The best thing about the Gourmet Ski is that you can be outside, do something different, and meet new people,” shared Elyssia.

Covered in layers to fight the cold but with warm smiles, Ekai Jorgeson and Emma Swabey served Norwegian waffles topped with homemade crème fraîche and berry compotes, along with Brunost. “Brunost means brown cheese; it’s a special cheese impossible to find anywhere except in Norway,” Ekai explained.

The Wells International Gourmet Ski Festival not only invites you to enjoy the incredible outdoors while indulging in global dishes and meeting interesting people but also encourages you to be conscious about the environment and the footprint we leave behind. All cutlery and plates are made from recycled materials, and the ski scrapers used by attendees are manufactured in Williams Lake by a home-based business striving to make a difference in the world by keeping plastic out of the waste stream.

2025 Wells International Mountain Film Festival

Introduced 15 years ago as a means to incentivize people to stay in Wells, get to know the 200-person community better, and participate in the charming life of the town like a local, the Wells International Mountain Film Festival is held in the beautiful Sunset Theatre, a spectacular 1930s performance venue dripping with history and personality.

The selected films are carefully curated to interest the specific audiences of Wells and the Gourmet Ski Festival, including narratives that discuss nature, sports, and other outdoor adventures. “I have a passion for homegrown adventure, so I love films that showcase elite athletes adventuring in their own backyards,” Dave explained. “In addition, I look for films that may be about somewhere else but reflect the ethos of the Cariboo in some way too.”

For 2025, Dave excitedly explains that “The Mountain Film festival promises a trip down memory lane. Ski films include one that celebrates the historic beginning of skiing in the Altai region of China, another describes the subsequent rebirth of skiing in the world will be wrapped around a rare ski film preserved from Well’s own history as a ski mecca from the 1930s and 40s, and other films that celebrate skiing and outdoor and mountain culture will be sprinkled in between.”

Join the Fun: How to Participate in Wells Gourmet Ski Festival

Being a volunteer-driven event, The Wells International Gourmet Ski Festival offers only 100 tickets each year – and they sell out fast! With its coveted experience, word spreads far and wide when registration opens: for the past few years, it has sold out in 24 to 48 hours.

Registration opens early in January every year. Mark your calendars and make sure to plan ahead to join an amazing day filled with snowy smiles and warm food from around the world!

For ticket prices, registration details, and more information, visit their website.