🏔️ Building Up Mount Washington: The Complete 2025 Guide for Alpine Construction 🛠️❄️

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is transforming. With increased tourism investment, long-term master planning, and new village concepts such as Sky Village emerging in planning discussions, the mountain is becoming one of the most promising places on Vancouver Island to build a recreational home or income-producing property.

As builders who work throughout the Comox Valley and up the mountain, we created this in-depth guide to help you plan your project with confidence.

🌲 Why Build on Mount Washington?

Mount Washington offers a rare combination of:

• ❄️ Year-round recreation (skiing, snowboarding, biking, hiking)

• 📈 Growing tourism numbers and revitalized resort planning

• 🏘️ Upcoming developments including potential village densification

• 💼 Strong nightly rental demand for short-term stays can you say Air B and B

• 🚗 Proximity to Courtenay/Comox, yet a true alpine environment

  
  

The mountain is entering a new phase of growth, making early construction a strong long-term investment.

🏘️ Sky Village & Future Resort Development

Recent planning documents, resort marketing strategies, and regional planning updates show a clear direction: a more vibrant, walkable, amenity-rich alpine village.

Key components include:

• 🏙️ Higher-density village housing

• 🍽️ Expanded food, beverage & après-ski zones

• 🚶 Improved pedestrian pathways

• 🛌 Additional lodging and resort accommodations

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This cluster of future development concepts—often referred to broadly in discussions as “Sky Village”—signals major investment and long-term expansion around the village core.

If your lot is near the existing village, these future upgrades may significantly increase property value and rental demand.

📋 Five Critical Considerations Before You Build

1) ❄️ Site-Specific Snow Load Requirements

Every home built on Mount Washington must be engineered using site-specific snow load values, which your structural engineer obtains directly from Environment Canada.

Many lots on the mountain require values near 500 psf, but every site differs.This is mandatory before structural design can begin.

2) 🏛️ Development Permits & Geotechnical Requirements

Before any excavation or land alteration, you’ll need:

• Development Permit

• Geotechnical engineering & slope stability review

• Soil and drainage assessments

• Environmental considerations (riparian & sensitive areas)

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These are outlined in the Comox Valley’s IRCP (Integrated Resort Community Plan), which governs how development proceeds on the mountain.

3) ⚡ Utilities & Servicing

Servicing varies by phase and strata. Some lots have full resort utility connections, while others require engineered private systems.

You may need to plan for:

• Engineered septic

• Private or resort-managed water

• Cold-weather electrical protection

• High-efficiency HVAC suitable for alpine temperatures

  
  

Servicing should be confirmed before design and budgeting.

4) 🚚 Logistics & Mountain Access

Building at 1,000+ metres elevation introduces unique challenges:

• Snow removal throughout the build

• Material delivery timing around storms

• Crane operations limited to shoulder seasons

• Winter slowdowns and access restrictions

• Weather protection for materials and framing

A strong logistics plan ensures your project stays on schedule and avoids costly delays.

5) 🧱 Alpine-Grade Building Envelope & Mechanical Systems

Mountain structures require premium detailing. Key elements include:

• High-performance insulation

• Continuous air barriers

• Proper vapour management

• Snow drift and shedding roof design

• Durable exterior materials

Heating systems often include high-efficiency heat pumps, hydronic in-floor heat, or hybrid systems designed for extreme cold.

🗺️ Your Step-by-Step Roadmap to Building on the Mountain

1. 🔍 Confirm your lot’s servicing & access

2. 📐 Obtain site-specific snow load from your structural engineer

3. 🧭 Review Mount Washington’s IRCP & long-term resort planning

4. 📑 Submit Development Permit applications

5. 🏗️ Begin design with alpine-specific envelope & roof engineering

6. 🚚 Plan construction schedule with weather windows in mind

7. 🛠️ Build with cold-climate durability as the priority

💰 Why Now Is a Smart Time to Build

Mount Washington is entering a growth cycle with:

• Increased tourism marketing

• Strategic plans to improve the village

• Higher year-round visitation

• Destination development initiatives

• New commercial & residential opportunities

Building now means getting ahead of future phases (including Sky Village concepts) — a strong long-term investment for families, investors, and recreational property owners.

🧰 Howson Homes: Vancouver Island’s Alpine Construction Specialists

We’ve built across Vancouver Island — coastal, inland, northern, and alpine conditions included. Mount Washington requires a unique combination of structural, logistical, and cold-weather expertise.

Our alpine build process includes:

• ✔️ Lot review & servicing audit

• ✔️ Coordination with structural & biological and geotechnical engineers

• ✔️ Permit & DP management support

• ✔️ High-performance mountain-grade building envelopes

• ✔️ Seasonal logistics & delivery planning

Whether you're dreaming of a rental-ready chalet or a long-term family cabin, we’ll walk you through every step of the process.

📞 Ready to Build Your Cabin on Mount Washington?