It has been a long day - exhilarating and exhausting. We have skied up and down several mountain peaks in the spectacularly remote Selkirk Range of the British Columbia Rockies. We are literally in the middle of nowhere. Many kilometres - and a helicopter ride - from Revelstoke, the nearest town. But tonight, instead of crawling into a cold, damp tent and melting some snow to make instant soup, my fellow backcountry skiers and I will luxuriate in the cozy warmth of a tastefully decorated chalet, while dining on four courses of mouth-watering European-style cuisine.

We are enjoying the hospitality of Ruedi Beglinger and his wife, Nicoline. The Beglingers own and operate Selkirk Mountain Experience, a remote backcountry ski operation which allows skiers to get away from it all, without leaving the luxuries behind. The Beglinger's Durrand Glacier Chalet looks like something right out of the Swiss Alps (and if Ruedi is having a particularly great day, you will hear him yodelling down the mountainside just like he did in his native Switzerland). Selkirk Mountain Experience is just one of several backcountry ski operations in BC which have recognized that while people may desire a wilderness experience, they still want great food and a comfortable bed to sleep in.

Purcell Lodge near Golden is the largest and most luxurious of the remote backcountry operations. Like all of the remote lodges in BC, it is only accessible by helicopter. In fact, all of the building materials for the deluxe 3-storey structure were flown in by chopper, too. Purcell Lodge accommodates up to 30 people and has showers, flush toilets and electricity. Their dining room has even been reviewed by Gourmet Magazine. During the day, you have the option of exploring the mountains with a fully qualified mountain guide, or if you have some previous backcountry experience, you can take off on your own and enjoy the peace, tranquility and awesome powder. At night, you wine and dine in the lap of luxury, before tumbling into bed under a fluffy duvet.

If you don't mind roughing it just a little bit, Wells Gray Chalets near Clearwater offers a very comfortable experience at a bargain price. They have three chalets placed strategically in the Cariboo Mountains in Wells Gray Provincial Park. You can spend a few days at each chalet, or hunker down in one cabin and use it as your base. Each chalet has clean, cozy rooms and a sauna. As well as finding the best - and safest - ski runs, the guides do the cooking and cleaning, with a bit of help from the guests. It keeps the costs down and there is a satisfying sense of participation.

Families with young children who want a wilderness experience might want to check out Tyax Mountain Lake Resort near Gold Bridge. Tyax is accessible by car - just a five-hour drive from Vancouver - but it is still very remote, tucked away in the Chilcotin Mountains. You can stay in the Lodge - with its 30-foot high stone fireplace - or in one of the self-contained lakeside chalets. There are lots of cross-country ski trails, as well as skating, sleigh rides, snowmobile tours and a spectacular outdoor hot tub.