Ski area Kicking Horse

The ski resort that is now known as Kicking Horse is relatively new on the winter sports scene, having officially opened in 2000 after taking over a small local ski hill. The new resort features a particularly long high-speed gondola that lets skiers and snowboarders take full advantage of the mountains’ impressive vertical drop, terrain previously only accessible by heli-skiing. Advanced and expert skiers will be in heaven here, where there is an abundance of black and double-black diamond pistes through glades, gullies and couloirs. There is some terrain for beginner and intermediate skiers as well, although the percentage of groomed runs is on the lower side. Kicking Horse lies on British Columbia’s “Powder Highway” and calls itself the Champagne Powder Capital of Canada.

In terms of facilities, Kicking Horse is relatively limited. Although there is a small resort base with some accommodation at the bottom of the mountain itself, many people choose to stay in the nearby and slightly bigger town of Golden. Actually, “many people” might be a misnomer, as you’re unlikely to run into crowds at Kicking Horse. But the resort has plans to expand in future, so it will be interesting to see how it evolves in the coming years. Rental equipment is available, as are ski and snowboard lessons for kids and adults. Kicking Horse also offers avalanche safety courses and “Big Mountain” tours if you wish to get better acquainted with the terrain.