Essential Advice for the Perfect Trip

When it opened, Kicking Horse was billed as the first new resort in the world to be built in a generation. This was not strictly true, but after a tricky start in a bad-snow winter this plucky little ski area has exceeded all expectations and become one of our favourite resorts.

The secret of its appeal lies in an agreeable blend of Canadian know-how and super-steep terrain, served up with a dash of sophistication.

Certainly it needed vision to choose this remote spot, the bottom third of which used to be the old community ski hill of Whitetooth above the valley town of Golden. Golden is no quaint Victorian mining town awaiting a little gentrification, but a busy blue-collar railway junction awkwardly sprawled across both sides of the tracks, which lacks even an ounce of charm.

There’s a world class mountain restaurant here

The backbone of KH is a high-speed gondola, which gives a respectable 1260m vertical drop on a mountain which offers something for everyone. Having completed the gondola, the stroke of European-inspired genius was to build, at the top of it, the best mountain restaurant in North America, the Eagles’ Eye. It’s the sort of ski-in ski-out restaurant you might find in Megeve or Zermatt.

This has been followed by comfortable, spacious and upmarket accommodation at the base village, so that no-one needs to stay down in the dreary Golden motels any more – although some people clearly want to: “Real people and that hometown feel. We loved the place so much that we moved lock stock and barrel to live in Golden” said one reporter. Calgary airport is three hours’ drive.

Another part of the resort’s appeal is that it makes a great anchor for a road trip into the underpopulated interior of British Columbia. “You can try out Kicking Horse Ski Resort from Banff for a day for little more than a cost of a lift pass by using the Kicking Horse Powder Express. It includes lift pass and return transportation” advises a reader.

To us Brits this feels like one of the world’s empty quarters – where half the traffic consists of logging trucks and there’s only ever one radio station to listen to. There’s a real thrill to be had from travelling through so much space, and then at the end of the day, pulling up at a new mountain which, by Alpine standards, is completely deserted. We’d go back again like a shot.

We Love

We Hate

The steep, challenging terrain. The quiet slopes. The underrated groomers on the lower slopes. Lunch or dinner at the Eagle’s Eye. Or both. The mountain-top apartments at the Eagle’s Eye, which come complete with their own butlers. Pricey, but the perfect place to start a skiing honeymoon. The road-tripping options in the region – the resorts of Lake Louise, Revelstoke, Fernie and Panorama are all within possibilities.

The occasional dry winters – a big disappointment if you come to ski the powder. The modest size of the ski area – we wish they’d hurry up and open some more of the bowls at the top of the resort!

1. 

   
   Guide to the Mountain
2. 

   
   Where to Stay
3. 

   
   Where to Eat
4. 

   
   Where to Learn
5. 

   
   Where to Party