The Kicking Horse Ski Resort easily tops most skiers' and snowboarders' lists of the best winter destinations in British Columbia, Canada.
It is a true skier’s paradise with amazing snow dumps that will impress any snow lover. Its varied terrain has advanced runs, as well as some great beginner and intermediate slopes. Its 100 kilometers of trails have some of the longest runs in British Columbia.
The resort has a great range of slopes that snow lovers of all abilities can enjoy. The beginner terrain is a fantastic whole-family fun playground and intermediates of all levels delight in its mellow slopes. After a heavy powder dump, advanced and expert thrill-seekers enjoy its incredible four bowls and 85 fantastic chutes. There are also countless tree runs that offer adrenaline-spiking riding.
The resort has some of the highest lifted terrains in the Canadian province. It also has a lengthy vertical differential, with the highest point being 2,450 meters and the lowest being 1,190 meters (a 1,260-meter vertical). 5 conveniently positioned lifts transport the revelers up the mountain to access almost every part of the slopes.
After you wear yourself out on the slopes, drop down to the quiet resort’s village where you’ll find an array of lodging and dining options. You’ll also find great ski-in/ski-out accommodations where you can hit the slopes right from your living quarters. For more options on dining and lodging, you can visit the nearby town of Golden if you don’t mind a 15 to 20-minute commute.
What Kicking Horse Ski Resort has to offer section
Services
Mountain Features
Resort Features
According to the Kicking Horse Ski Field’s website, the resort is estimated to be open
Between the dates of December 9, 2022, and estimated to close on April 16, 2023, for the 2022 season.
Ski life Services at Kicking Horse Ski Resort open as early as 9:00 AM and last to close is at 5:00 PM.
The resort features about 2,825 acres of skiable terrain that consists of bowls and ridges. The dynamic terrain has 128 named runs that are situated on a high vertical of 1,260 meters, one of the steepest in North America.
The 100 kilometers of slopes range from gentle beginner runs, and mellow intermediate blue slopes, to advanced terrain with complex alpine bowls and double black diamonds.
The following stats describe Kicking Horse Ski Resort’s slopes:
The Kicking Horse Ski Resort has a great beginner terrain where novices can also learn to ski or snowboard at their own pace. The beginner slopes are found in the lower areas of the resort, with wide, easy slopes.
Confident beginners can hop onto the Catamount quad chairlift and the gondola to access more challenging green slopes further uphill.
For those that are not keen on buying their own gear, there is an equipment rental shop on the slopes. Absolute novices can also learn under the tutorship of qualified and experienced instructors at the Mountain School Kicking Horse Mountain (TELUS Winter Sports School).
The resort has about a dozen runs for intermediates that have long fall line skiing. More advanced intermediates delight in some of the ungroomed runs that provide a transition to more advanced slopes.
Some of the blue runs at the resort are a little steeper than on other resorts in BC, and are sometimes referred to as “dark blue.” Strong intermediates can also test their limits at My Blue Heaven, a black run that is off the Stairway to Heaven Chairlift.
The majority of the advanced black runs at the resort are steep and quite challenging. They are especially fun after a powder dump, but shoulder-high moguls can form making them even more challenging.
Advanced riders ride the gondola and get off at CPR Ridge, at any point on the trail. On this and the sunny aspect of Redemption Ridge, there are lots of gladed lines and some groomed trails. These tracks can be very steep providing thrilling and adrenaline-inducing skiing and snowboarding experiences.
The expert terrain has numerous inbound chutes and steep lines within the bowls and ridges. The resort’s snow patrol monitors the terrain but expert riders who wish to access certain areas do so at their own risk. They must, however, carry the necessary safety equipment.
This resort’s network of 5 lifts helps riders conveniently access every part of the extensive terrain. The 5 lifts include 1 gondola, 3 chairlifts, and 1 magic carpet. The gondola is the main lift that covers the most vertical on this resort.
The resort’s named lifts are:
The most convenient way to access ski passes to the resort is by buying them from the resort’s website. What’s more, you may save money on early bird offers and discounts if you buy them in advance. You also get more discounts if you add more days to your pass. Keep in mind, though, that if you purchase your tickets online, you will still need to collect your physical pass to scan at the lifts.
The price of tickets varies depending on the time of purchase. Ticket prices are usually lower before the season’s onset but go up after the season commences. The cost of the passes reaches its highest price during the season’s peak and during the holidays. Midweek riding also tends to be cheaper, with the price going up during the holidays and weekends.
You can also buy your tickets onsite. By purchasing your ticket in advance, you can beat the queues and collect your pass directly from the many sales outlets within the resort.
The following ticket types are available:
Weekday Lift Passes
These tickets grant access to all the slopes and can be used non-consecutively. They range from children to adult lift passes and are generally inexpensive.
Season Passes
If you intend to ski or snowboard for more than 10 days in a row, then this ticket gives you the best value for money. They are also inexpensive and are usually available before each season starts.
Rockies Season Pass
Like the season pass, this ticket offers the best value for money. However, this ticket has the added benefit that holders can access other resorts in this region including Fernie, Kimberly, and Nakiskia.
Be sure to visit the kicking horse resort’s website to learn more about the full range of benefits that each ticket confers upon the holder.
Curious to know what the snow is like today at Kicking Horse Ski Resort?
The following is a live webcam feed of the slopes at the Kicking Horse Ski Resort. We’ve curated the best views to show you the current snow conditions from around the resort.
The Kicking Horse ski resort’s geographical location ensures that it receives light, dry powder. The resort receives an impressive average seasonal snowfall of about 7.5. This powder fall is consistent with that in the other resorts on the powder highway. The resort’s snow grooming team does a great job of keeping the slopes in perfect condition for eager riders.
The snowfall is especially high during the resort’s peak season in January. During this time, it is not unusual to have snow storms that dump huge quantities of powder onto the slopes, to the delight of eager skiers and snowboarders.
In the following live graphic, you can see the currently estimated snow depth for the Kicking Horse Ski Resort.
Knowing the projected weather conditions at and around the resort can help you plan your trip better. The following graphic shows an updated forecast for the Kicking Horse Ski Resort’s weather.
The resort has a small but beautiful village with an array of accommodation facilities. It has several on-mountain accommodations with great ski-in/ski-out access. The lodging and dining range from apartments, and private chalets to shared rooms. There are also a few eateries with superb local and international cuisine.
For more dining and lodging variety, there are more options down in Golden town, if you don’t mind a bus ride. In Golden, you’ll find both deluxe services and budget-friendly options that cater to individuals, groups, and families. There are also extra facilities for shopping, hanging out, and even equipment sale, repair, and rentals.
Some great places to dine include:
The following places provide excellent accommodation and lodging:
The resort has a small but beautiful village with an array of accommodation facilities. It has several on-mountain accommodations with great ski-in/ski-out access. The lodging and dining range from apartments, and private chalets to shared rooms. There are also a few eateries with superb local and international cuisine.
For more dining and lodging variety, there are more options down in Golden town, if you don’t mind a bus ride. In Golden, you’ll find both deluxe services and budget-friendly options that cater to individuals, groups, and families. There are also extra facilities for shopping, hanging out, and even equipment sale, repair, and rentals.
Some great places to dine include:
The following places provide excellent accommodation and lodging:
The Kicking Horse Ski Resort is situated along the Trans-Canada Highway, about 14 kilometers from Golden, a logging town in British Columbia. It is also one of those resorts located on the Canadian Powder Highway, 682 kilometers northeast of Vancouver. It is nestled within the Selkirk, Rocky, and Purcell Mountain Ranges.
Getting to the Kicking Horse Resort by Air
The closest airport to the resort is Calgary International Airport, which is 2.5 hours away by road. There are numerous flights from Calgary Airport from regional airfields and from major airports in Canada. It also has many flight destinations to and from major cities in the US and the world.
Alternative airports that visitors can use include:
There are several convenient transfer options from these airports, the most popular ones being shuttle rides, guided tours, and car rentals.
Renting a car to the resort is the most common way that visitors get to the resort. A rental car affords you the flexibility of visiting multiple resorts on the Powder Highway, especially if you’re a Rockies Season Pass holder.
A rental is also useful if you intend to go heliskiing or stay off the hill at Golden. When you get to Calgary, you’ll find many car rental services right from the airport and the city.
To get to Kicking Horse Ski Resort, from Calgary, get on the Trans-Canada Highway 1 and travel westbound for about 2.5 hours. Then proceed on this highway until you reach the town of Golden. The resort is just 14 kilometers nearby.
The are several regular shuttles that help thrill-seekers make the journey to and from Calgary airport/city and the resort. Public buses are the cheapest, but if you’re traveling as a group, you may opt for scheduled group transfers that run twice weekly. For a more convenient and deluxe shuttle transport, you can also pay for a private shuttle transfer as part of your Kicking Horse ski packages.
These are comfortable and convenient tours where you get to sit back and let someone drive you around. For example, Canada Ski Tours has several tours that help revelers get to the Kicking Horse Ski Resort. The ride along Trans-Canada Highway 1 is especially scenic and enjoyable.
Kicking Horse Ski Resort is located in British Columbia, Canada, about 14 kilometers from the logging town of Golden.
The resort receives an average seasonal snowfall of about 7.5 meters of some of the best champagne powder on the Powder Highway.
The resort features an expansive 1,100 hectares of skiable terrain with 128 ski runs and slopes that range from beginner to advanced.
Yes, there’s ample free parking at the resort’s base station on tarmacked and gravel parking lots.
The resort has excellent beginner-friendly slopes where novices can learn to ski or snowboard under qualified and experienced instructors. They can also resent equipment at the onsite gear rental, sale, and repair.
Snow chains are generally not required. However, you need a good set of snow tires for a safe driving experience up BC’s alpine areas.