Ranked #2 Ski Resort in the Canadian Rockies
Kicking Horse should be called Kicking Ass…. This is a major ski mountain where the trail map only tells a fraction of the story. The runs are steep, long, and wide open. Strong Intermediates through Expert / Extreme / Backcountry skiers flock to Kicking Horse for the dry light powder, amazing vistas, and Big Mountain experience.
Kicking Horse is nestled along the Great Powder Highway between Lake Louise and Revelstoke offering a bit of both worlds when it comes to terrain, snow depth and snow quality. With its unique location the snow is significantly drier compared to Revelstoke, but gets nearly as much annual snowfall. Kicking Horse is a must go on the Great Powder Highway, and should be on every powder hounds bucket list.
In bounds is very broad, and if you head far left or far right off the top, you’ll go into semi-backcountry terrain. You’ll need a buddy, transponder, avalanche pole, and shovel – and off you go into lift serviced back country terrain. Also, there is a plethora of heli ski operations located in and nearby Kicking Horse – You should take at least 1-2 days to check out that while you visit.
Even though the resort is an absolute must go for Expert skiers, Intermediate skiers will be amazed how long and interesting the runs are. You get some really cool bowl skiing off the top, and long undulating groomers as you get to tree line.
Topping the resort is Eagles Eye Restaurant which is a must while skiing here. You’ll need a reservation and it’s quite a unique dining experience.
Eagles Eye Restaurant is perched on the top of the mountain offering amazing vistas and a relaxed mountain feel
You’ll find a wide variety of accommodations to suite your tastes from elaborate ski homes, slopeside ski-in / ski-out condo’s and budget to mid-range hotels in the nearby town of Golden. Although you won’t find a charming village or ski town like Vail or Telluride, there are a good selection of hearty eats and fun bars in the town of Golden. The focused is on amazing skiing and attracts the hard core ski all day, and sleep all night crowd – If you’re seeking high end shopping and after hours clubs… perhaps Aspen is more your speed.
The only crowds I experienced at Kicking Horse are those butting for a seat at Eagles Eye. The longest queue was the main tram to the top, and even then it was maybe 3-5 minutes at the peak times. I’m sure the big powder days have a longer queue, but the mountain is so big, skiers really spread out quickly.