Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, British Columbia

Rugged Wilderness Beckons the Adventurer in Everyone

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort brings to mind rugged adventure in its very name. And rugged adventure is what you’ll find in the resort’s magnificent setting in the Purcell Range of the Canadian Rockies, just two and a half hours west of Calgary.

Surrounded by six national parks, Kicking Horse is as scenic as it is exhilarating. Kicking Horse is known for its fine, dry Purcell “Champagne” Powder and its northeast facing slopes are ideally positioned for retaining snow. The resort thrills skiers and boarders with its 1,260-meter (4,133-foot) vertical drop. The 78 marked trails running throughout 2,600 skiable acres are designated 20% beginner, 20% intermediate, 45% advanced, and 15% for true experts.

There are plenty of activities to keep visitors busy at Kicking Horse. Many start out with a ski tour to get to know the resort’s trails with the help of a knowledgeable guide. Cross-country skiers enjoy 14 kilometers (8.75 miles) of trails ranging from softly rolling track for beginners to more difficult terrain for advanced skiers. A warm hut with a wood-burning stove welcomes guests along the way. Snowmobilers have hundreds of miles of frozen track to explore and ice climbers looking to challenge their skills will find more than 60 trails within an hour of the resort. Kicking Horse also offers snowshoeing, telemark skiing, and flight sightseeing.

Kicking Horse’s ski school provides group and individual lessons for adults ranging from first-time skiers to those who just need to brush up on their skills. Children’s lessons start at age three and encourage some simple skill building while kids aged six through 12 learn the basics of skiing or boarding.

The Good Skiing & Snowboarding Guide recognized Kicking Horse as “America’s Small Resort of the Year” bestowing it with a highly coveted 2003 Golden Ski Award. The resort’s Eagle’s Eye mountaintop restaurant, perched at 2,350 meters (7,700 feet), was honored as “Mountain Restaurant of the Year.” The Eagle’s Eye serves excellent Pacific Northwest cuisine with a Rocky Mountain flair.