It's an ear-popping 12-minute gondola ride from the base of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort to the Eagle's Eye Restaurant, perched at 2,350m/7,710ft on the very top of the Dogtooth Range.
Skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking and alpine hiking begin here, with more than 85 inbound chutes, before dropping 1,260m/4,133ft of vertical into the giant chasm that is the Columbia River Valley. Cross-country skiing takes place on gentler gradients down below.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is for the purist. At its most extreme, the terrain is steep and complex – requiring a more technical response to the force of gravity. With 128 runs spread over more than 1,113ha/2,800ac, Kicking Horse offers a phenomenal variety of options, including plenty of terrain for the novice and intermediate skier and snowboarder. And there are also family-friendly features at the resort, such as a tube park and a skating rink.
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Backcountry Skiing
The Golden area boasts the highest concentration of heli, cat and backcountry ski lodges in the world, and deep powder snow conditions are the rule, not the exception. In an average season, the top of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort will typically benefit from a total of 700cm/275in of snow.
Staying at Kicking Horse
The resort is quite new, but dovetails well into the established mountain culture of Golden. On-mountain accommodation is largely condominium style, with a typical unit consisting of two bedrooms, a kitchenette – and a hot tub.
Cross-Country at Dawn Mountain
A cross-country skiing facility known as Dawn Mountain Nordic Centre, although not operated by Kicking Horse, is just a five-minute walk from the resort's base area. The trails are known for their excellent early-season conditions.
Summer at Kicking Horse
Summer activities focus on lift-assisted mountain biking, with 27 established trails on which to fly down the mountain, or amble more sedately across its face. Others may prefer a ride up the gondola to the Eagle's Eye Restaurant, a leisurely lunch, and a hike along the ridge. On a clear day, the panoramic view embraces no fewer than five national parks.
For more information on things to do at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, contact the British Columbia Visitor Centre @ Golden.
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