Like many of the resorts in the Kootenay Rockies region, Panorama Mountain Village began as a community initiative.
In this case, however, the end product was planned and developed by professionals with a distinct vision.
Beginnings
In 1959, a group of locals began looking for a location to open a ski hill. It took four years to get the first rope tow in operation accessing the real estate that is now known as "Old Timer." A warming hut and a parking lot were built, and the area was named Panorama, after a nearby hiking area called Panorama Plateau.
When the cost of implementing plans quickly began to exceed available resources, the group turned the operation over to local businessmen, who formed the Panorama Ski Hill Company Ltd in 1968. The company cleared slopes and installed a massive T-Bar, which at the time was among the longest in North America.
Read More
The operation continued to grow through the early 1970s. A day lodge was constructed to house a ski shop and ski school, additional lifts were installed, and the first building lots were sold to pay for the development.
Resort Development
By the end of the 1970s Panorama had been purchased by the Cascade Group, a Calgary-based company. With a larger capital base, the Cascade Group developed a master plan that was designed to transform the facility into a major ski resort.
Much of the plan was in place when I.W. Resorts Limited Partnership, a subsidiary of Intrawest Corporation took over Panorama in 1993. Under new ownership, Panorama has grown to become a destination resort, complete with new condominium accommodation, and the award winning Greywolf Golf Course.
Locals from the Windermere Valley are regulars at Panorama, but a solid half of the resort's season pass holders have Alberta addresses.
Read Less