Our winter Early Bird season pass sale ends on Saturday, June 25th, order your season pass or multi week ski school lesson online through the RCR Webstore before the deadline for the best savings of next season.
Don’t forget about those lessons! Get the kids in multi week programs or sign up for one yourself and brush up on skills. Kids & Teen lessons available as well as Powder Room Clinics (women only) and freeride club for adults. View and buy ski school programs through the RCR Webstore.
NEW this year buy a $500 Food & Beverage card for just $399 when purchased with your season pass! Find out more about this new Member Benefit and all the others on the RCR Webstore.
- Published in Winter
That’s what the experts are saying. And while many people across Canada may be rolling their eyes, for winter outdoor enthusiasts it’s music to their ears.
What is La Nina anyways?
La Niña is the positive phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation and is associated with cooler than average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. (According to Wikipedia)
Okay, but what does that really mean?
According to Dave Phillips, senior climatologist at Environment Canada – “In B.C. there is a high probability that we can expect a more frigid winter. A little cooler, a little bit more snow..”
Read more about what exactly La Nina means and more from Dave Phillips on the CBC website.
For a longer and even more scientific explanation of La Nina visit the Weather Network website.
In conclusion,
La Nina = Happy Skiers & Snowboarders
Don’t forget to order your Kicking Horse Season Pass before the end of the Early Bird Season pass sale on June 25th – order online through the RCR webstore now!
- Published in Winter
Golden, B.C
Try out the only gondola accessed mountain biking in the region at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, with over 3,700 feet of variety, there’s downhill hardcore single tracks with multiple berms, jumps and wooden features as well as lessons and green trails offered for beginners! Golden, B.C has more amazing mountain biking options to offer, being located near Mount 7, one of the most challenging downhills in Canada! Not to worry if you aren’t into the challenge, there are over 100 kms of cross country trails on Mountain Shadows and Moonraker trail systems as well as easier road and mountain cycling. Don’t miss the annual Western Open – B.C Cup, this year on July 2nd & 3rd! Keep an eye on the online events calendar for more information.
Kimberley, B.C
There are ‘trails for everyone’ in Kimberley, 3 different trail networks offer everything from beginner riding with gentle, scenic cruises to some adrenaline pumped more difficult trails. With the newest improvements of the trails, the North Star Rails to Trails network is a 25 km long multi use track perfect connecting Kimberley & Cranbrook, perfect for families looking for an afternoon spent exercising outdoors in one of the sunniest places in B.C! Other trails to try are the Lois Creek Trails, geared towards beginner to intermediate riders, and the Kimberley Nature Park, one of the largest municipal parks in Canada for great for riders of all levels. Visit the Tourism Kimberley website for more information on biking in Kimberley.
Fernie, B.C
One of the largest Bike Parks in the region with a recent focus on progression makes Fernie Alpine Resort’s bike park a favourite among the biking community, being voted in the Top 5 Bike Parks in Canada for the last 2 years. Offering cross country, downhill, single track and dual slalom trails accessible from the base area or chair lift as well as a number of green trails and lessons for any ability level to learn the sport or brush up on skills.
Fernie Alpine Resort isn’t the only place to ride in Fernie, along with a number of trails accessed from town, maintained by the Fernie Mountain Bike Club and the Fernie Trails Alliance there have been significant improvements made to a number of trails over the last few summer’s allowing even more people to enjoy scenery around this gorgeous mountain town! A favourite among the youngest generation of riders, Fernie also has a FREE dirt jump park with large & small jumps, bridges and obstacles to check out, located in town near the aquatic centre. For more information on Mountain Biking in Fernie, B.C visit the Fernie Tourism website
- Published in Winter
So, your sweetie has asked for your hand. You said yes! Now a week later, it’s already time to start thinking of when & where you will celebrate the most important event of your life. Choosing the right venue is crucial, so why not do it on top of the world?
“A dazzling place I never knew
But when I’m way up here, it’s crystal clear
That now I’m in a whole new world with you”
Yes, we may have just quoted lyrics from a popular Disney movie and although your names may not be Aladdin and Jasmin, the lyrics also apply to the spectacular wedding venue provided by the natural backdrop at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.
“Unbelievable sights, Indescribable feelings” (okay we’ll stop)..
Located at 7,700 feet on a prominent plateau, the Eagle’s Eye Terrace is surrounded by the mountain peaks of 5 national parks. Boasting stunning 360 degree views of the Selkirks, Purcells and Rocky Mountain ridgelines, your ceremony will take place outside on the terrace surrounded by your closest loved ones. Whisk your guests via the Golden Eagle Express Gondola to 7,700 feet for an unforgettable experience before you tie the knot! Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is a world class wedding destination where the mountains are a lot closer, the moments are a lot larger and the smiles more than just a little wider. This is Kicking Horse, home to Rocky Mountain vistas, gourmet culinary creations and service second to none. The perfect backdrop for the most important day of your life.
Mountain Top weddings provide a unique experience, but also extraordinary souvenirs. Wedding pictures never looked so good!
Photo: Jody Goodwin
The altitude won’t take your breath away. But the views might.
Photo: Sean Leblanc
Photo: Candid Apple
The Eagle’s Eye embodies the true feeling of a romantic mountain destination wedding. Surrounded by 360 degree views of the soaring mountaintops, the floor-to-ceiling windows provide a dramatic background for your wedding reception.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort’s signature venue features elegant fixtures, birch chairs and a double sided fireplace. The room is elegantly appointed and perfectly themed for a mountain wedding. The Eagle’s Eye requires very little decorating and we will even provide a selection of vases and birch candles for the finishing touches.
Canada’s Most Elevated Restaurant can accommodate 116 guests for a seated reception and up to 120 guests for a cocktail style reception allowing for an intimate ambiance. Included with the venue, our bar and service staff will take care of all the set up and tear down as well as provide linen, dinnerware and glasses so you have more time to make those memories!
Feature Photo: Claire Dibble
- Published in Winter
Mountains for all their beauty and wonder can seem remote and inaccessible. Not at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. I like to think of Kicking Horse as a base camp for summer alpine adventures, without actually having to sleep in a tent to enjoy the mountains, shell out for a heli-drop, or slog uphill for hours before you get a glimpse of the alpine. Instead you can stay in a slopeside condo or hotel suite, stroll over to the Eagle Express Gondola, and in less than 10 minutes be whisked along with other hikers, mountain bikers and alpine enthusiasts from the valley to the upper reaches of the craggy Dogtooth Range, covering more than 1,200 vertical metres in an ascent that would be an all day effort for the average person on foot. At Kicking Horse, it’s all about alpine accessibility. Bowls and basins that are covered deep in snow during winter, become alpine meadows resplendent with wildflowers awaiting hikers, photographers and nature lovers. Wintry windswept ridge tops, become warm sun-dappled, peak to peak hiking routes in summer. The views of the Columbia Valley are as jaw dropping as the panorama of mountain summits and glaciers that unfolds in all directions.
For those craving some air beneath the feet, Kicking Horse’s new via ferrata gives people a taste of mountain climbing without the arsenal of equipment, skill and experience normally required to scale peaks. Via ferrata originates from World War I when Italian soldiers equipped mountains with fixed lines and ladders, an ingenuous and relatively safe way to ascend difficult or otherwise un-climbable cliffs. When fighting ended the via ferrata was forgotten, until mountaineers began restoring and repurposing these routes for recreation, launching a new form of mountain adventure. This form of alpine adventure is catching on in Canada. Last year Kicking Horse launched a via ferrata experience on the north face of Terminator Peak. It consists of steel rungs and cable drilled into the rock, suspension bridges, and bridges that span heart thumping chasms. Climbing via ferrata always gets the adrenaline thumping, however it’s extremely safe. You’re always attached to the mountain for protection, with a climbing harness and leash tethered to the cable meaning anyone from fit grandparents to grandkids can experience the thrill of scaling alpine rock. Kicking Horse offers two via ferrata routes; Ascension delivers you to the summit of Terminator Peak in a half-day outing, while Discovery provides a shorter alternative that exits lower down Terminator Peak’s easily walkable ridge. However both routes start with an exhilarating crossing of a 30 m long suspension bridge that spans a steep chute that skiers know as Think Twice.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort also offers up some of the most scenic and spectacular lift accessed mountain biking in North America, with an extensive network of trails that includes switch backing single track in alpine meadows, steep rock slabs that test how far you can hang over the back tire, and beginner to intermediate trails that wind down from the Eagle’s Nest to the base area in more than 1200 metres of vertical drop riding that will have your forearms burning and your stoke anticipating the next run . There’s smooth and flowy Pipestone, which feeds quickly into the swooping burmed chicanes of Dragon Chaser, with western anemones and Indian Paintbrush blossoming trailside. And to keep you honest, there’s Chute to View, Home Run, Showdown, and the black diamond- rated Rock and Roll, just a few of the dozens of trails to choose from. Kicking Horse is also close to the cross country trails of Moonraker, home to roughly 60 kilometers of X-country single track, located just a short drive or bike ride from the resort base area.
Bike Trail for all ages/abilities at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
And talk about alpine dining. Once the outdoors has stirred your appetite you can sit down for lunch at the Eagle’s Eye Restaurant, and order from a menu that boasts Alberta beef, mushroom Tagliatelle and other specialties from chef Mathieu Bocher’s kitchen. To top it off, every seat in the house offers unparalleled mountain vistas.
Kicking Horse is also your summer base camp for wildlife viewing. Boo the Bear has made his home at Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Interpretive Centre since he first arrived as an orphaned cub 15 years ago. The 20-acre fenced enclosure, provides shady forest, meadows and naturally running water for Boo, enabling visitors to safely observe and better understand grizzly behavior and ecology with the help of interpretive centre manager Ross Prather and his staff.
Kicking Horse may be renowned for big vertical skiing and boarding, but it’s also a summertime base for fresh air mountain experiences, from hiking and mountain biking, to via ferrata and wildlife viewing. Best of all, you can pack in as much mountain adventure as your heart and mind can take, then be back in the village in time to watch the sun set with a cold beverage, appetizer, and a soak in the Jacuzzi.
Words by Andrew Findlay
Photos by Dax Justin & Dave Best
- Published in Winter
For Immediate Release: March 14th, 2016
KICKING HORSE MOUNTAIN RESORT announces BAND FOR WRANGLE THE CHUTE FWQ AFTERPARTY
Golden, BC – Outlandish, Aggressive and Rugged… Don’t miss out on the ultimate Big Mountain showdown, March 24th – 26th, featuring big lines and some of the best noram pro-riders with a Kicking Horse twist! KHMR is pleased to announce that Wrangle The Chute is in the IFSA/FWQ (Freeride World Qualifier), as a 4 star event alongside Taos (NM), Crystal (WA) and Crested Butte (CO) and the only stop in Canada.
PLUS, Royal Tusk has just signed on for our Wrangle the Chute afterparty on Saturday, March 26th. Royal Tusk, a quintet of bearded prairie men made a lasting impression with audiences on their well-received 2014 EP, Mountain and are releasing their first full length debut album DealBreaker right after Wrangle the Chute on May 6th. DealBreaker captures the true raw energy Royal Tusk wield, and the result is loud and guitar-driven with hints of Americana and soul.
“These are really great guys, in a really great band. It was an absolute pleasure to play on their record.” – Ian Thornley (Big Wreck)
Don’t miss out! Contact Guest Services to buy tickets to the Wrangle the Chute afterparty!
Official Website
Book your vacation online or call 1-800-258-7669 to speak to a vacation specialist today!
Facebook Page
Twitter – @KickingHorseMtn
About Kicking Horse Mountain Resort & Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Inc.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is a world-class destination resort located 2.5 hours west of Calgary, nestled between the Purcell and Rocky Mountains in the heart of British Columbia. Winter offers a fully integrated mountain resort experience and the most progressive in-bounds skiing in North America. Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, www.kickinghorseresort.com, is part of the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Inc. (RCR) family. Proudly Canadian, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Inc. (RCR) is the largest private ski resort owner/operator in North America, owning six ski resorts across Canada, including Nakiska Ski Area in Alberta; Fernie Alpine Resort, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Kimberley Alpine Resort in British Columbia. RCR also owns and manages a number of hotels and golf courses, including Trickle Creek in Kimberley, and Wintergreen Golf and Country Club in Bragg Creek. RCR aims to provide each and every guest The Ultimate Experience.
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For more information, please contact:
Matt Mosteller
Senior VP Marketing & Resort Experience, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies
mmosteller@skircr.com
Twitter – @PowderMatt • Powder Matt’s Blog • Powder Matt on Pinterest • Powder Matt on Google +
- Published in Press Release, Winter
Our partner tour operator, Kicking Horse Powder Tours, has set up an exclusive pro-athlete hosted, fully inclusive, on-mountain lodge based trip at Kicking Horse this March.
This exclusive hosted trip is truly the real deal – you’ll get to ski some of the best terrain Canada has to offer and ski with an Olympic winter sports athlete from the UK.
Based out of Kicking Horse, the trip is open to all levels of skiers from intermediate to experts looking for powder snow adventures.
If you’d like to tie in a cat skiing experience to your trip, they’ve got an option for that too.
Check out the Kicking Horse Powder Tours website for all the details, or contact Richard Barker directly: (250) 272-0373 or richard@kickinghorsepowdertours.com
- Published in Winter
Wrangle the Chute 2* Freeride World Qualifier
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is thrilled to introduce a new 2 stars Freeride World Qualifier (FWQ). To foster and support the local adult freeriding scene, this additional big mountain event will be held in the original Wrangle the Chute Venue, where it all started! Although anyone is welcome to enter, the event is dedicated to reveal the best local talents. The winner of each category will be invited to enter the 4* Wrangle the Chute, scheduled for March 24-27.
Event spectator friendly!
Don’t miss the action at the Heaven’s Door Yurt! On both Saturday and Sunday, the athletes will compete in the chutes facing directly the Heaven’s Door Yurt. Tasty BBQ treats and cold drinks will be all day. Don’t miss out on the ultimate Big Mountain showdown featuring big lines and some of the best pro-riders with a Kicking Horse twist!
Participate in IFSA’s “Rip It! Shoot It! Share It” campaign. You have a chance to win an IFSA trucker hat each week if you post your photos on the IFSA Facebook page, or on your own Instagram/Twitter using these official hashtags: #IFSA16, #IFSAfreeriders, #FWQ16.
- Published in Winter
2016 IFSA Jeep Junior Freeski Series
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort will be the newest stop on the Jeep Junior Freeski Series on February 5-7th
– Presented by Rossignol and Smith Optics.
This event provides the opportunity for youth between the ages of 7 and 18 to develop and showcase their skiing skills in a fun and supportive environment. The Jeep Junior Freeski Series is the only one of its kind in Canada and part of Resort of the Canadian Rockies (RCR) ongoing commitment to providing active and healthy pursuits for youth.
Check out the next generation of freeskiers! Competitors will display their skiing skills on natural terrain while being judged on 5 categories – Line Choice, Control, Fluidity, Technique and Style/Energy.
Stay tuned on here for contest results!
- Published in Winter