Kicking Horse has beat out some great ski resorts to make it into round 3 of Powder Magazine’s Ski Town Throwdown, including Whistler and even our very own family member, Fernie Alpine Resort. Once again WE NEED YOUR VOTE! Help us make it to the next round in the 4th annual Ski Town Throwdown by voting for Kicking Horse on the Powder Magazine website – your vote can make a difference!
Vote now! Voting only goes until Thursday night at 7 pm MST!
- Published in Winter
Well, Boo declared it back in September, and it looks like his natural instincts were spot on. Boo started his preparation for his winter hibernation early, leading his trainers to believe we were in for an early hit of winter.
The snow started coming down back in September and while it took a little hiatus during October, it’s back with more in the forecast!
Photos from October 26th
Check out our Facebook page for more recent images and for all the snowy updates and to our online events calendar for information about opening day, tentatively scheduled for December 11th.
- Published in Winter
Words by: Cali Sammel & Lindsay Minor
Photos by: Abbybarret, Dave Best and Dax Justin.
Ski resorts love to tell their potential guests about all the ‘unique’ experiences they have to offer all the while trying to entice with perfectly staged images and colourful descriptions of the surrounding beauty. The only problem with that is, many of the ‘unique’ experiences ski resorts offer are the same across the board!
That’s why, at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, when we say people visit us for a Truly ‘Unique’ Experience we aren’t just saying it as a shameless self promotion, hoping to seduce on words alone, we really mean it. Whether you are a skier, 
snowboarder or simply have a deep appreciation and love for nature’s beauty, you’ll want to visit to be whisked 7,700 feet to the top of our Eagle’s Eye Express Gondola to our mountain top observation area and dining experience at Eagles Eye Restaurant.
The aptly-named restaurant sits at the top of the gondola, at over 2300m above sea level and is the Highest Elevated Restaurant in all of Canada. The multiple award-winning dining venue (including Tripadvisor’s 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2019 Certificate of Excellence) offers stunning views of the five surrounding national parks and the breathtaking mountain peaks, down to the valleys. Eagle’s Eye is the crown jewel of ski resort dining, offering far more than your typical ski resort burgers-and-fries, and won’t break your holiday budget for lunch, après ski and open for 
dinner Friday & Saturday nights in the winter. Your meal could consist of one of many of our Chef’s creations (made with fine local ingredients) anything from – Wild Boar Poutine, Summit Salad, or even Duck Confit (please note menu options change per season).
Not only is Eagle’s Eye the Highest Elevated Restaurant in Canada, but it’s also the ultimate bedroom with a view. Home to two luxury suits, where you can sleep on top of the world with all the amenities of a high end 
hotel. A night at Eagle’s Eye includes a private chef, butler and instructor guide to help you get around the mountain. But, perhaps the best perk is a guaranteed first tracks in the morning from the front door of your very own mountain top private mountain chalet.
Visiting in the summer? Visit Eagle’s Eye during our summer operations for a different view from the top!
So this winter, wake up with this view….
Now THAT is what we like to call a real unique experience.
- Published in Winter
We like white on green here at Resorts of the Canadian Rockies; lots and lots of snow on our mountains and all over the trees on those mountains too. Because if you’ve never come rocketing through the glades, ripping up and down the natural moguls with powder hitting you in your grinning face until you blast back onto the trail, you really haven’t lived. And we kind of want to keep that around for a while, for future skiers and riders, for our kids, and for our kids’ kids too.
That’s why we decided to take a stand and be the first ski resort company to refuse printing a brochure this year, to do what we can to lessen our environmental footprint. On top of that, we’ll plant a whole tree for every email sign-up to our online newsletter. We hope this helps reiterate to consumers everywhere, that taking paper maybe isn’t the answer any more, especially if you can find that information online anyways.
So, help do your part and keep the Trees for Glades! Sign your email up on our Trees for Glades website and read our full story (plus enter our contest for the chance to win a spring event ski trip for you and 3 friends)!
Success So Far:
- 75,000 pieces of paper saved by this initiative alone
- So far: 3000+ trees planted – thanks to you!
Photo courtesy of Trees for the Future Facebook.
- Published in Winter
We’re up in the first round in the 4th annual Ski Town Throwdown by Powder Mag! VOTE for Kicking Horse now, voting for the first round only runs until this Thursday Oct 15th at 7pm MST! —-> http://ow.ly/TlJIy
- Published in Winter
The best deals of the winter season have just been released! Book now for winter and save up to 35% on your getaway. Packages available include The Weekender for shorter stays, The Midweek pack for the best deals, the new Ski Weeks packages (booking everything for you from air/car to lodging/lifts) and The Holiday Pack – already taking bookings for Christmas & New Years.
Freebies are included in some packages – view our Early Booking offers, all are available to be booked online. Give us a call at 1-800-258-7669 to book with a friendly vacation specialist over the phone or visit www.skircr.com/vacations to chat live with a specialist (during business hours).
We’ve already been hit with a few snowstorms, hopefully this foreshadows an awesome season to come! The below image was taken at Eagle’s Eye restaurant on September 2nd, 2015.
Stay up to date on our Facebook page!
- Published in Uncategorized, Winter
This could be your ‘office’! We’re having recruitment sessions in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Toronto, Barrie, Waterloo & St. Catharine’s in Ontario from September 13 to 22. Pre apply for an interview on our Employment section.
Check out ‘We’re not funny‘ on our Youtube channel to see how much fun you’ll have working here!
- Published in Winter
Vast terrain, untouched powder, awe-inspiring views, exciting flights: all to be shared with only a few other skiers. Kicking Horse is the perfect warm-
up for even bigger backcountry adventure.
Purcell Heli-Skiing has been taking skiers and snowboarders to the pristine summits and powder heaven of the Purcell mountains for over 40 years. Ever gazed beyond the top of Kicking Horse at the vast winter wilderness beyond? That playground can be yours.
Skiers and riders confident on the black diamond terrain of the Horse are ready for heli-skiing, even if you’re new to deep powder.
Purcell’s beautiful day lodge and heli-pad are a short 20 minute drive from the resort, just opposite the slopes of Kicking Horse. All guests meet there for morning briefing and gear set up in front of panoramic views of the Purcell mountains.
For large groups, heli pick-up can be arranged right from our heli-pad at the base of the resort.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What kind of terrain do we ski and how steep is it?
Depending on the weather, visibility and snow conditions on any given day, groups will enjoy anything from open bowls and glaciated runs to subalpine glades, trees and lower elevation cutblocks (area opened by logging). A single run can take you through all of the above.
Avalanche stability and participant ability guide the steepness of terrain choice, but most is comparable to the pitch of black diamond runs at Kicking Horse, but with the natural variety that comes with natural, uncontrolled, powder-filled terrain!
Will I be grouped with people of the same ability level?
YES. Participant ability is best measured by demonstration, in the moment, so our program is designed to adapt. Each group is composed of 9 guests and 3 guides, which can be split into two smaller groups to best match skier pace. A faster sub-group can ski ahead with the lead guide, and do another lift ahead, while newer powder skiers can take their time to enjoy without pressure.
How many vertical feet/metres are skied in a day?
Packages include five runs, at an average of 700 vertical metres (2300 feet) per run.
What happens if the weather is bad enough that we cannot fly?
If heavy fog, high winds or extreme conditions force the cancellation of your heli-ski day, you may reschedule to another day within your holiday, or receive a 100% refund.
What are the safety precautions?
Your safety is our number one priority. Guides are highly trained, ACMG certified and have extensive experience in our terrain. Heli-ski pilots are some of the most experienced in the industry, and are very familiar with mountain flying in winter conditions. All guests receive a thorough but concise safety briefing before heli-skiing, to feel informed and confident in their surroundings.
How far in advance should I reserve?
If you’re thinking about late February or early March, you should reserve NOW! That is our busiest time and spaces book out well in advance, so plan early to avoid disappointment. Outside of that time, we still recommend inquiring about your preferred date at least 60 days in advance.
Make it an unforgettable all-adventure package with Kicking Horse lift tickets, ski-in/out accommodation, and a day of heli-skiing. For more information about heli-skiing trips, call 1.877.HELI.SKI or visit the Purcell Heli-Skiing website.
Words & Photos by Purcell Heli Skiing
- Published in Winter
The Farmer’s Almanac predicts we will have a ‘harsh & cold’ winter. Boo, our resident bear, seems to agree – he’s been eating and getting ready for hibernation earlier than usual, being about a month ahead of schedule on his winter weight gain leads the experts to believe not only will it be a harsh and cold winter, it will also come early. While some people might not be happy about this foreshadowing, we hope it means a winter season filled with lots of powder for skiing and riding!
Jack Burnett, editor of the Farmer’s Almanac appeared on CTV’s Canada AM recently and said we are in for “the T-Rex 
of winters”. To check out the full predictions visit this CTV article.
Here’s to hoping that prediction holds true, help motivate Mother Nature and start doing your snowdance. Post your snowdance pics & videos using #thishorserules and start the anticipation of winter now!
Fun fact: Boo gained 25 pounds over the past 2 weeks, he’s currently eating about 40,000 calories a day preparing for his winter sleep (that’s the equivalent of 65 Big Macs)!!
- Published in Winter
