Even better, Kicking Horse's 4,000 acres of terrain mean there will
be plenty of fresh trails to go around. Currently, two lifts (one
quad, one double) and one eight-passenger gondola serve 64 trails,
but when the project reaches completion (five to seven years from
now is everyone's best guess), a total of seven lifts will whisk as
many as 225,000 skiers to the mountain's 8,033-foot summit every
day. From there, skiers will have 150 trails to choose from. And
we're not just talking ski slopes. Ice climbing, from beginner to
grade six, is nearby, as are snowmobiling, cross-country skiing,
snowshoeing, and dog sledding.
Obviously, there's little reason to put off a visit. In fact, right
now is the best time to experience Kicking Horse, before the hype
machine shifts into high gear. "It's still very quiet compared to
other mountains," says Lehmann. "There's this wonderful feeling
that there're not many other skiers out there." Which is exactly
why you should be one of them.
kicking horse at a glance
number of trails: 64
trail breakdown: 20 percent beginner, 45 percent
intermediate, 35 percent advanced
number of lifts: 3 (eight-passenger gondola, one quad, one
double)
skiable acreage: more than 2,200
annual snowfall: 275 inches
lift ticket: $48.75 cn (approximately $30 u.s.)
season opening: december 14 (skiing ended mid-april last
season)
info: (866) 754-5425 or
www.kickinghorseresort.com
-
saddling the bronc
this season, kicking horse opened 26 new runs - seven green, two
blue, and 17 black. local ski instructor shane lehmann gives the
inside scoop on the resort's top three trails.
bowl over
level: advanced
terrain: mixed open bowls and gladed sections