Winter Ski and Snowboarding, Powder Highway, Canada
Hours are spent, flying over the dull flat snow-laden plains of Manitoba and Saskatchewan and then from nowhere, a jagged wall of granite that is The Rockies appears on the horizon and they are also huge!
As our flights descends, the Calgary skyline, packed with towering skyscrapers, looks nothing like the gateway to the best ski and snowboard fly-drive destination on the planet; Canada`s Powder Highway.
SUV pick up from the airport couldn`t be easier and it`s only minutes until we are on Highway 1, The Trans-Canada Highway. At 8030 kms, it`s a long road but it`s only the 500 kms or so between the Continental Divide at Banff and the shores of Lake Okanagan, that I`ve brought my first group over from Europe to experience.
As I mentioned, our first stop is the Jewel of the Rockies; Banff. A picture postcard all year round destination, littered with great options for shopping, eating and drinking as well as being host to three very different mountain resorts. Banff`s resorts of Lake Louise, Sunshine Village & Mt Norquay, are all on the 1 lift pass, which also includes door to lift transfers from every hotel, very handy for a those that like a well deserved drink after a fun day on the slopes. Banff/Lake Louise really has something for everyone, both on and off the mountains.
The Powder Highway really begins once you leave the Banff National Park and head west into British Columbia through the stunning Yoho National Park to the town of Golden, home to the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. It`s the towering peaks, either side of the highway that now draws your attention, with an eye out for Elk, Moose and the magnificent Wolves, which are abundant in the area.
An early start, meant we were fortunate enough to see a female Cougar prowl alongside the road before disappearing into the woods. Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is more suitable for advanced skiers/boarders, although there are a few rolling intermediate runs, it is the ridges that offer the access to numerous steep bowls of fresh deep powder that we are here for. Golden is a great spot to stay for a couple of days, with a couple of real gems for food and drinks in the evening.
The drive west from Golden brings new wonders. The mountains just get bigger and bigger an at Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park, the giants that dwarf the SUV either side of the road, make you feel very insignificant. The next stop is the relative new kid on the block, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, but this is one BIG kid. With 1.7 km vertical, the highest in North America and with one of the highest snowfalls on the planet, this place is immense. I was lucky enough to spend a couple of weeks there in 2007, its inaugural year and have been back many times, but I always find something new, and the town itself, set on the mighty Columbia River is fast becoming a culinary hot spot too.
When planning the trip, it was an option to head to Sun Peaks after leaving Revelstoke. Sun Peaks is a great all round resort with a host of ski in, ski out accommodations an hour or so north of Kamloops, but I opted for the more boutique resort of Silver Star at Vernon. Located at the northern tip of the Okanagan Valley, Silver Star is very easy on the eye and littered with brightly coloured accommodation directly on the slopes. The mountain itself is a real mixed bag, long glade runs if you want to take it easy and enough heart racing steeps through the trees, if you fancy a little more excitement. Vernon is a lovely town too, lots of non-chain cafes and restaurants to explore and is the start of Canada`s very underrated wine country.
On leaving Vernon, the legs are getting a little jaded, but spirits are lifted by the stunning views of Lake Okanagan as we drop down in the Okanagan Valley to Kelowna. Kelowna is the largest city we`ve visited this trip and is set directly on the lake. The city`s booming wine industry is definitely evident as the main all year round attraction, but we`re here for the snow, so that means Big White Ski Resort. Big White is situated on the edge of the Big White Ecological Reserve, an hour’s drive east from Kelowna. We chose to stay in town but the resort boasts Canada`s largest ski in, ski out village for those looking to stay on the mountain, which I would definitely recommend for families. Big White is a large, all round one stop resort and in addition to the great skiing and snowboarding , there are a host of other winter activities available. Dog sledding, snowmobiling, sleigh rides and ice skating are possible, or for those looking to relax after a hard day on the slopes, there are luxury spas and a wealth restaurants from fast food to fine dining right in the village.
After 3 days on Big White, we packed our skis and boards away for the last time and headed back onto the highway and west towards the mighty Pacific Ocean. The 3.5 hour drive took us out of the Okanagan Valley, up and over the Coquihalla Pass, which at 1244m above is the highest point of the highway and then back down to sea level to BC`s most famous city, Vancouver. Vancouver has a much more temperate climate, more akin to San Francisco than chilly Calgary. It is also known for its laid back atmosphere and is fast becoming a foodie mecca, a perfect spot to enjoy the last couple of nights of any trip to Canada before heading home.