Experience the Powder Highway: Kicking Horse and Panorama
By DOC POW & BARB MARTOWSKI
Legends speak for themselves and B.C.’s Powder Highway is just such a one. The highway seams together the world’s most concentrated collection of snow destinations, making it every skier’s and rider’s favourite road trip.
Along the Powder Highway are a ton of epic resorts including Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, playing host to the world this month as the Freeride World Tour makes its only North American stop from today, Feb. 2 to 8.
Why would they have chosen Kicking Horse? Because simply, Kicking Horse kicks butt.
For Australians, Ryan and Danelle Fouché, who landed themselves the epic gig as “Prestige Adventurers” earlier in the year as part of Prestige Hotels and Resorts 25th anniversary celebration, Kicking Horse is a place they wanted to move to.
As the hotel chain’s dedicated team of adventures and content creators, the Fouchés have spent the past few months travelling all over B.C. on assignment, and they’ve experienced just about everything this awesome province has to offer. Martowski and I caught up with the dynamic social media duo to learn what they uncovered along B.C.’s world-famous Powder Highway.
The Fouchés were experiencing the Powder Highway for the first time and being out of Australia, it was a big change up from the beach and kangaroos. “Winters on the Powder Highway are magical,” says Danelle. “The snow-capped mountain ranges, the alpine trees – we have nothing like this at home. And the winter this year has been amazing. It’s made everything exceptionally beautiful.”
Their first experience with some serious Canadian winter weather was in Golden, B.C. and Kicking Horse Resort.
“There was so much snow coming down at the ski hill, it was actually a bit hard to see, but people were really excited.” As a tentative skier, the ‘big pow day’ might have been too much to take on, but Danelle definitely appreciated the excitement of those around her. Winter had hit the Horse and the Powder Highway was living up to its allure.
Doc Pow top tip to Kicking Horse: Pow days can leave you speechless on how good they can be, don’t miss out – sign up for a Big Mountain tour and learn the tricks to riding the Horse.
Leaving the Horse behind them, the Fouchés spent a lot of time exploring the Town of Golden and also discovered some truly Canadian winter past times – curling and snowshoeing.
“Where we went snowshoeing had just received about 30cms of snow, allowing us to create first tracks in a stunning environment – after that, with the powder day at the Horse, that hot tub at the hotel felt really, really good.”
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Prestige Hotels
From hot pools to high peaks
An hour and a half south down the Powder Highway, Highway 95, connects you to Radium Hot Springs, home to Panorama and another ski & soak Prestige destination.
“We really enjoyed the mineral pools and they’re only minutes from our hotel.” explained Ryan, who was definitely stoked as he talked about another adventure, sledding in the Canadian Rockies – first time ever!
“Toby Creek Adventures has such an amazing snow basin,” said Ryan. “From the beautiful scenic outlooks to the narrow alpine trails, the tour included a stop at a unique frozen waterfall and a hot chocolate stop at Toby Creek’s alpine lodge to warm you up. It was a great day out.”
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Prestige Hotels
With the Prestige Radium Hot Springs Resort as their home base, they were free to visit other hot spots in the area, including Toby Creek, where they went snowmobiling for the first time.
“Toby Creek Adventures has such an amazing snow basin,” said Ryan. “From the beautiful scenic outlooks to the narrow alpine trails, the tour included a stop at a unique frozen waterfall and a hot chocolate stop at Toby Creek’s alpine lodge to warm you up. It was a great day out.”
Also high on their list of recommendations were Nipika Mountain Resort and Panorama Mountain Resort.
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Prestige Hotels
For him, Panorama Ski Resort was totally unexpected. “It was a bluebird day and for us, the hill was very beginner friendly – at least where we were,” laughed Ryan. “I can imagine there’s plenty of challenging terrain there for those who know what they’re doing.”
Doc Pow top tip to Panorama: New for winter 2019 is Panorama’s Monster Terrain; on the other side of Tayton Bowl, it features steeps and deeps that will leave you basking in the hot pool after-glow. The Pano snow school will get you set for success, click here.
When you go
Book the Powder Highway this winter and let Prestige, with its entire collection of hotels, become your perfect home base to make your own legends this season or next.
Visit the Prestige Hotels and Resorts website and use the promo code: *SEEKERS and get 15% off. If you call, ask for the “*SnowSeekers” promotional rate. This promotion is good at the Prestige Lakeside Resort Nelson, Prestige Inn Nelson, Prestige Mountain Resort Rossland, Prestige Inn Golden and Prestige Radium Hot Springs Resort. *This special promo ends March 31, 2019.
Ski over here to read part two of the Prestige Adventurers’ Powder Highway series – Whitewater and RED Mountain adventures.
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