Power Highway history is caked in POW
Digging into the origins of The Koots' famed ski highway
Kootenay Rockies, BC Coming up on 20 years ago, deep in snowy interior BC, a little-known cat ski operation was pondering a challenge: how to get the word out about a destination that boasts some of the world's deepest powder across eight world-class ski resorts, 24 cat and heli ski ops, 22 backcountry lodges and 11 communities?
“Originally there was talk of it as “The Powder Triangle” and that didn’t work,” explains the legend who actually christened The Powder Highway, Dave Nichols.
“[Then] I was on a road trip to Tofino and saw the sign for the “Surf highway” and the light went off!”
In that moment, a legend was born.
Around the world the Canadian Rockies are renowned, but “the Koots” isn’t as widely known.
However, if you are a diehard skier or rider like me, when you hear The Powder Highway you instantly head into the white room and you know exactly where we are.
Founded in winter 2007, it will be next winter—season 2027-28—that the famed region will celebrate its 20th anniversary.
For skiers and riders, a road trip on the Powder Highway is the ultimate, explains long time ski industry veteran Rebeckah Hornung, general manager for the iconic Baldface cat skiing operation, “There is a real appeal to the Powder Highway.
"It's this icon, a mecca of snow, and those that are core to the ski and snowboard experience, we are drawn to this region.”
“For me,” explains Hornung, “the coolest piece is that we have the highest concentration of lift, heli, cat and backcountry ski or ride options on the planet!”
As Hornung explained and as I have experienced, any snow seeker can score pieces of the Powder Highway, for example skiing Whitewater in Nelson and Red in Rossland over a two or four day trip.
“Having that ability to ski a resort or two, but also add in some cat and heliskiing all in the same trip is so easy.”
Back almost 20 years ago Nichols was the marketing and sales manager at Island Lake Lodge, another cat ski operation in “The Koots”, Fernie BC.
“Cat skiers will go ski at a resort before they come cat skiing," says Nichols. "But I couldn’t just walk up to skiers to make them cat skiers, so this brand of the Powder Highway was a huge win to help skiers and snowboarders understand just how epic it is around here.”
Nichols took his concept to Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (owners of Kimberley and Fernie Alpine Resorts) and the concept was born—tying together cat, heli and the resorts along BC’s Highway Three.
And that epic turned into a blizzard real quick, as Kootenay Rockies Tourism (the marketing board for the region) came to the circle and said “can we expand this to connect the entire region?”
And The Powder Highway as we know it today was born. The stats are pretty rad, and add up to the most concentrated place for winter adventures in the world.
“Once the Powder Highway brand was established,” explains Nichols, “the ability to spread the word came fast and quick. Tour operators, media, and all the ski shows we worked at, we promoted this as a destination to come to.”
The pitch was and still is easy, we are talking about:
8 world class ski resorts (Fernie, Kimberley, Whitewater, Red, Revelstoke, Kicking Horse, Panorama and Fairmont Hot Springs Resorts.
14 cat ski operations
10 heli ski operations
And 22 backcountry lodges, serviced by 14 ski guiding services
And we are talking about 11 communities welcoming powder hounds from around the world, in Fernie, Kimberley, Nelson, Rossland, Castlegar, Arrow Lakes Slocan Valley, Revelstoke, Golden, Radium, Invermere and Cranbrook (home to the Canadian Rockies International Airport).
Add that all up, that's almost 80 experiences waiting for any snow seeker!
AND we are not even talking about the 25+ or so craft breweries, cideries and distilleries along the way.
A leading example in how to work together.
So, if you've never been to the Powder Highway, why do you want to make this your year?
“Life is short,” Hornung says. “Once you experience this region once, you will want to come back. It’s not only the skiing and riding, but how about the hot springs, and all the communities to explore, there is just so much!”
Click in and ski or ride the Powder Highway; sure it's summer, but who says you can’t start planning now, here is where to start.
Know before you go
Access to the Powder Highway is simple via the Canadian Rockies International Airport, with rental cars with proper snow tires on the ready.
Driving? From Calgary along the Trans Canada Highway, your first stop will be Golden (Kicking Horse Mountain Resort) or Panorama in Invermere and Radium Hot Springs.
From Vancouver, your first stop will either be Nelson (Whitewater Resort) or Rossland (Red Mountain) via Highway three or Revelstoke if you are coming in via Highway One/The Trans Canada.
For those from Spokane consider spending a few nights in Cranbrook, allowing you to hit a few days at Fernie & some more at Kimberley.
If you have an entire season, you can try and score every experience across the region.
For those of us who have to work for a living, break it up into chunks (ever skied or ridden say three different resorts in one trip?).
Either way you hit it, The Powder Highway will instill some serious perma grin.
Bask in the history through face shots. Let us know what you uncover, include @powderhighway and @snowseekers in your posts so we can share in your stoke.