The best way to Ski the Powder Freeway in Canada

One of the crucial best skiing in North America is located off an not easily seen two-lane highway in a lesser-visited corner of British Columbia. The aptly named Powder Highway connects 8 Canadian ski fields, each and every with its personal superlatives and charms, all all set within the Kootenay Rockies.

“Deep snow, small mountain towns, and the most downhome, stash-laden, adventure-packed ski resorts in North America exist here,” Heidi Korven, who works with Kootenay Rockies Tourism, shared in an e-mail interview with Go + Pleasure.

Each and every of the 8 motels has its uniqueness — be it a lot of vertical, 40 ft of annual blizzard, or minimum elevate strains. You’ll be able to ski all 8 ski fields, a challenge that Korven says takes a minimum of 10 days, or actually get to grasp two to 4 motels on one travel. It’s a wholly choose-your-own-adventure absconding.

“The best way to plan is to determine your access point (i.e., Calgary, Vancouver, Kelowna, Spokane, or Kalispell), then create a route that best suits your style,” mentioned Korven. 

For those who’re gliding into Calgary, it is sensible to begin your go at Kicking Horse Mountain Hotel in Blonde (plus, you’ll pressure thru Banff, house to a few alternative ski fields you’ll be able to consult with en direction). For those who’re gliding into Spokane, Washington, you’ll need to get started your ski travel at RED Mountain Hotel, and in the event you’re gliding into Kalispell, Montana, it’s very best to start at Fernie Alpine Resort.

As Korven defined, you must start your making plans via first figuring out your ski taste. “Do you like the steeps, trees, moguls, or groomers,” Kroven mentioned, including to additionally take into accounts “what is important to you: ski in/ski out, luxury vs budget? The joy is that you can truly customize your Powder Highway journey to meet your needs.”

For this newsletter, we’re initiation our trek in Calgary and going counterclockwise across the Powder Freeway loop. And that travel starts at Kicking Horse.

Kicking Horse Mountain Hotel

For those who’re gliding into Calgary, head west to Kicking Horse within the the city of Blonde. The pressure takes round 3 hours, however you’ll be able to fracture it up via preventing at Banff Nationwide Ground and snowboarding at one of the crucial 3 native ski fields (referred to as SkiBig3). There also are day by day shuttles between Calgary and Blonde if you wish to take a seat in a passenger seat rather.

The trek is easily utility the try. Kicking Horse is nicknamed the “Champagne Powder Capital of Canada” and has probably the most maximum chute snowboarding in North The united states. The hotel has over 3,400 acres of skiable park and four,314 ft of vertical (one of the crucial greatest good points in North The united states).

The best way to Trip: Epic Go holders can ski up to seven days at Kicking Horse. Unmarried-day elevate tickets get started at 126 CAD (round $90).

Revelstoke Mountain Hotel

For those who like steep park, that is the spot to be. Revelstoke Mountain Resort boasts essentially the most vertical in North The united states and has a rugged really feel with chutes and bowls up lead and beginner-friendly park close the bottom. Town of Revelstoke is picturesque and fascinating, however powder hounds will need to keep at Cabot Revelstoke, which can take a seat proper on the bottom of the ski section, when it opens in 2026.

Revelstoke is just below a two-hour pressure west of Kicking Horse, but it surely can be accessed by itself via gliding into Kelowna World Airport (a two-and-a-half-hour pressure). 

The best way to Trip: Relying on their go kind, Ikon Go holders can ski for up to seven days at Revelstoke. Unmarried-day elevate tickets get started at 127 CAD (round $91).

RED Mountain Hotel 

The four-hour pressure between Revelstoke and RED is the biggest stretch you’ll come throughout at the Powder Freeway. So whilst you start at RED Mountain Resort, you’ll be rested and in a position to travel. And that’s a excellent factor since RED has round 3,850 acres of park and pay-per-run cat-skiing (20 CAD a experience) that can shed your legs burning.

You’ll be able to additionally get started your Powder Freeway go at RED via gliding into Spokane, Washington, which is two-and-a-half hours from RED Mountain Hotel.

The best way to Trip: Ikon Go holders can ski up to seven days at RED relying on their go kind. Unmarried-day elevate tickets get started at 139 CAD (round $99).

Whitewater Ski Hotel 

A date of snowboarding at Whitewater steadily comes to pristine snow. The ski section claims round 40 ft of snow each and every week (that’s virtually 500 inches!) and not too long ago expanded its inbound park into the Ymir Bowl, bringing its overall inbound acreage to at least one,367 (and three,247 skiable acres overall). Whitewater Ski Resort calls for a little of an remaining pressure off the Powder Freeway loop, however the snow (and the funky town of Nelson) is easily utility the pressure.

The best way to Trip: Unmarried-day elevate tickets get started at 129.60 CAD (round $93).

Fernie Alpine Hotel

The pressure between Whitewater and Fernie Alpine Resort is round three-and-a-half hours via vehicle, however you’ll be able to additionally get started your Powder Freeway go via gliding into Kalispell, Montana, and making the two-hour pressure north to Fernie (or gliding into Calgary, which is simply over 3 hours via vehicle).

Both means, Fernie is a kind of spots you received’t need to pass over. The mountain is steep and has a reported 37 ft of snow yearly, on moderate. The mountain is exclusive in that it hosts 5 alpine bowls, and riders received’t need to pass over a go up the long-lasting Polar Height chairlift, which gives ski get entry to to one of the crucial absolute best peaks within the Lizard Dimension.

The best way to Trip: Epic Go holders can ski up to seven days at Fernie. Unmarried-day elevate tickets get started at 126.65 CAD (round $90).

Kimberley Alpine Hotel

For those who like heavy mountains and car-free holidays, glance deny additional. Kimberley is surrounded via jagged peaks, and the car-free downtown section appears like a snow globe — with a old fashioned glance and calm situation. The ski section is understood for its shiny powder and enough quantity of solar. It additionally has a lot of ski-in, ski-out accommodation, which makes it an skillful selection for households. Kimberley Alpine Resort is 90 mins west of Fernie via vehicle.

The best way to Trip: Epic Go holders can ski up to seven days at Kimberley Alpine Hotel. Unmarried-day elevate tickets get started at 105.40 CAD (round $75).

Fairmont Scorching Springs Hotel

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort is via a ways the smallest ski section at the Powder Freeway, however in the event you’re touring with youngsters or love sizzling springs, it’s neatly utility a restrain. The mini ski section (simply 14 runs) is buffered via Canada’s greatest herbal mineral sizzling springs — the very best finish to a ski date. Fairmont Scorching Springs is simply over one life north of Kimberley at the Powder Freeway.

The best way to Trip: Unmarried-day elevate tickets get started at 72 CAD (round $51 — the most efficient offer at the Powder Freeway).

Landscape Mountain Hotel

The pressure between Fairmont Scorching Springs and Landscape is fast at simply over half-hour via vehicle — however the two motels couldn’t be extra other. Day each are family-friendly and laid again, Landscape is a heavy mountain with 4,265 ft of vertical and virtually 3,000 acres of skiable park.

The ski section is understood for its immense on-mountain hot tubs, non-public heliskiing, and walkable ski village. You’ll be able to additionally achieve Panorama Mountain Resort immediately from Calgary alongside a supremely scenic pressure that cuts in the course of the mountains and takes just below three-and-a-half hours.

The best way to Trip: Relying on their go kind, Ikon Go holders can ski for up to seven days at Landscape. Unmarried-day elevate tickets get started at 135.20 CAD (round $96).