Skiing Along The Powder Highway In British
Columbia, Canada - Updated March 8, 2012

It's March, and when March rolls around, Lisa and I hit the mountains. This year, we're off to ski The Powder Highway in the Kootenay Rockies, tucked away in the southeast corner of British Columbia, Canada. While the majestic mountains and over the top views typically capture the headline statement, it's the favorable weather patterns that drop upwards of 500 inches of inviting powder each year that is the real draw.

Eight key alpine resorts for inbound skiing are located along the Powder Highway, and countless other heli-skiing and cat skiing outposts for adrenaline seeking extreme skiers in search of virgin powder and the perfect line. Fernie, Kicking Horse, and Revelstoke are the more popular names, attracting extreme skiers in search of double diamonds that would easily rate three diamonds if the rating system allowed it. Lessor known names include Kimberly and Panorama, who cater to families, and whitewater, which is more of a community name with a deep powder heritage. The biggest heli-ski operator in the region is CMH Heli-Skiing, with a good number of outposts and lodges mostly catering to multi-day packages. Others include Selkirk Tangiers Heli-skiing near Revelstoke, Snowwater Heli-Skiing near Whitewater, and RK Heli-skiing at Panorama.

Our adventure starts with a flight into Calgary, Canada, followed by a 3 1/2 hour drive to Fernie for a few days of skiing in and around Fernie's famous bowls. This laid back out of the way resort, named "8th out of the Top 25 Resorts in North America" by Skiing Magazine, and known for its powder, is just a few miles outside the historic and quant ski town of Fernie. From Fernie, we'll head up to Kimberly, a family style resort about an hour away, for an easy day of skiing some of Kimberly's groomed cruisers. Then it's off to Panorama about 1 1/2 hours north to experience their low key big mountain vertical, base village and amenities, and Panorama Hot Pools. The highlight of the trip will be an excursion with RK Heli-ski into the Purcell Mountains backcountry, located a short chopper ride from the base of Panorama, for some choice runs down powder laden glaciers, open bowls, and gladed terrain. Our final destination before departing includes a day stop at Sunshine Village en-route back to Calgary. Sunshine Village, a “Banff Big Three", while lacking in amenities, is known for its superior lift system and terrain.

So as the itinerary unfolds, I'll update the FAVS list below and include some commentary, shots, and video.

Ciao

The Short List:

FernieKnown for its legendary powder KimberlyBeautiful views in a laid back and friendly atmosphere PanoramaBig mountain verticals, nice base village, Panorama Hot Pools, and Heli-Skiing! RK HeliskiGlacier, open bowl, and gladed skiing in the beautiful Purcell Mountains Sunshine VillageOne of the "Banff Big Three"

Next up: Fernie, British Columbia...

The ranking to date:


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Skiing Along The Powder Highway In British
Columbia, Canada - Updated March 16, 2012

It's March, and when March rolls around, Lisa and I hit the mountains. This year, we're off to ski The Powder Highway in the Kootenay Rockies, tucked away in the southeast corner of British Columbia, Canada. While the majestic mountains and over the top views typically capture the headline statement, it's the favorable weather patterns that drop upwards of 500 inches of inviting powder each year that is the real draw.

Eight key alpine resorts for inbound skiing are located along the Powder Highway, and countless other heli-skiing and cat skiing outposts for adrenaline seeking extreme skiers in search of virgin powder and the perfect line. Fernie, Kicking Horse, and Revelstoke are the more popular names, attracting extreme skiers in search of double diamonds that would easily rate three diamonds if the rating system allowed it. Lessor known names include Kimberly and Panorama, who cater to families, and whitewater, which is more of a community name with a deep powder heritage. The biggest heli-ski operator in the region is CMH Heli-Skiing, with a good number of outposts and lodges mostly catering to multi-day packages. Others include Selkirk Tangiers Heli-skiing near Revelstoke, Snowwater Heli-Skiing near Whitewater, and RK Heli-skiing at Panorama.

Our adventure starts with a flight into Calgary, Canada, followed by a 3 1/2 hour drive to Fernie for a few days of skiing in and around Fernie's famous bowls. This laid back out of the way resort, named "8th out of the Top 25 Resorts in North America" by Skiing Magazine, and known for its powder, is just a few miles outside the historic and quant ski town of Fernie. From Fernie, we'll head up to Kimberly, a family style resort about an hour away, for an easy day of skiing some of Kimberly's groomed cruisers. Then it's off to Panorama about 1 1/2 hours north to experience their low key big mountain vertical, base village and amenities, and Panorama Hot Pools. The highlight of the trip will be an excursion with RK Heli-ski into the Purcell Mountains backcountry, located a short chopper ride from the base of Panorama, for some choice runs down powder laden glaciers, open bowls, and gladed terrain. Our final destination before departing includes a day stop at Sunshine Village en-route back to Calgary. Sunshine Village, a “Banff Big Three", while lacking in amenities, is known for its superior lift system and terrain.

So as the itinerary unfolds, I'll update the FAVS list below and include some commentary, shots, and video.

Ciao

The Short List:

FernieKnown for its legendary powder KimberlyBeautiful views in a laid back and friendly atmosphere PanoramaBig mountain verticals, nice base village, Panorama Hot Pools, and Heli-Skiing! RK HeliskiGlacier, open bowl, and gladed skiing in the beautiful Purcell Mountains Sunshine VillageOne of the "Banff Big Three"

Skied Ferni, Kimberly, Heli-Ski'd in the Purcell Mountain Range, Panorama, and Sunshine Village in Banff...

The FINAL FAV ranking:
#1 - RK Heli-Ski in The Purcell Montain Range --- The stand-out star!!!
#2 - Panorama --- Has the complete package
#3 - Fernie --- The five bowls were nothing short of spectacular!!!
#4 - Kimbery --- A gentle mountain with a nice family atmosphere
#5 - Sunshine Village --- A big disappointment. Similar to skiing a wind whipped New England resort


Saturday, March 10
The drive to Fernie Alpine Resort from Calgary took about 3 ½ hours and was mostly through the Picturesque farmland and rolling hills of southern Alberta and winding mountain roads through southeast British Columbia on the way to Fernie. Unless you know the route, the best advice would be to plan on driving during the daylight hours and make sure you have a full take of gas before leaving Calgary. Once out of Calgary, the small towns are far and few between.

Fernie Alpine Resort is a few miles outside of the town of Fernie, and as you drive through Fernie, the Alpine Resort’s majestic mountains, bowls, and runs are an inviting backdrop after traveling twelve hours. On first impression, the resort is rustic, with lodges, homes, and cabins lining the roads in and around the base area. There is no base village per se. It’s more like a “base area” with a collection of lodges, each with their own unique charm, some with ski in/out and others within close walking distance to the base lifts. All the lodging is of the condo variety, which is nice, because it makes for a home away from home environment. Lizard Creek Lodge is the premier property if you’re looking for luxury, Snow Creek Lodge is a good middle of the way lodge, and the Gritz Inn offers plenty for the budget conscience traveler.

Sunday, March 11
Too soon to say if Fernie ultimately ranks high on the FAV list, as the first day on Sunday was soupy. Yup, soupy. The resort known for its powder is also know to experience rain when the wind blows in a southwesterly flow of moisture. On our first day of skiing, It was raining at the base so we made a point of getting to the top of the mountain as quickly as possible where it was snowing pretty heavily. The snow that fell did provide some great powder runs --- as long as you stayed above the rain/snow line at mid-mountain – but as the day wore on, it became more and more difficult to see through the mixed precipitation. Lisa did great honing her powder turns in preparation for heli-skiing later in the week, but by the end of the day, we were soaked to the bone and relishing a long soak in the outdoor hot tubs.





Monday, March 12:
Today looks to be a much better day on the mountain - the day is supposed to be free of rain, just some clouds and light flurries – and the ski patrol was blowing charges last night and early this morning on some of the bowls that were off limits yesterday due to high avalanche danger, which should open up additional terrain with some nice powder runs.

End of day wrap:
What a difference a day makes! From a soupy bone soaking can't see anything day yesterday to an amazing clear Powder day in Cedar Bowl and Timber Bowl. Thanks to the hard work of Fernie's ski patrol sending in lots of charges last night and early this morning, Cedar Bowl was open for business today, so we made an early morning bee line to Cedar to get some runs in the virgin powder before the rest of the crowd showed up and turned it into chop. Lisa did great and was a real trooper despite the daunting foot of fresh unskied pow! She felt redeemed after I dumped it face first on one of the fresh powder runs! Timber Bowl was another phenomenal spot with zero ice and lots of the soft stuff along the fringes.

So overall, Fernie's bowls are the clear draw, and a big one at that. Each has its own personality, from the incredibly difficult Polar Peak to the easier Lizard Bowl. Apres ski around Fernie is nonexistent, but the historic town of Fernie is a few miles away for your apres ski indulgence. The base area, with all its rustic charm, has some basic restaurants in some of the main lodges but nothing to write home about. Again, the draw for Fernie is their five Famous Bowls --- if you're coming for the amenities and nightlife, you'll want to pass on this one.

On Tuesday, Lisa and I are off to Kimberly bright and early, but the area is forecast to get a foot of snow overnight, so our drive to Kimberly could get a bit dicey. We're looking forward to a day of easy going cruising on Kimberly's famed cruisers before heading to Panorama for a few days. Wednesday is the key day though, that's when we really need a clear day so that our heli-skiing guides can take the group up to the glaciers and open runs from 11,000 feet versus staying low and in the trees. Right now they're calling for a partly cloudy day, but that's changed ten times in the past week!





Tuesday, March 13:
The menacing southeasterly air flow that has been permeating the area this week was forecast to makes its presence known today with rain showers forecast all day. Yup, rain showers! A skiers worst nightmare! After departing Fernie for the 1 1/2 hour drive north to Kimberly, and driving through solid rain on a dark road for most of the drive (ugh!), it started to turn over to a steady snow just outside the town of Kimberly. It was a sight for sore eyes to arrive to a foot of fresh powder with additional snow falling.

The resort itself bills itself as a family resort. It's small and quant, but with enough vertical (2,500') and challenging terrain to put even the best skier on notice. If you've ever been to Solitude in Big Cottonwood Canyon just outside Salt Lake City, you could easily see the similarities --- lots of groomers, glades, some double blacks for good measure, a quant base village, and very family friendly vibe. The lodging is comprised of condo type lodges sprinkled around the base area and a few miles away in the town of Kimberly, a decent size town, you'll find some budget hotels from the chains. The vibe is definitely "family" and "locals."

By mid-day, the resort received about two feet of snow, we had our share of powder practice, and headed out to our next lodging stop at Panorama, another 1 1/2 hour north of Kimberly.

So far, Fernie is #1 on the FAVS list due solely to the amazing array of bowls, and Kimberly is #2.





After skiing Kimberly yesterday afternoon, the 1 1/2 drive north along route BC93/BC95 en-route to Panorama Mountain Resort took us through the Columbia Lake region, an especially beautiful part of British Columbia, with majestic mountain peaks overlooking the turquoise waters of Columbia Lake just outside Fairmont Hot Springs. By first impressions alone, Lisa and I knew that Panorama was going to be something special! The 18km drive into the resort just outside the town of Invermere traversed a winding mountain road cut alongside Toby Creek, with each kilometer more striking than the previous.

The resort itself, a former Intrawest property, is laid out extremely well, with a lower village and upper village. The upper village lodges, just steps away from the base lifts, are some of the nicest ones of any resort we've visited. If you're with the family, the Panorama Springs lodge is you're best choice because that's where the large Panorama Hot Pools are located, a kids favorite! Lisa and I are staying at the Tanyton Lodge, a ski out/in property that overlooks the mountain, is more suited to adult travelers, and has its own private hot tubs with views of the adjoining slopes.

Wednesday, March 14 (Heli-Skiing the Purcell Mountain Range):

Today we heli-skied with RK Heli-Skiing in the Purcell Mountain Range! This is what makes Panorama such a special place! An accommodating base village, a large mountain with terrain for all abilities, a large amount of off mountain activities, and Heli-Skiing from one of the pioneers of heli-skiing. Lisa and I never heli-skied before so we were a bit nervous about the experience. The staff at RK Heli-Ski were extremely helpful. After signing the waivers, getting fitted for powder skies, having a hot breakfast next to a roaring fire, and going over chopper and avalanche safety, we embarked on what would become a day to remember. From the heli-pad, a group of 11 skiers plus our guide were whisked another 20 kilometers into the Purcell Mountains. The chopper pilot couldn't take us to the 11,000 foot glaciers for wide open powder runs because it was slightly overcast and the pilot flies via visual protocols, so we stayed to the tree line and skied wide open runs and sparse glades. The mountains received a foot of fresh powder the night before, and despite snow up to your thighs, we literally floated down each run thanks to the super fat powder skies RK provided as part of the package. Jeremy, our guide, was especially knowledgeable, helpful, and insightful. At the end of the day, the groups bonded over apres ski while reminiscing over the experience and watching video of the days runs on the big screen .









Thursday, March 15:We skied Panorama, a mountain with a rather large vertical drop (4,500+ feet), lots of black and double black towards the top of the mountain, and a good assortment of lessor difficult terrain mid-mountain and below. Tired from yesterday's adventure floating through powder, we ended up hanging out on some really nice black diamond cruisers and just taking it easy. The head scratching moment though was the lack of a good on mountain restaurant. The washrooms at the mid-mountain hut, yes hut, were of the outhouse variety, the hut was just that, a hut, and the food offerings were pretty limited. The lifts are modern but depending on where you're skiing on the mountain, you may be required to take a couple different lifts to get back to the same run, which can be cumbersome and time consuming.

Overall, Panorama Mountain Village just shot to the #1 FAV slot --- it has the overall package --- easy access from Calgary, striking scenery, expansive base village, large mountain vertical, and best of all, Heli-Skiing right from the RK Heli-ski heli-plex at the base of the mountain!





Friday, March 16:

Today we're off to ski Sunshine Village in Banff before heading out.

End of day wrap:
On the way to Calgary from Panorama Mountain Village, we stopped over at Sunshine Village in Banff to check out the mountain everybody raves about. Hmmm… They rave about the three separate mountains, each with its own personality, the terrain, the modern and well placed lifts, the superior snow conditions, the spectacular scenery, and the cozy yet limited lodging accommodations. For us, it was a big disappointment. About the only thing we liked, was the drive over from Panorama through the Kootenay National Forest and Banff National Forest, two of Canada’s national treasures. As for Sunshine Village in Banff, Alberta, Canada, it’s placement of the eastern side of the Continental Divide means colder temperatures. While that’s a good thing, Sunshine’s slopes are mostly above the tree line, which means lots of wind whipped slopes, and ice. Goat’s Eye Mountain, the double diamond motherlode of Sunshine, was a bust --- sheer ice! Lookout Mountain, the accommodating mountain, was a bust --- sheer crud! That left Mount Standish as our last hope as the day wore thin. We searched high and low and again, Crud! But alas, we found three tiny slopes next to the Wawa chair that became our favorite three for the remainder of the day. That was hard work, but at least we left Sunshine on a high note. Overall, the lift infrastructure is modern and fast, food and beverage facilities are good, and lodging is quite limited. But unless the place just received a dump and the wind is not whipping across the mountain, or you just want to check it off your bucket list, I would recommend a rain check on Sunshine Village.

Ciao! --- Mission accomplished!


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Skiing Along The Powder Highway In British
Columbia, Canada - Updated March 15, 2012

It's March, and when March rolls around, Lisa and I hit the mountains. This year, we're off to ski The Powder Highway in the Kootenay Rockies, tucked away in the southeast corner of British Columbia, Canada. While the majestic mountains and over the top views typically capture the headline statement, it's the favorable weather patterns that drop upwards of 500 inches of inviting powder each year that is the real draw.

Eight key alpine resorts for inbound skiing are located along the Powder Highway, and countless other heli-skiing and cat skiing outposts for adrenaline seeking extreme skiers in search of virgin powder and the perfect line. Fernie, Kicking Horse, and Revelstoke are the more popular names, attracting extreme skiers in search of double diamonds that would easily rate three diamonds if the rating system allowed it. Lessor known names include Kimberly and Panorama, who cater to families, and whitewater, which is more of a community name with a deep powder heritage. The biggest heli-ski operator in the region is CMH Heli-Skiing, with a good number of outposts and lodges mostly catering to multi-day packages. Others include Selkirk Tangiers Heli-skiing near Revelstoke, Snowwater Heli-Skiing near Whitewater, and RK Heli-skiing at Panorama.

Our adventure starts with a flight into Calgary, Canada, followed by a 3 1/2 hour drive to Fernie for a few days of skiing in and around Fernie's famous bowls. This laid back out of the way resort, named "8th out of the Top 25 Resorts in North America" by Skiing Magazine, and known for its powder, is just a few miles outside the historic and quant ski town of Fernie. From Fernie, we'll head up to Kimberly, a family style resort about an hour away, for an easy day of skiing some of Kimberly's groomed cruisers. Then it's off to Panorama about 1 1/2 hours north to experience their low key big mountain vertical, base village and amenities, and Panorama Hot Pools. The highlight of the trip will be an excursion with RK Heli-ski into the Purcell Mountains backcountry, located a short chopper ride from the base of Panorama, for some choice runs down powder laden glaciers, open bowls, and gladed terrain. Our final destination before departing includes a day stop at Sunshine Village en-route back to Calgary. Sunshine Village, a “Banff Big Three", while lacking in amenities, is known for its superior lift system and terrain.

So as the itinerary unfolds, I'll update the FAVS list below and include some commentary, shots, and video.

Ciao

The Short List:

FernieKnown for its legendary powder KimberlyBeautiful views in a laid back and friendly atmosphere PanoramaBig mountain verticals, nice base village, Panorama Hot Pools, and Heli-Skiing! RK HeliskiGlacier, open bowl, and gladed skiing in the beautiful Purcell Mountains Sunshine VillageOne of the "Banff Big Three"

Skied Ferni, Kimberly, Heli-Ski in the Purcell Mountain Range, Panorama, and now on to Sunshine Village in Banff...

The ranking to date:
#1 - RK Heli-Ski in The Purcell Montain Range
#2 - Panorama
#3 - Fernie
#4 - Kimbery

Saturday, March 10
The drive to Fernie Alpine Resort from Calgary took about 3 ½ hours and was mostly through the Picturesque farmland and rolling hills of southern Alberta and winding mountain roads through southeast British Columbia on the way to Fernie. Unless you know the route, the best advice would be to plan on driving during the daylight hours and make sure you have a full take of gas before leaving Calgary. Once out of Calgary, the small towns are far and few between.

Fernie Alpine Resort is a few miles outside of the town of Fernie, and as you drive through Fernie, the Alpine Resort’s majestic mountains, bowls, and runs are an inviting backdrop after traveling twelve hours. On first impression, the resort is rustic, with lodges, homes, and cabins lining the roads in and around the base area. There is no base village per se. It’s more like a “base area” with a collection of lodges, each with their own unique charm, some with ski in/out and others within close walking distance to the base lifts. All the lodging is of the condo variety, which is nice, because it makes for a home away from home environment. Lizard Creek Lodge is the premier property if you’re looking for luxury, Snow Creek Lodge is a good middle of the way lodge, and the Gritz Inn offers plenty for the budget conscience traveler.

Sunday, March 11
Too soon to say if Fernie ultimately ranks high on the FAV list, as the first day on Sunday was soupy. Yup, soupy. The resort known for its powder is also know to experience rain when the wind blows in a southwesterly flow of moisture. On our first day of skiing, It was raining at the base so we made a point of getting to the top of the mountain as quickly as possible where it was snowing pretty heavily. The snow that fell did provide some great powder runs --- as long as you stayed above the rain/snow line at mid-mountain – but as the day wore on, it became more and more difficult to see through the mixed precipitation. Lisa did great honing her powder turns in preparation for heli-skiing later in the week, but by the end of the day, we were soaked to the bone and relishing a long soak in the outdoor hot tubs.





Monday, March 12:
Today looks to be a much better day on the mountain - the day is supposed to be free of rain, just some clouds and light flurries – and the ski patrol was blowing charges last night and early this morning on some of the bowls that were off limits yesterday due to high avalanche danger, which should open up additional terrain with some nice powder runs.

End of day wrap:
What a difference a day makes! From a soupy bone soaking can't see anything day yesterday to an amazing clear Powder day in Cedar Bowl and Timber Bowl. Thanks to the hard work of Fernie's ski patrol sending in lots of charges last night and early this morning, Cedar Bowl was open for business today, so we made an early morning bee line to Cedar to get some runs in the virgin powder before the rest of the crowd showed up and turned it into chop. Lisa did great and was a real trooper despite the daunting foot of fresh unskied pow! She felt redeemed after I dumped it face first on one of the fresh powder runs! Timber Bowl was another phenomenal spot with zero ice and lots of the soft stuff along the fringes.

So overall, Fernie's bowls are the clear draw, and a big one at that. Each has its own personality, from the incredibly difficult Polar Peak to the easier Lizard Bowl. Apres ski around Fernie is nonexistent, but the historic town of Fernie is a few miles away for your apres ski indulgence. The base area, with all its rustic charm, has some basic restaurants in some of the main lodges but nothing to write home about. Again, the draw for Fernie is their five Famous Bowls --- if you're coming for the amenities and nightlife, you'll want to pass on this one.

On Tuesday, Lisa and I are off to Kimberly bright and early, but the area is forecast to get a foot of snow overnight, so our drive to Kimberly could get a bit dicey. We're looking forward to a day of easy going cruising on Kimberly's famed cruisers before heading to Panorama for a few days. Wednesday is the key day though, that's when we really need a clear day so that our heli-skiing guides can take the group up to the glaciers and open runs from 11,000 feet versus staying low and in the trees. Right now they're calling for a partly cloudy day, but that's changed ten times in the past week!





Tuesday, March 13:
The menacing southeasterly air flow that has been permeating the area this week was forecast to makes its presence known today with rain showers forecast all day. Yup, rain showers! A skiers worst nightmare! After departing Fernie for the 1 1/2 hour drive north to Kimberly, and driving through solid rain on a dark road for most of the drive (ugh!), it started to turn over to a steady snow just outside the town of Kimberly. It was a sight for sore eyes to arrive to a foot of fresh powder with additional snow falling.

The resort itself bills itself as a family resort. It's small and quant, but with enough vertical (2,500') and challenging terrain to put even the best skier on notice. If you've ever been to Solitude in Big Cottonwood Canyon just outside Salt Lake City, you could easily see the similarities --- lots of groomers, glades, some double blacks for good measure, a quant base village, and very family friendly vibe. The lodging is comprised of condo type lodges sprinkled around the base area and a few miles away in the town of Kimberly, a decent size town, you'll find some budget hotels from the chains. The vibe is definitely "family" and "locals."

By mid-day, the resort received about two feet of snow, we had our share of powder practice, and headed out to our next lodging stop at Panorama, another 1 1/2 hour north of Kimberly.

So far, Fernie is #1 on the FAVS list due solely to the amazing array of bowls, and Kimberly is #2.





After skiing Kimberly yesterday afternoon, the 1 1/2 drive north along route BC93/BC95 en-route to Panorama Mountain Resort took us through the Columbia Lake region, an especially beautiful part of British Columbia, with majestic mountain peaks overlooking the turquoise waters of Columbia Lake just outside Fairmont Hot Springs. By first impressions alone, Lisa and I knew that Panorama was going to be something special! The 18km drive into the resort just outside the town of Invermere traversed a winding mountain road cut alongside Toby Creek, with each kilometer more striking than the previous.

The resort itself, a former Intrawest property, is laid out extremely well, with a lower village and upper village. The upper village lodges, just steps away from the base lifts, are some of the nicest ones of any resort we've visited. If you're with the family, the Panorama Springs lodge is you're best choice because that's where the large Panorama Hot Pools are located, a kids favorite! Lisa and I are staying at the Tanyton Lodge, a ski out/in property that overlooks the mountain, is more suited to adult travelers, and has its own private hot tubs with views of the adjoining slopes.

Wednesday, March 14 (Heli-Skiing the Purcell Mountain Range):

Today we heli-skied with RK Heli-Skiing in the Purcell Mountain Range! This is what makes Panorama such a special place! An accommodating base village, a large mountain with terrain for all abilities, a large amount of off mountain activities, and Heli-Skiing from one of the pioneers of heli-skiing. Lisa and I never heli-skied before so we were a bit nervous about the experience. The staff at RK Heli-Ski were extremely helpful. After signing the waivers, getting fitted for powder skies, having a hot breakfast next to a roaring fire, and going over chopper and avalanche safety, we embarked on what would become a day to remember. From the heli-pad, a group of 11 skiers plus our guide were whisked another 20 kilometers into the Purcell Mountains. The chopper pilot couldn't take us to the 11,000 foot glaciers for wide open powder runs because it was slightly overcast and the pilot flies via visual protocols, so we stayed to the tree line and skied wide open runs and sparse glades. The mountains received a foot of fresh powder the night before, and despite snow up to your thighs, we literally floated down each run thanks to the super fat powder skies RK provided as part of the package. Jeremy, our guide, was especially knowledgeable, helpful, and insightful. At the end of the day, the groups bonded over apres ski while reminiscing over the experience and watching video of the days runs on the big screen .









Thursday, March 15:We skied Panorama, a mountain with a rather large vertical drop (4,500+ feet), lots of black and double black towards the top of the mountain, and a good assortment of lessor difficult terrain mid-mountain and below. Tired from yesterday's adventure floating through powder, we ended up hanging out on some really nice black diamond cruisers and just taking it easy. The head scratching moment though was the lack of a good on mountain restaurant. The washrooms at the mid-mountain hut, yes hut, were of the outhouse variety, the hut was just that, a hut, and the food offerings were pretty limited. The lifts are modern but depending on where you're skiing on the mountain, you may be required to take a couple different lifts to get back to the same run, which can be cumbersome and time consuming.

Overall, Panorama Mountain Village just shot to the #1 FAV slot --- it has the overall package --- easy access from Calgary, striking scenery, expansive base village, large mountain vertical, and best of all, Heli-Skiing right from the RK Heli-ski heli-plex at the base of the mountain!





Friday, March 16:

Today we're off to ski Sunshine Village in Banff before heading out.

Ciao!


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Skiing Along The Powder Highway In British
Columbia, Canada - Updated March 13, 2012

It's March, and when March rolls around, Lisa and I hit the mountains. This year, we're off to ski The Powder Highway in the Kootenay Rockies, tucked away in the southeast corner of British Columbia, Canada. While the majestic mountains and over the top views typically capture the headline statement, it's the favorable weather patterns that drop upwards of 500 inches of inviting powder each year that is the real draw.

Eight key alpine resorts for inbound skiing are located along the Powder Highway, and countless other heli-skiing and cat skiing outposts for adrenaline seeking extreme skiers in search of virgin powder and the perfect line. Fernie, Kicking Horse, and Revelstoke are the more popular names, attracting extreme skiers in search of double diamonds that would easily rate three diamonds if the rating system allowed it. Lessor known names include Kimberly and Panorama, who cater to families, and whitewater, which is more of a community name with a deep powder heritage. The biggest heli-ski operator in the region is CMH Heli-Skiing, with a good number of outposts and lodges mostly catering to multi-day packages. Others include Selkirk Tangiers Heli-skiing near Revelstoke, Snowwater Heli-Skiing near Whitewater, and RK Heli-skiing at Panorama.

Our adventure starts with a flight into Calgary, Canada, followed by a 3 1/2 hour drive to Fernie for a few days of skiing in and around Fernie's famous bowls. This laid back out of the way resort, named "8th out of the Top 25 Resorts in North America" by Skiing Magazine, and known for its powder, is just a few miles outside the historic and quant ski town of Fernie. From Fernie, we'll head up to Kimberly, a family style resort about an hour away, for an easy day of skiing some of Kimberly's groomed cruisers. Then it's off to Panorama about 1 1/2 hours north to experience their low key big mountain vertical, base village and amenities, and Panorama Hot Pools. The highlight of the trip will be an excursion with RK Heli-ski into the Purcell Mountains backcountry, located a short chopper ride from the base of Panorama, for some choice runs down powder laden glaciers, open bowls, and gladed terrain. Our final destination before departing includes a day stop at Sunshine Village en-route back to Calgary. Sunshine Village, a “Banff Big Three", while lacking in amenities, is known for its superior lift system and terrain.

So as the itinerary unfolds, I'll update the FAVS list below and include some commentary, shots, and video.

Ciao

The Short List:

FernieKnown for its legendary powder KimberlyBeautiful views in a laid back and friendly atmosphere PanoramaBig mountain verticals, nice base village, Panorama Hot Pools, and Heli-Skiing! RK HeliskiGlacier, open bowl, and gladed skiing in the beautiful Purcell Mountains Sunshine VillageOne of the "Banff Big Three"

Skied Ferni, Kimberly, and now on to heli-skiing at Panorama...

The ranking to date:
#1 - Fernie
#2 - Kimbery

Saturday, March 10
The drive to Fernie Alpine Resort from Calgary took about 3 ½ hours and was mostly through the Picturesque farmland and rolling hills of southern Alberta and winding mountain roads through southeast British Columbia on the way to Fernie. Unless you know the route, the best advice would be to plan on driving during the daylight hours and make sure you have a full take of gas before leaving Calgary. Once out of Calgary, the small towns are far and few between.

Fernie Alpine Resort is a few miles outside of the town of Fernie, and as you drive through Fernie, the Alpine Resort’s majestic mountains, bowls, and runs are an inviting backdrop after traveling twelve hours. On first impression, the resort is rustic, with lodges, homes, and cabins lining the roads in and around the base area. There is no base village per se. It’s more like a “base area” with a collection of lodges, each with their own unique charm, some with ski in/out and others within close walking distance to the base lifts. All the lodging is of the condo variety, which is nice, because it makes for a home away from home environment. Lizard Creek Lodge is the premier property if you’re looking for luxury, Snow Creek Lodge is a good middle of the way lodge, and the Gritz Inn offers plenty for the budget conscience traveler.

Sunday, March 11
Too soon to say if Fernie ultimately ranks high on the FAV list, as the first day on Sunday was soupy. Yup, soupy. The resort known for its powder is also know to experience rain when the wind blows in a southwesterly flow of moisture. On our first day of skiing, It was raining at the base so we made a point of getting to the top of the mountain as quickly as possible where it was snowing pretty heavily. The snow that fell did provide some great powder runs --- as long as you stayed above the rain/snow line at mid-mountain – but as the day wore on, it became more and more difficult to see through the mixed precipitation. Lisa did great honing her powder turns in preparation for heli-skiing later in the week, but by the end of the day, we were soaked to the bone and relishing a long soak in the outdoor hot tubs.





Monday, March 12:
Today looks to be a much better day on the mountain - the day is supposed to be free of rain, just some clouds and light flurries – and the ski patrol was blowing charges last night and early this morning on some of the bowls that were off limits yesterday due to high avalanche danger, which should open up additional terrain with some nice powder runs.

End of day wrap:
What a difference a day makes! From a soupy bone soaking can't see anything day yesterday to an amazing clear Powder day in Cedar Bowl and Timber Bowl. Thanks to the hard work of Fernie's ski patrol sending in lots of charges last night and early this morning, Cedar Bowl was open for business today, so we made an early morning bee line to Cedar to get some runs in the virgin powder before the rest of the crowd showed up and turned it into chop. Lisa did great and was a real trooper despite the daunting foot of fresh unskied pow! She felt redeemed after I dumped it face first on one of the fresh powder runs! Timber Bowl was another phenomenal spot with zero ice and lots of the soft stuff along the fringes.

So overall, Fernie's bowls are the clear draw, and a big one at that. Each has its own personality, from the incredibly difficult Polar Peak to the easier Lizard Bowl. Apres ski around Fernie is nonexistent, but the historic town of Fernie is a few miles away for your apres ski indulgence. The base area, with all its rustic charm, has some basic restaurants in some of the main lodges but nothing to write home about. Again, the draw for Fernie is their five Famous Bowls --- if you're coming for the amenities and nightlife, you'll want to pass on this one.

On Tuesday, Lisa and I are off to Kimberly bright and early, but the area is forecast to get a foot of snow overnight, so our drive to Kimberly could get a bit dicey. We're looking forward to a day of easy going cruising on Kimberly's famed cruisers before heading to Panorama for a few days. Wednesday is the key day though, that's when we really need a clear day so that our heli-skiing guides can take the group up to the glaciers and open runs from 11,000 feet versus staying low and in the trees. Right now they're calling for a partly cloudy day, but that's changed ten times in the past week!





Tuesday, March 13:
The menacing southeasterly air flow that has been permeating the area this week was forecast to makes its presence known today with rain showers forecast all day. Yup, rain showers! A skiers worst nightmare! After departing Fernie for the 1 1/2 hour drive north to Kimberly, and driving through solid rain on a dark road for most of the drive (ugh!), it started to turn over to a steady snow just outside the town of Kimberly. It was a sight for sore eyes to arrive to a foot of fresh powder with additional snow falling.

The resort itself bills itself as a family resort. It's small and quant, but with enough vertical (2,500') and challenging terrain to put even the best skier on notice. If you've ever been to Solitude in Big Cottonwood Canyon just outside Salt Lake City, you could easily see the similarities --- lots of groomers, glades, some double blacks for good measure, a quant base village, and very family friendly vibe. The lodging is comprised of condo type lodges sprinkled around the base area and a few miles away in the town of Kimberly, a decent size town, you'll find some budget hotels from the chains. The vibe is definitely "family" and "locals."

By mid-day, the resort received about two feet of snow, we had our share of powder practice, and headed out to our next lodging stop at Panorama, another 1 1/2 hour north of Kimberly.

So far, Fernie is #1 on the FAVS list due solely to the amazing array of bowls, and Kimberly is #2.





Ciao


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Skiing Along The Powder Highway In British
Columbia, Canada - Updated March 12, 2012

It's March, and when March rolls around, Lisa and I hit the mountains. This year, we're off to ski The Powder Highway in the Kootenay Rockies, tucked away in the southeast corner of British Columbia, Canada. While the majestic mountains and over the top views typically capture the headline statement, it's the favorable weather patterns that drop upwards of 500 inches of inviting powder each year that is the real draw.

Eight key alpine resorts for inbound skiing are located along the Powder Highway, and countless other heli-skiing and cat skiing outposts for adrenaline seeking extreme skiers in search of virgin powder and the perfect line. Fernie, Kicking Horse, and Revelstoke are the more popular names, attracting extreme skiers in search of double diamonds that would easily rate three diamonds if the rating system allowed it. Lessor known names include Kimberly and Panorama, who cater to families, and whitewater, which is more of a community name with a deep powder heritage. The biggest heli-ski operator in the region is CMH Heli-Skiing, with a good number of outposts and lodges mostly catering to multi-day packages. Others include Selkirk Tangiers Heli-skiing near Revelstoke, Snowwater Heli-Skiing near Whitewater, and RK Heli-skiing at Panorama.

Our adventure starts with a flight into Calgary, Canada, followed by a 3 1/2 hour drive to Fernie for a few days of skiing in and around Fernie's famous bowls. This laid back out of the way resort, named "8th out of the Top 25 Resorts in North America" by Skiing Magazine, and known for its powder, is just a few miles outside the historic and quant ski town of Fernie. From Fernie, we'll head up to Kimberly, a family style resort about an hour away, for an easy day of skiing some of Kimberly's groomed cruisers. Then it's off to Panorama about 1 1/2 hours north to experience their low key big mountain vertical, base village and amenities, and Panorama Hot Pools. The highlight of the trip will be an excursion with RK Heli-ski into the Purcell Mountains backcountry, located a short chopper ride from the base of Panorama, for some choice runs down powder laden glaciers, open bowls, and gladed terrain. Our final destination before departing includes a day stop at Sunshine Village en-route back to Calgary. Sunshine Village, a “Banff Big Three", while lacking in amenities, is known for its superior lift system and terrain.

So as the itinerary unfolds, I'll update the FAVS list below and include some commentary, shots, and video.

Ciao

The Short List:

FernieKnown for its legendary powder KimberlyBeautiful views in a laid back and friendly atmosphere PanoramaBig mountain verticals, nice base village, Panorama Hot Pools, and Heli-Skiing! RK HeliskiGlacier, open bowl, and gladed skiing in the beautiful Purcell Mountains Sunshine VillageOne of the "Banff Big Three"

Currently checking out Fernie, British Columbia...

The ranking to date:
Only been to Fernie so far, so nothing to compare against yet!

Saturday, March 10
The drive to Fernie Alpine Resort from Calgary took about 3 ½ hours and was mostly through the Picturesque farmland and rolling hills of southern Alberta and winding mountain roads through southeast British Columbia on the way to Fernie. Unless you know the route, the best advice would be to plan on driving during the daylight hours and make sure you have a full take of gas before leaving Calgary. Once out of Calgary, the small towns are far and few between.

Fernie Alpine Resort is a few miles outside of the town of Fernie, and as you drive through Fernie, the Alpine Resort’s majestic mountains, bowls, and runs are an inviting backdrop after traveling twelve hours. On first impression, the resort is rustic, with lodges, homes, and cabins lining the roads in and around the base area. There is no base village per se. It’s more like a “base area” with a collection of lodges, each with their own unique charm, some with ski in/out and others within close walking distance to the base lifts. All the lodging is of the condo variety, which is nice, because it makes for a home away from home environment. Lizard Creek Lodge is the premier property if you’re looking for luxury, Snow Creek Lodge is a good middle of the way lodge, and the Gritz Inn offers plenty for the budget conscience traveler.

Sunday, March 11
Too soon to say if Fernie ultimately ranks high on the FAV list, as the first day on Sunday was soupy. Yup, soupy. The resort known for its powder is also know to experience rain when the wind blows in a southwesterly flow of moisture. On our first day of skiing, It was raining at the base so we made a point of getting to the top of the mountain as quickly as possible where it was snowing pretty heavily. The snow that fell did provide some great powder runs --- as long as you stayed above the rain/snow line at mid-mountain – but as the day wore on, it became more and more difficult to see through the mixed precipitation. Lisa did great honing her powder turns in preparation for heli-skiing later in the week, but by the end of the day, we were soaked to the bone and relishing a long soak in the outdoor hot tubs.

Monday, March 12:
Today looks to be a much better day on the mountain - the day is supposed to be free of rain, just some clouds and light flurries – and the ski patrol was blowing charges last night and early this morning on some of the bowls that were off limits yesterday due to high avalanche danger, which should open up additional terrain with some nice powder runs.






onlySkiing.com - your adventure starts here...


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PHOTO: Gardens at Church of Santo Domingo and
Quoricancha, Cusco, Peru

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Cusco, an Inexpensive Travel Destination for the
Fit and Active

[...]

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Travel Tips for Quito

There is a lot on the travel forums about Quito.. Not much of it is good. I tend to take a slight offense at this as I have lived here for a few years and love the diversity and different areas of the city. Old Town, Guapalo, and many other areas of the city are definitely a reflection of Quito as a whole. This is something I didn´t really get when I first arrived as I needed to travel around the country to see the different people and places to understand the city and the people who move here for work and to live. Ask any taxi driver where their from or your waiter or waitress at a restaurant and you will be amazed at the places that people have moved from.. The coast, the orient, the mountains, everyone has a story to tell about why they came to Quito.

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TfL offer Tube Staff £850 Olympic Bonus to avert
strike action

To try to head off the threat of Tube strike action during the London Olympics TfL have offered London Underground workers bonuses worth up to £850.


The RMT union had already rejected a previous offer worth up to £500.  That offer was rejected because it didn't address most of the union?s reasons for rejecting yet another earlier offer. RMT stated the money on the table was not enough, they weren't happy with the shift payment increases and believe the offer doesn't reward staff for their work during the run-up to the Games.

"Clearly, moving from offering nothing to the latest offer of £850 is a massive shift on the part of London Underground," RMT general secretary Bob Crow told the Press Association. "The offer will now be considered by our reps and by the full executive before we make a formal response."

Howard Collins, LU's chief operating officer, said: "We have had productive discussions with the unions this week and put forward our proposals about how we can fairly reward staff.

"We have put forward an offer which would see station, maintenance, service control staff and operational managers receive up to £850 for working flexibly during the 2012 London Games, subject to attendance, customer satisfaction scores and agreement from operational staff to work flexibly in order to deliver a successful Games.

"In return we are asking staff to work longer hours at different times of the day, to be prepared to work extra hours and to be more flexible in how and where they carry our their role for us during these crucial weeks. We know our employees want to play their part in delivering a great games for London, so reaching agreement on this will allow all of us to focus on that exciting challenge together."

So will this be third time lucky?  One wonders how many offers it will take to keep the RMT powers that be happy. 

Related posts
Tube Union RMT reject Olympics Pay Offer as Mayor Launches Get Ahead of the Games Campaign
Can the Tube cope with the Olympics?
30 minute wait for Tube trains during 2012 Olympics
Olympics chiefs say avoid Tube

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Seven Questions with I Should Log Off

Buckle up, make sure your tray tables are up!  We are going to introduce you to a travel blogging couple that is always on the move!  So, what do you...

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