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Pure Powder’s Resort Guide: Kicking Horse

Location: Kicking Horse Mountain Resort’s 1,315 vertical is known for its deep light powder and huge snowfall – no wonder it’s nicknamed the Champagne Powder Capital of Canada. It attracts skiers looking to experience amazing snow in a picturesque setting.

Kicking Horse has a wide variety of terrain in its 3,400 skiable acres; better suited to intermediate or expert skiers who come here to explore the huge backcountry terrain on offer. Steep chutes are a regular sight here with only 20% of the runs suited for beginners.

Pure Powder’s Resort Guide: Kicking Horse

Kicking Horse is a small village with a European Alpine charm – log-cabin lodges dotting the resort – just moments away from the endless powder runs. It also has Canada’s highest restaurant, Eagle’s Eye, which is situated at 2,350 metres and is a must if visiting this resort.

Pure Powder’s Resort Guide: Kicking Horse

Getting there:  Daily flights depart to Calgary from London Heathrow with Air Canada and West Jet operate twice weekly flights from London Gatwick.

Kicking Horse is 3 hour 20 minutes by private transfer or rental car from Calgary. There is also a shuttle bus which runs twice a week on Wednesday & Saturdays mornings from Calgary International Airport.

Where to stay: We would recommend the boutique lodges that are based just beneath the ski hill – they’re more personal than the larger lodges and more European in style. Vagabond Lodge is run by Ken and Lori who know a thing or two about personal touches. Think luxury log-cabin chalet with a home-from-home feel; not only that but it’s only a few steps from the gondola so you can be out early doors to catch the first runs. Winston Lodge has 11 boutique rooms all kitted with handcrafted wood furniture, heated floors and balconies. The highlight of staying here is the après ski bar offering a great hangout after a hard day’s skiing.

The Vagabond and Winston lodges respectively

Highlights: The pull of Kicking Horse is its unique skiing terrain and champagne powder, but the fact that the resort offers a European charm makes it more appealable amidst some of North America’s bigger and brasher resorts. Here you can enjoy amazing powder snow in the relative peace and quiet.

Downsides: It is a bit further afield from Calgary with less regular shuttles buses than Lake Louise or Banff, but the long journey here means less people so it’s worth it! You also come to Kicking Horse for the skiing – so if you’re all about the buzzing après scene then this isn’t the resort for you.

Best piste run:  Take the Golden Eagle Express – following the Flying Dutchman down into Sluiceway, ouble Header, which is good even in bad weather.

Best off piste run:  The Stairway to Heaven chair offers terrain into the old heli skiing territory. Over the back you’ll find great steep terrain into the Feuz bowl but be sure to be warmed up and ready for some challenging terrain.

Best mountain restaurant: Eagle’s Eye Restaurant is the highest in North America so is worth a visit with spectacular 360 degree views – the added bonus is the excellent food meaning you can settle in if the weather does too. You can also head up in the evenings on Friday’s and Saturday’s but booking for dinner is essential. If you fancy something more low key, head down to the base and head to the Double Black Café for a wholesome lunch, they even serve great coffee and pre-ski breakfasts to power you for your day on the mountain.

Pure Powder’s Resort Guide: Kicking Horse

Best restaurant in town: Copper Horse Steakhouse is one of the better places to eat in the evenings, with locally sourced food from British Columbia, including bison, beef, lamb, pork and oysters from British Columbia coast. They also have an extensive wine menu with the wines originating from British Columbia.

Best après bar: Winston Lodge for après beers, games and pizza.

Best guide: Kicking Horse is the perfect heli ski warm up – we can help book a private guide through the snow school, or we can get in touch with our favourite guide Scott for his availability – he can take you out of bounds if you’re wanting something a bit more adventurous. Alternatively, you can ski with a local and if you are staying at Vagabond Lodge, Ken can hook you up with someone to show you the best terrain there is on offer.

Pure Powder’s Resort Guide: Kicking Horse

To warm up your heli skiing legs at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, contact the off piste skiing and heli skiing experts at Pure Powder!

Posted by: Georgie Knox

Off-Piste Skiing: Your Questions Answered

  If taking on challenging terrain sounds like a thrilling adventure, then off-piste skiing may just be the ideal outdoor sport for you. Venturing outside the boundaries of standard ski resorts can be a rewarding experience, allowing you to leave behind the groomed slopes and instead make tracks across the fresh snow of the backcountry. […]

Posted by: Samantha

Heli Skiing: Everything You Need To Know

  Heli skiing is an invigorating outdoor sport involving breathtaking views from remote backcountry slopes. Whether you are an excited first-time/beginner skier or a seasoned skier looking for a new challenge, heli skiing has something to offer. In this quick read, we will be covering everything you need to know about heli skiing.   If […]

Posted by: Samantha

Pure Powder’s Skiing Resort Guide: Whistler/Blackcomb

Location: Most famously known as just Whistler, Whistler and Blackcomb are two mountains that sit side by side and make up Canada’s biggest resort. Together they make up a whopping 8,171 acres of terrain, split between pisted runs, Alpine bowls and glaciers. Whistler Village is at the base of Whistler, the hub of the village […]

Posted by: Georgie Knox

Pure Powder’s Skiing Resort Guide: Silver Star

Location: Located in the stunning Okanagan Valley, Silver Star is British Colombia’s fourth largest ski resort where you can expect the famous champagne powder we all know and love due to being further west. The varied terrain spreads over 3,282 acres and attracts every kind of skier. Getting there: Silver Star is extremely easy to get […]

Posted by: Zillah Bell

Pure Powder’s Skiing Resort Guide: Sun Peaks

Location: Sun Peaks is the second biggest ski area in Canada, behind Whistler. It is the perfect warm up destination for anyone who is heli skiing at CMH’s Cariboos Lodge. Getting there: Sun Peaks is located in the heart of British Columbia, only a 45 minute drive from Kamloops and less than an hour by […]

Posted by: Zillah Bell

Tree Skiing in BC, Canada

The tree skiing in the interior ranges of British Columbia is very unique.  The trees protect the snow from wind and sun damage; so not only is it where you would expect the deepest snow to be, it is also where the powder remains perfect for longer which makes tree skiing a very enjoyable experience! […]

Posted by: Zillah Bell

CMH Private Heli Skiing Trips

Heli skiing is the ultimate skiing experience – we don’t know a skier out there who doesn’t have heli skiing on their bucket list.  What’s not to want – deep, untracked powder in every direction, fresh tracks at every turn, no lift queues and a helicopter at your service!  Now, imagine it all to yourself […]

Posted by: Georgie Knox

Where Can I Go Small Group Heli Skiing?

Smaller heli ski groups mean greater opportunities for deep snow and more epic lines; and  heli skiing in groups made up of 4- or 5- guests can mean that your mountain experience is as intimate as possible.  You can either fill a helicopter with your buddies or join a ready made small group.  It’s best […]

Posted by: Zillah Bell

Pure Powder’s Resort Guide: Revelstoke

Location: Revelstoke Mountain Resort is located in North America’s ‘deep snow capital’ in the heart of British Columbia. It was voted Canada’s Best Ski Resort in 2020, which is most likely due to its 3,120 acres of skiable terrain that includes the longest vertical ski hill in North America, trumping Whistler in 2008 when their […]

Posted by: Suzy Small

Where Can I Heli Ski In Chile? 

What a better way to spend the summer than heli skiing in the Andes…Powder South, offers an excellent heli skiing programme which is be based out of four different locations.     The Heli Skiing Programme:   Heli Skiing in Chile is based out of the Chilean Andes Mountains and it has access to over 1 million acres of terrain – where to heli ski here is endless. Most of the skiing is on open Alpine […]

Posted by: Georgie Knox

The Top 5 Heli Ski Lodges in the World

We’re all about the best powder skiing experiences in the world, and as your heli ski experts it is only right that will pull together our top five ultimate heli ski lodges in the world. We couldn’t think of any where else we would prefer to be right now. Each lodge is sumptuous, with impeccable […]

Posted by: Zillah Bell

Pure Powder’s Christmas Gift Guide for Skiers & Boarders

Stuck for Christmas gifts for the skier or snowboarder in the family or for friends…then check out our ultimate gift list for this upcoming Christmas Go Pro Hero9 A Go Pro has to be the ultimate gift for any skier or snowboarder and the Go Pro Hero9 is the one to go for. As the […]

Posted by: Georgie Knox

In the Press: Forbes

In The Press: Forbes Photo from Tordrillo Mountain Lodge Alaska has to be one of the most desired places to heli ski in the world, and we aren’t the only ones that think so. Forbes have recently written an article saying that “avid skiers are seeking out Alaska as the top place to heli-ski” Alaska […]

Posted by: Georgie Knox

Plan B. Where Can I Heli Ski During A Covid-19 Winter?

We’re massive fans of the interior ranges of British Columbia in Canada and in our humble opinion it’s as close as heli ski perfection as you can get.  It’s where you’ll find huge expanses of un-tracked ‘Champagne’ powder, tree-skiing for bad-weather days and unbeatable heli skiing know-how from the guides and pilots.   However, this is no normal season and as things stand the Canadian government are keeping […]

Posted by: Zillah Bell

Pure Powder’s Ultimate Heli Ski Packing List

It’s all very exciting – you’ve got your trip booked; flight tickets in hand; passport at the ready…  you can practically smell the powder!  However, you’re standing over an empty bag thinking – have I got everything?  We’ve pulled together our top packing tips to make sure that you’re all set.  What ski clothes to pack?  […]

Posted by: Zillah Bell

Are Touring boots compatible with CMH bindings?

Photo By: Zach Doleac  Our most asked question in the 2019/2020 season was – are my ski touring boots compatible with the CMH bindings?  So… we’ve decided to write a blog about it and get it answered once and for all! Taking skis CMH Heli Skiing provide all their guests with fat, powder skis which […]

Posted by: Zillah Bell

Pure Powder’s Skiing Resort Guide: Lake Louise

Location: Lake Louise is a hamlet located in the Banff National Park in the Rocky Mountains. Its name comes from the extraordinary vibrant blue lake which is at the base of Mount Victoria. The lake itself is a 6-minute drive from the centre of the hamlet and was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the fourth Daughter of Queen Victoria. Although the hamlet is small with only a few hotels and […]

Posted by: Georgie Knox

Pure Powder’s Resort Guide: Banff

Location: Banff is located in a picturesque National Park in Alberta, Canada.  It was named by the President of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1884 after his hometown Banffshire in Scotland. With one of the longest ski seasons in North America, Banff has access to over 8,000 acres of ski terrain spread across is three ski […]

Posted by: Georgie Knox

Pure Powder’s Top 10 Blogs of 2020

We’ve updated our top 10 favourite ski blogs which bring you the latest ski news, top tips and fashionable destinations.  Get your powder fix today and whet your appetite for the season ahead…  powdermatt.com/   To kick off the list we have this cracking a blog by Matt Mosteller – one year, while his friends were busy getting […]

Posted by: Zillah Bell

Top Resorts for your Heli Ski Warm Up in Canada

The Telegraph listed their Top Ten Ski Resorts in Canada, among them was some of our favourites for pre-heli ski warm up.  They are great destinations to try out that famous Canadian powder before you embark on your heli skiing adventure with CMH.   Revelstoke Revelstoke is a small town but is the perfect place […]

Posted by: Georgie Knox