Hit the Powder Highway to Panorama
Human nature is easily seen anywhere there’s a footpath with straight lines taking a rectangle route around open ground: as night follows day, people will wear a path to cut the corner, inevitably opting for the shortest route from A to B and ignoring the neatly laid concrete paths. So it is with ski resorts: the easier the access, the more people flock there, and, of course, the more crowded those areas get. Conversely, a place a bit off the beaten track, like Panorama, will reward you with uncrowded runs and plenty of shots at the pow when it’s on.
In Panorama’s case the detour is hardly taxing – shuttles run the 311km from Calgary Airport, a magnificently scenic drive past Banff then across the Rockies. Or just get a car and cruise the Powder Highway route north after your time here.
But the rewards are plenty, with a mighty 1220m / 4018’ vertical drop and terrain that includes the massive former heliski lease area of Taynton Bowl. Now Taynton’s 700 acres are patrolled, avi controlled and skiable into directly off the summit quad lift with no hiking required, which makes for some of the most accessible ‘sidecountry’ on the planet. It’s 100% black/double black rated, but not extreme, so anyone with a hankering for freedom can do some long laps here to get their fill.
Long laps go with the territory back on the groomed main front face too, ranging from the Worldcup Downhill run that has indeed hosted many a World Cup, where you can mach it out and channel Ted Ligety as you turn, to super long, super smooth intermediate cruisers. Empty runs are the order of the day across the whole mountain, for all levels.
Even emptier can be had with on-site RK Heliskiing, one of Canada’s oldest and most respected operators.
The base village runs among the pines, with a mix of slopeside and not far away accomodation, linked by the Village Gondola. It’s all centrally managed, ranging from budget orientated hotel rooms to deluxe townhomes and condos. For location and direct access to the massive slopeside hot pools complex, Canada’s largest, Panorama Springs Lodge is hard to beat. The pool will cure anyone missing their Japanese onsens, and self-drivers can easily drop into nearby Radium Hot Springs on the way down from Calgary too.
Plenty of on and off snow activities, a range of restaurants, and some decent nightlife on the weekends round out the relaxed Panorama experience. If you prefer hustle and bustle, boutiques and being seen head to Whistler. If you like getting away from that and just skiing as hard or soft as you want without needing to compete for the best snow and runs then put Panorama high on your must try list.
Unlike most places it’s owned by a group of local investors and homeowners, with a unique commitment to re-invest all profits for the first 10 years into maximising the overall experience. That trasnlates to a hands-on, in touch management style which in turn makes everything work and everyone who works there display an unusual affinity for the place.
For example, their family programs are excellent, and the whole layout and village so safe and friendly for kids that it’s a very relaxing place to take them.
Set between the mighty Rockies and ancient Purcell Mountains, it gets plenty of sheltered sunny days and nearly 5m of quality snowfall a season, backed by extensive snowmaking on main trails. µ
To put Panorama on our powder-scopes the resort is offering some exceptional early bird specials for 2014-2015.
Panorama The Ticket
getting there Fly one-stop to Calgary www.aircanada.com then resort shuttle or hire car 311km / 3.5 hours drive or 161km from Cranbrook airport.
to stay Compact base village with budget to deluxe options all ski in/ski out or close to slopes with the Village Gondola linking the lower village to slopeside. Panorama Springs Lodge is ski in/ski out with direct access to the hot pools complex
For packages ex-Australia www.snowcapped.com.au Resort www.skipanorama.com