 Poster: A snowHead
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Soon we’re off on a repeat trip to Banff. I’ve noticed that there is a very good deal on an excursion to Kicking Horse which I’m tempted by for a bit of variety.
But has anyone been there who can let me know what it’s like? There seem to be an awful lot of blacks (and double blacks) and not many blues. I’d call myself a strong intermediate. I’m happy on all the blues and many of the blacks, including some of the ungroomed ‘off piste’.
Does anyone know if there’s much for a skier like me or is it all extreme chutes, drops and bowls? Wondering if it’s worth a trip or should I stick to Sunshine/Lake Louise?
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Only done a day there, from memory it has a lot of potential; one long gondola to the top, steep drops in to the big bowl, super glades and chutes. Pretty full on and not a lot of grooming on the upper mountain. The chair at the top has lots of line choices along and off the ridge line it’s next to as well.
However, the lower mountain was really pretty poor when we were there. Boiler plate ice on the runs at almost every turn, and not a lot to hold much interest for a competent skier (depends on ability though I guess).
I’ve also heard of issues with wind, ie. closing the main lift which causes major uplift issues as it’s really the only way to the top from what I can remember.
There was a very impressive lodge on the Peak, didn’t go in but looked nice and they do decent dining I think. Food and beer at the base was standard fare.
Overall, if conditions are good, I’d go for it. The drive there too is impressive in its own right and the mountain was almost deserted when we were there mid week.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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It's been a few years, but I don't think it's changed much. Provided the conditions are good there's enough to keep an intermediate occupied for a day. Definitely worth a trip. It has a far less touristy feel, much more wild, they have a resident bear! Most of the hill is indeed 'expert', those double blacks are true double blacks. But don't let that deter you from going. They've got a great easy glade run, if you're new to glades. And they don't tend to over-groom the blues which I love 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Panorama is also worth a trip
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hi @TommyJ,
You lucky person going to Banff, you'll have a great time.
Its a two hour drive from Banff through to Golden (That's the town for Kicking horse) so it might be worth stopping the night.
Don't bother unless the weather is good.
There is easy skiing and there is some tough stuff and there is some very tough stuff.
They have some great characters as ski hosts .. but the free guiding dose not start till the afternoon.
I recommend phoning the ski school the day before so you can make sure there is a free guide on hand, just in case there is nobody about.
It can be very quite on the hill during the week.
I've been lucky enough to have a good mate ho owns a holiday home near Kicking Horse so I've been there a few times.
If you want to make a bit of a road trip its a further 2 hours on to Revelstoke which is another small resort great tree skiing I like the night life there its very compact.
Anyway you are going to have fun.
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TommyJ, skied it a couple of times, 2 and 3 day trips, I'd wait to see what conditions are like before committing - Canuck, is pretty much spot on really - its known for its steeps and chutes but there is some intermediate terrain, which if you are top to bottom lapping will be fine for a day.
Eat at the Eagle Eye, Canada's highest fine dining restaurant, great food and not too expensive really. The problem comes if its windy, they slow or stop the gondola which proves a pain as its the only way to any decent skiing. Worth the experience really, as its not a resort a such - so I would go.
BTW Boo ( Grizzly ) wont hurt he'll probably be hibernating when you go 
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Thanks everyone. I'll keep an eye on the weather and definitely consider it. We've been to Banff before and loved it. I don't think its necessarily better than Europe but we prefer it.
I won't be driving to Kicking Horse, we're going to try and manage without a car (I hate the whole car hire faff and driving an unknown car on foreign roads after a 9hr flight), so that rules out Panorama or Revelstoke I think. But the local tour company do a day excursion to Kicking Horse which is only 99CAD, for travel and lift pass which seemed rather good value. I'll mostly ski Sunshine and Lake Louise again but fancied trying something a bit different for a day
Thanks again
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$99 is a bargain! If the forecast is good, definitely go for it!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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TommyJ, You can hire a car in Banff, for a short duration if you want to. A lot of folks do to got to Kicking Horse/Revelstoke etc.
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Kicking Horse was worth the trip, it was a long way from Banff, but the scenery along the Trans-Canadian was immense. Most of the terrain on the Upper Mountain was beyond my ability, though there were easier ways down. Lower mountain had lots of tree skiing, but the snow was hard-packed there.
There was a Panorama daytrip from Banff for not much more than the cost of the day ticket when I was there 9 yrs ago. I booked through the UK tour op (Thomson), but I think it was laid on by Panorama resort. That was worth doing if similar is available. The drive through the Kootenay NP was strange, we barely saw another vehicle for about 50 miles.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Bones wrote: |
| TommyJ, You can hire a car in Banff, for a short duration if you want to. A lot of folks do to got to Kicking Horse/Revelstoke etc. |
I hired one for 4 days from Banff for about £130 and did Kicking Horse, snow shoeing on Bow Lake, cross-country around Emerald lake, seeing the frozen waterfalls in Johnston Canyon, ice-skating on Lake Louise, etc, all the things you couldn't do without a car. Holiday Autos had this deal in N America called 'the max' where you got a free tank of fuel and an extra driver for about £4 per day supplement. After having booked just a basic compact car, at the Enterprise hire office in Banff, I was offered a free upgrade to a Dodge Durango SUV with a 3.9litre V6, the huge tank of fuel alone was worth £50, even at Canadian prices, mind you it wasn't that frugal, nevertheless I only had to put $10 worth in to get it back to Banff on the last day.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I'm here now.
Free tours are twice per day at 10am and 1pm. No idea where/what is included.
Conditions are pretty good and plenty more snow forecast.
There is an easy way down from the gondola through crystal bowl. There is no pisted runs into any other bowl currently regardless of what the trail map says. Bottom half of the mountain is more intermediate friendly, but the pisting is pretty poor, so even a flattish run can be "interesting" in places. So as an intermediate you would likely be lapping crystal bowl and then not so well groomed pistes. I'd plan stay in LL and sunshine (there is plenty there to keep you entertained) - but if you get bored and feel you are handling some of the advanced terrain there you could try kicking horse.
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Is kicking horse skiing a lot better than sunshine ATM? Gonna be there in a week.
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You know it makes sense.
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Don't know about sunshine. Kicking horse is pretty good right now and forecast more snow this week. Assuming you don't have a lift pass just wait and see where is forecast the best weather and go there.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I'd say Sunshine is a much better and larger area that Kicking Horse.
Transport wise, there is always the Canadian Greyhound they call it the "Looser Cruiser" but I found it was great bus with wi-fi ad charging sockets when there was a signal.
Also its dirt cheap if you book on line the day before.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'd say Sunshine is a much better and larger area that Kicking Horse.
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Depends what you want. For an intermediate skier (I.e. the op) I would agree.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Only go on a sunny clear day. ONE of the big draw of Kicking Horse is the spectacular scenery on top (and en route). Pointless if it's clouded in. Also, the top half of the mountain is mostly treeless. So it's challenging to ski when there's no definition.
For intermediates, I'd say you'll be going mostly for the change of scenery. The black in Kicking Horse is REALLY, REALLY dark black!!! (I'll upload a photo of what their "blue" looks like when I get home later)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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“Super noir”. I Think that’s what our friend from France called really hard blacks,
Tho I Also like really dark black.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Free wide world tour could be fantastic. But they don't know where its going to be hosted yet. The posters say "spectator friendly venue", but there are rumours it will be out of bounds. It supposedly won't be truth and dare (which would be the most spectator friendly spot) as they don't want the same venue for fwt and the 4* 2* qualifiers.
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Absolutely depends what you're looking for and the conditions, but I found KH amazing, but if you aren't happy in the bowls, it is quite small. There is also a guide who owns touring/skiing rights to an area near by, and has igloos tent things you can stay in. When we went, there was tons and tons of untouched snow there, and it was a great experience.
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Went there in January 4 years ago as a strong intermediate. We only really went there so we could get in a days heli skiing.
Its small, steep and empty. Loved it. I'd go if I was you as it's more Canadian. Sunshine is cool but for me rhe smaller, emptier resorts are more like Canada.
I also recommend you hire a car and go to Revelstoke, which is slightly larger than KH and seemed to have more tree skiing.
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I loved Kicking Horse, was there Feb last year.
Definitely think for the OP Sunshine and Lake Louise are probably better suited, but there was some nice pistes in KH, although I don't think piste skiing is what they are really going for there!
Some stunning views from the top of the mountain.
If anyone can tell me how to post a picture I'll happily stick a few on here...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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