Kicking Horse is not considered absolute expert terrain for nothing. Some say that the area is really only suitable for experienced skiers and snowboarders. In the broadest sense, this also has something to do with the name of the resort very close to the CMH heliskiing lodge Bobbie Burns.
In 1858, Scotsman James Hector was exploring the open prairies and wilderness of Western Canada as part of the Palliser Expedition when - according to legend - his horse kicked the geologist in the chest for unexplained reasons. During this incident in the Rocky Mountains, Hector crossed the pass that would later be called "Kicking Horse Pass" because of this event. The resort owes its name to a European scientist - or more precisely: his horse.
The so-called Double Black Diamond slopes are similarly rough. This is the name given to the most difficult descents in North America. Kicking Horse is littered with such slopes. Almost half of the runs are steep and challenging black and double black diamond runs. Basically, this resort is primarily for experts.
This is also due to the fact that Kicking Horse, which lies on the border between Alberta and British Columbia, used to be an area that was approached by helicopter. As a result, it is now an ideal warm-up area for cat and heli skiing. For CMH Bobbie Burns, for example. The CMH guests' favorite lodge is located just a few kilometers south of Kicking Horse. The heliskiing terrain impresses with wide alpine runs, treeskiing, only three groups and a fly-in accommodation in a fantastic wilderness location.
Freeride World Tour in Kicking Horse
With this in mind, it is not surprising that the area around Golden is also a stage of the Freeride World Tour. When ski and snowboard artists from all over the world come together to showcase their skills, the wild BC ski resort provides the perfect setting for an unforgettable competition. The playful and technically demanding terrain of Kicking Horse has been one of the absolute highlights of the tour for years.
Twelve minutes to the summit
With its cosy hotels, restaurants and bars, the ski resort of Golden in the valley provides a contrast to the fast-paced downhill runs. The hub of the resort is the Golden Eagle Express Gondola. It transports you directly from the village up to the impressive ski mountain in twelve minutes.
Almost nowhere else in North America can winter sports enthusiasts reach the summit in a single gondola ride. Terminator Peak towers into the sky on the left, Blue Heaven on the right, which at 2,450 meters is the highest peak in the ski area. The view of the Rocky Mountains and the surrounding national parks is breathtaking, and access to numerous alpine bowls with the finest powder is easy.
Gourmet restaurant with a view: the Eagle's Eye hut
The Eagle's Eye hut is also located at the mountain station. This is doubly great. Not only is it Canada's highest gourmet restaurant, it is also the best gourmet hut in the area. At lunchtime, winter sports enthusiasts in ski boots enjoy a casual lunch in Kicking Horse's culinary flagship. There are burgers and pasta, but also scallops, tiger prawns and salmon fillet. At this culinary hotspot, it's not just the quality that surprises, but also the more than fair prices.
On Friday and Saturday evenings, the hut is transformed into the finest restaurant in the region. If you take the gondola up just in time for sunset, you can sit at the bar and gaze at the shimmering reddish peaks while the Columbia River valley disappears in the last light - wonderful! Meanwhile, the attentive service carries succulent swordfish in brown lemon butter with nutty butternut squash, stuffed ravioli and magnificent bison fillets around the large fireplace in the middle.
If, on the other hand, you're out and about at lunchtime, you'll soon have worked off all that food. Because even from up here, there are mainly black and double black diamond slopes leading down into the valley. A ten-kilometre run takes you directly back to the valley station.
Thanks a million for this tip! Heliskiing at the CMH Bobbie Burns Lodge was exactly what I was looking for and dreaming of!
Boo the bear
Oh, and if you spot a grizzly bear next to the piste at Kicking Horse, don't be alarmed! Boo is probably the resort's most famous resident. He lives in an enclosure under the gondola lift. The grizzly was a foundling who was unable to survive on his own when biologists built him an enclosure and nursed him back to health. In summer, the bear can be observed from the gondola. In winter, Boo sleeps in his hut. Sometimes, however, he wakes up in spring and sunbathes in his secure and monitored enclosure while skiers and boarders whizz down into the valley around him.
Strong enough?
Not sure if you are strong enough for heliskiing? Get in touch with us. We're also happy to do a video check-up. We have been heliskiing with thousands of skiers and know all the areas. So we can assess with you where you will have the most fun in the powder!
