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KICKING HORSE |
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BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
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Think of Kicking Horse as a diamond in the rough. The mountain itself is the diamond. Located a 90-minute drive west of Banff in the Dog Tooth Range of the Purcell Mountains, it has the second-biggest vertical drop in the Canadian Rockies and 1,100 steep-and-deep skiable hectares over terrain for which the term 'majestic' might have been invented. The rough is Golden, a lumber town at the mountain's base that has seen better days. But the developers who created Kicking Horse in 2000 - by expanding the Whitetooth ski area and linking it to two alpine bowls with an eight-person gondola - dream of establishing a new Whistler. So they placed The Eagle's Eye Restaurant at almost 2,450 metres on the summit and crowned it with Eagle's Eye Suites.
Stone, native timber and an abundance of glass have been used to create these two suites. The larger one is known as Sunrise; its slightly smaller neighbour is Sunset. (The latter gets booked up earlier, although the price is identical.) The decor is clean and understated, even unremarkable. Which is fine, because the outstanding views of the Purcells, Selkirks and Rockies are as much a part of the experience as the warm, knotty-pine walls and the private balconies. And the visuals are only part of the pleasure. The suites are accessed via a private VIP gondola with a leather interior. A valet handles details such as bags and complimentary overnight ski-tuning. Champagne awaits, along with soaking tubs and heated bathroom floors. The only stressful part is trying to decide whether to dine in the suite or to head downstairs to the restaurant for delights such as Rocky Mountain buffalo carpaccio and smoked British Columbian salmon salad. The next day, a private instructor will lead you out to make the first tracks on the mountain. It's anyone's guess whether the pounding of your heart is brought on by the high altitude or the high-quality experience.
CONTACT
Eagle's Eye Suites (00 1 250 439 5400; fax: 439 5401; www.kickinghorseresort.com) from C$1,500 (about £710) for a one-night package, based on double occupancy and including breakfast, dinner, lift ticket and private ski guide
THE SKIING
Kicking Horse's promise of 'Champagne powder' snow isn't just hype.
Once the preserve of heli-skiers, the steep couloirs are often clogged with powder and you may hear the word 'avalanche' too often for comfort. The two bowls drop dramatically and offer endless route options over rugged terrain. Those who feel overwhelmed can bail out onto a broad cat-track that offers a mercifully easy descent. Below the bowls are the mountain's original runs, wide enough for cruising or bashing the bumps. Go now, if only to brag that you skied there first.
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| RELATED INFORMATION |
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