TR: Kicking Horse (2/24/2010)

After a great day in the slackcountry of Fernie we packed up our things and hopped in the car for the 4 hour drive to Golden. The long day in the slackcountry definitely had made us weary and the drive was a bit harsh. But, we arrived in Golden safely, ready to check out Kicking Horse the next day.

Ethan was our local guide for the day, who had also shown us aroundWhitefish just a few days prior.

Kicking Horse ski area, as seen from town. This mountain has an interesting story. A little over 10 years ago kicking Horse was a tiny ski area where only locals skied. But, a Dutch company came in and expanded it, as part of a settlement for a contract to build a bridge in the Maritimes.

So, Kicking Horse lies as it is today, largely unvisited, with fantastic terrain.

Everywhere we looked there was more we wanted to ski- steep chutes, pillow lines, powdery steep trees- the terrain couldn’t be any better!

Most of the terrain is serviced by a gondola and a single chairlift.

But these two lifts bring you quickly to the goods!

I was the designated photographer for the day, so there aren’t any pictures of me. But, I did get a few of Frank!

The light wasn’t the best for skiing, but provided some beautiful colors.

But when the clouds did clear a little we had some great views.

The slackcountry options were superb! Pictures simply don’t do it justice.

We headed out for a little slackcountry tour in the afternoon. After a 15-20 minute ridge hike we found ourselves at the entrance of a great couloir. But, first we had to get past this!

Ethan.

Frank.

Just the previous day we were debating whether to skip Kicking Horse and stay another day in Fernie. But, after our day at Kicking Horse we were happy not to have missed this British Columbia jewel. Fantastic, challenging terrain, and no lines. I would love to spend more time here. Thanks to Ethan for taking the time to show us the goods. We loved your stomping grounds 🙂

Update: In December, 2014 our friend Ethan Johnson passed away after losing 2+ year battle with brain cancer. His loss continues to sadden us. He was a great person to have in this world, and he will be sorely missed.

Other Montana-Canada Road Trip Blog Posts
Road Trip Update
Itinerary
Bridger Bowl
Whitefish
Fernie
Kicking Horse
Roger’s Pass
Revelstoke
Nelson and Whitewater
Red Mountain and Rossland

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Brittany Walker Konsella

Aside from skiing, biking, and all outdoorsy things,Brittany Walker Konsella also loves smiles and chocolate 🙂 Even though she excels at higher level math and chemistry, she still confuses left from right. Find out more about Brittany!

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Summary

Article Name

TR: Kicking Horse (2/24/2010)

Description

Part of a series of posts detailing our our skiing road trip to Montana & Canada. This segment features fantastic slackcountry skiing at Kicking Horse!

Author

Brittany Walker Konsella