An off-piste only for the brave
THE HORSE KICKED HIM AND THEY ALMOST BURIED HIM ALIVE
The history of this resort began many years ago, when a biologist on an expedition through the peaks of the Purcell Range was kicked by his horse. His loss of consciousness made his companions believe that he was dead . They were about to bury him alive.
The current station makes that name its own from the year 2,000 that emerges as a free ski area , suitable for athletes with a high technical level and who know how to descend in snow as deep as the 7 and 8 meters thick that they usually collect each season. Perhaps for this reason, the biologist's companions thought that this it would be the best place for him to rest until eternity.
Kicking Horse Resort
In any case, let's not think that the tracks trodden by machines are the ideal place. Kicking Horse proves that in its 106 itineraries they need nothing more than precipitation to offer the best descents.
In fact, only offers 4 ski lifts . The most important, a cable car called the Golden Eagle Express, capable of transporting in each of its gondolas 8 people . A means of transport that begins its ascent at 1,100 meters and deposits us at 2,500. What a vertical drop! It is the fourth largest drop in North America.
BOWLS AND MORE BOWLS
This Anglo-Saxon denomination of Bowl refers to the different faces that a mountain has, always seen from its summit . And the “Kicking Horse” station has them all and in all sizes.
It's a freeride ski which fixes the lines of descent from the ridges. As if we were launching ourselves from the edge of a giant cup until we reached the bottom, scratching the walls of the container. That's bowl skiing…and that's kicking horse skiing.
It is the bet on the wildest side of this sport in a wild environment that in summer is the kingdom of black bears Don't worry, they are hibernating now. To access one of the station's highlights, we have to take a chairlift with a prescient name: Stairway to Heaven , stairway to heaven, like the famous Led Zeppelin theme.
And then, with the boards on your shoulders, walk half a kilometer to SuperBowl. It has a drop of 300 meters and 15 recommended routes have been traced. Each and every one of them is packed with powder snow that covers you up to your waist. That is why a good technical level is essential.
It will be difficult, if not impossible, to see the tips of our skis at every turn. They are immersed in the white element and we with them. Each curve is a detonation, which releases clouds of snow, very cold and dry. Woolen hats and mountain goggles are not valid here. Here the helmet and the mask are imposed . And above all let the boards float, maintaining the speed in the turns that take us to the woods of the base.
Attention because if we do not hit the itinerary that deep snow will reduce our speed and we will be forced to have to move in Nordic mode and nailing the sticks. In the lower area, a good beer will always be waiting for us at the Glacier Mountaineer Lodge.
Here the helmet and the mask are imposed
AND MORE WILD NATURE IN THE TOWN OF GOLDEN
The town of Golden , about 15 kilometers from Kicking Horse, is a must-see. Let's not even mention its surroundings. without the skis on , this area of Canadian British Columbia is going to blow our minds.
For example, contemplate the owners of their forests: the white wolves. This is the Northern Light Wolf Center. A reception center and care for the specimens of this species to later release them in areas of the Rocky Mountains . Listening to their howls is already a spectacle. There are entire herds always led by the dominant male, who is the one who initiates the screaming.
Also in Golden we can attend another example of the wild nature in which the town is located. It's Takakkaw Falls , which are located inside the Yoko National Park . Although they do not stand out for their height, they do confirm the millions of liters of water that pass per minute. To get to them you have to walk almost an hour through the interior of the park.
For the protection of Canadian wolves
A BIT OF BISON TO CLOSE THE DAY
The entire area of Kicking Horse, Golden and the Nearby Field it is territory of the strong gastronomy of the Rockies. And in this gastronomy stands out the American bison . It was about to disappear more than a century ago due to indiscriminate hunting. Once the species has been recovered, it is now bred almost in captivity, which allows us to offer different dishes from this cattle.
It is not a cheap meat - there is little supply - but its smooth texture and even sweeter taste than European beef makes it so attractive that just trying it means staying with the dish. You don't have to be very sophisticated either to choose wisely.
A simple hamburger will take us to delirium , but we can also opt for a grilled bison loin. Always tender because being a lean meat - and heart-healthy - it requires much less temperature in the fire. In the same way, if we are really hungry, the choice should be the bison goulash. The best of Central European and Canadian cuisine on the same plate. Taste this exotic meat at The Kicking Horse Grill or at the Bison Burger.
With a really full stomach, we can now return to our lodge to relax and prepare for the next day. Kicking Horse has no more and does not need it . His approach is very clear: eat and sleep to continue skiing in wild nature.
Follow @alfojea
*The journalist Alfonso Ojea is the Director of the program of Chain BE specializing in snow, white tracks , which has been on the air for 20 years.
Kicking Horse Resort
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Between the wild snow of Kicking Horse