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Lying deep in the Columbia Mountains of southeastern British Columbia, this interior ski resort is only one of over 80 ski resorts that call the province home. Panorama Mountain Resort is a large, self-contained ski resort in Western Canada. Its nearest major city is Calgary, Alberta, about 300 kilometers (186 mi) east of the ski resort. Calgary is internationally known as the host of the 1988 Winter Olympics and the world-famous Calgary Stampede, attracting over one million visitors annually.
Panorama is known for having one of the largest vertical drops in North America at 1300 m (4265 ft). Additionally, with 135 ski runs, 112 km (70 mi) of slopes, and 3000 skiable acres to explore, its sheer size and distance from a major airport substantially reduces crowds. The ski resort is open, weather permitting, from early December to late April.
Moreover, prices here are in Canadian dollars; US dollars, euros, pounds, and other Western currencies are subject to a favorable exchange rate (as of Nov 2024, the exchange rate is 72 US cents per Canadian dollar).
Panorama Mountain Resort is a Canadian ski resort located 20 km (12.5 mi) west of Invermere, British Columbia. It sits in the Columbia Valley sub-region of the East Kootenay regional district. It is one of several major ski resorts within a few hours of Calgary, Alberta’s largest city. It’s approximately a 3.5-hour drive to the ski resort from Calgary.
Geographically, the resort lives on Mount Goldie (Panorama Mountain) in the Purcell Mountains, a subrange on the west side of the Canadian Rockies. In Canada, the larger Columbia Mountain range is not part of the Rockies. However, the Columbias are classified as part of the Rockies in the United States. These mountains encompass the continental range known as the Western Cordillera of North America, which spans Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Due to its distance from an international airport and few shuttle options, Panorama requires some effort to reach.
Calgary International Airport (YYC) is the closest major airport to Panorama Mountain Resort. It is 312 km (194 mi) away and takes just over 3.5 hours to reach by car. Rental cars and plenty of shuttle options are available to get you to the ski resort.
There are several rental companies at YYC; however, prices can be pretty high. You’re looking at about $70 a day for a standard car. Nevertheless, renting a car with your buddies might be a solid idea due to the high cost of airport shuttles.
From the Calgary International Airport, access is west via Highway 1 through the Banff and Kootenay National Parks. Then, turn south on Highway 93 to Radium and onwards to Invermere, BC.
The drive is quite scenic. As you leave the bustling city of Calgary, you roll out onto the plains, with the Canadian Rockies emerging before you. You’ll drive through winding roads, with mountains towering around you. Harsh weather can rapidly deteriorate driving conditions, so winter driving experience is recommended. Winter tires are also required for your safety and those with whom you share the roads.
Panorama Airport Transfers offer two daily trips in either direction between the airport and the ski resort. It costs $185 + tax for a one-way trip. Alternatively, Airport Shuttle Express offers year-round daily charter van services, ranging from $600-700, depending on the type of transportation.
At Panorama Mountain Resort, there is ample parking free of charge for overnight and day guests. Three parking lots (P1, P2, P3) surround the village, with P1 just steps away from the base. Even though P2 and P3 are on the outskirts of the village, the Village Gondola is a stone’s throw from these lots and conveniently whisks you to the base.
Making your way through the pedestrian-inspired Panorama Village is straightforward. As the crow flies, it’s less than a kilometer long, making it easy to explore, even in ski boots. The aforementioned Village Gondola connects the upper and lower villages with a short three-minute ride. Walking paths in the upper and lower villages allow free movement.
The ski season at Panorama is similar to most British Columbia ski resorts. The lifts spin from early December to mid-April, and visitors can enjoy four and a half months of excellent skiing. Due to the ski resort's location, it’s not busy outside of the holiday season, allowing for lots of runs and a more pleasant experience.
The time from opening to mid-December is considered the “early season.” Variable conditions, limited terrain open, and fewer visitors combine to make an alternative ski experience. It’s hit-or-miss, depending on the amount of snowfall. With one of the highest base elevations in Canada, though, your chances for decent early-season conditions are better than most ski resorts.
As December powers on, the resort takes shape with more snow and open terrain. Christmas and New Year are the busiest times to visit the ski resort. However, besides dealing with crowded morning uploads, people spread out relatively quickly, and lift lines are manageable.
January and February are the most dependable skiing months at Panorama. The resort’s terrain is fully open, snow coverage is excellent, and the alpine shapes up. Want the ski resort to yourself? Visiting on weekdays during these months provides the best opportunity for next to no lift lines and some nice discounts on lodging.
March is another strong month for excellent skiing conditions. March averages the most snowfall for the entire season. If you’re a powder hunter, this is your month to check out Panorama. Visitation does increase during this time due to school holidays, and temperatures pleasantly creep up.
Spring conditions are standard in April as temperatures warm up and snow accumulation significantly drops. You’ll still see snow in the alpine, but it can rain at the base. Luckily, many sunny afternoons greet skiers looking to rip soft snow and relax on warm outdoor patios. Skiing in April has a totally different vibe, and it’s quite alright.
Panorama is one of 8 alpine ski resorts in the prestigious Powder Highway of British Columbia. This route through the Kootenay Rockies in the interior of British Columbia connects world-class winter conditions, deep powder, and second-to-none ski experiences.
Due to the elevation of Panorama, the snow that falls here is light and dry, with wetter snow seen on the lower half of the ski resort in spring. The resort sees over 5 m (16 ft) of snow annually, with an emphasis on quality over quantity.
Groomed runs will hold primarily hard-packed powder mixed with artificial snow closer to the bottom. Alpine zones can have exposed rocks or powder sharks just under the surface, so be mindful in steep, untracked areas. Once the alpine does fill in, bowls and off-piste steeps hold packed powder with the occasional stretch of icy snow.
The average daily temperatures at Panorama Ski Resort hover around -5℃ during the day and closer to -10℃ at night. Of course, temperatures at the peak will be colder, so you’ll want to pack for the occasion. Be sure to check alpine temperatures a few days out. Alpine temperatures can be 10℃ colder at the peak, with occasional cold snaps driving temperatures below -20℃.
January and February will be the coldest months at the resort. You’ll want to prepare by bringing plenty of warm base and mid-layers for your shell jacket unless you have an insulated ski jacket.
Panorama Mountain Resort is a large-sized ski resort located on a single mountain. The resort consists of a small pedestrian village located at the base of Panorama Mountain (2,365 m / 7,759 ft). Several ski lifts feature 1,300 m of vertical drop, one of the larger verticals in North America.
The Panorama Mountain Resort Ski Map is the standard option for exploring this larger resort. Alternatively, check out the PeakVisor App for a real-time mapping tool at the palm of your hand. You can see your location on our 3D maps and the difficulty rating, steepness, and vertical drop of every trail on the mountain.
Let’s dive into this 3000+ acre resort, starting with the village.
The pedestrian village is small, quaint, and easily accessible by the base and surrounding roads. It’s where you will find the majority of the ski resort’s hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops.
The Village Gondola can transport you from the ski base to the outskirts of the village in about 3 minutes. You can also walk the entirety of the village in less than ten minutes.
The best way to describe this ski resort's ski terrain is to split the map into lower and upper mountains. Everything below the Champagne Express chairlift is the Lower Mountain. Everything from the bottom of this chair and above is the Upper Mountain.
Panorama’s lower mountain consists of a variety of terrain for all ability levels. Here, you can find green, blue, and black groomed runs with a small gladed area rated advanced. You’ll also find the ski resort’s learning area, race training center, and Horseshoe Terrain Park.
Lower Mountain has four chairlifts: Discovery, Mile 1 Express, Toby and Sunbird Chair, one t-bar, and two magic carpets.
Discovery Chair is an old fixed-grip that takes beginner and novice skiers into slow skiing zones. To the left of Discovery, you’ll find the two magic carpets and the Silver Platter t-bar.
Mile 1 Express is a high-speed quad that services the terrain park, blue and green learning zones, and the race training center. You can also drop into a few well-groomed black runs which take you to the Sunbird Chair. Sunbird Chair offers advanced skiers an excellent place to warm up with blue and black groomed terrain.
Finally, the Toby chair is a short two-person lift connecting the village's right side to the mountain. There are also a couple of short green and blue runs here that are never busy.
Panorama’s Upper Mountain terrain is a considerable step up from what’s available on the lower mountain. Steep groomers, tightly gladed trees, freeride terrain, and backcountry access can be found here. There’s even a snowcat operation up here to move guests to the far ends of Goldie Plateau, but more on that later.
The majority of Panorama’s Upper Mountain terrain is rated black and double black. There are only a few groomed blue runs, meaning you must be a competent skier to explore up here safely.
To access the upper mountain area, skiers must first make their way up Mile 1 Express or Sunbird Chair and then ride Champagne Express. Skiers then ski right on Upper Canadian Way to the Summit Quad, bringing guests to the official summit at 2,365 m (7,759 ft).
The ski slopes around Champagne Express are mainly blue and black groomed runs with consistent fall lines and some rolling flat sections with a few winding turns. You can also drop into the lower section of Extreme Dream Zone, home to double black chutes and glades. There are also two on-mountain eateries in this zone, Hut One and Elkhorn Cabin.
Ski terrain under Summit Chair is another step up from Champagne. All runs except one are advanced. You’ll find several black-groomed runs and a few gladed areas with extra sneaky pockets of tight trees. This area is fast and fun, especially if you stack summit runs to the bottom of Champagne.
On the side face of the summit, the Extreme Dream Zone is where you’ll want to go to check out steep chutes, tight trees, and plenty of powder in alpine terrain. Areas like Tombstone offer cliff bands with sizable drops and creative passages. Of course, you’ll also find steep black runs twisting their way back down to Champagne Express.
Historically, this bowl was used exclusively as heli-ski terrain for advanced and expert skiers. Today, seasoned members of the public can enter this expansive area, which offers backcountry-style terrain with deep powder, steep chutes, drops, and wide-open cliff faces. Pretty much everything in this zone is double-black expert terrain.
Located on the backside of the summit, guests can either drop into Tayton Bowl or proceed towards Goldie Plateau, the resort's highest peak at 2,450 m (8,038 ft). Goldie Plateau, dubbed Monster, is accessible by a 40-minute hike or by two Snowcats operating Thursday to Sunday. You need an additional lift ticket to access the cats.
Numerous challenges await those who opt to explore the big mountain terrain here. It’s very steep—according to the PeakVisor app, “Monster” maxes out at 39° at its steepest point, and it definitely feels that way as you thread your way down. A dozen named runs and many more unnamed lines dissect their way down cliff bands, ridgelines, and steep faces. Due to the lack of traffic in this area during weekdays, you will score some of the best resort powder runs you can imagine if you're willing to endure the hike. The cat doesn’t open until Thursday, so snow storms on Mondays and Tuesdays can bring epic conditions for those willing to make the schlep.
The only caveat of these areas is how far out they are. Returning to the base will usually take 45 minutes to an hour. Although Tayton and Monster take considerable time to lap, this unique experience is as close as you’ll get to cat skiing with the comfort of being at an actual ski resort.
Panorama’s ski terrain consists of gentle intermediate slopes on the lower mountain with advanced to expert alpine terrain up top. The lower half of the mountain welcomes a gentler fall line, whereas the resort's alpine is home to steeps and backcountry-style terrain.
There are a total of 135 named trails and even more unnamed lines in the alpine. 15% are beginner, 35% intermediate, 20% advanced, and 30% extreme (double-black). As you can see, the resort heavily favors advanced terrain.
In North America, slopes are divided into four categories: beginner — green circles, intermediate — blue squares, and advanced / expert — black / double-black diamonds.
Panorama has a total of ten lifts and two alpine snowcat shuttles. There is one village gondola; however, all the lifts used for skiing are chairlifts.
Slopes
Ski lifts
Other features and services
In the Panorama alpine, the far reaches of Goldie Plateau in Taynton Bowl were only accessible by touring or helicopter. You can still tour—move up the mountain using skins on the bottom of your skis—here today, and many people still do. The beauty is that you can tour past those hiking up midweek when the snowcats aren't running. Many locals prefer to strap on skins because it’s a much easier and more efficient movement.
You still end within the resort's boundary and can take advantage of the chairlifts, which make touring here a breeze.
In the surrounding area of Invermere, there are touring opportunities but much of it is kept very secret. The best bet is to reach out to East Kootenay Mountain Guides, who can arrange your ski tour and provide detailed information about the area's ever-changing snowpack.
Panorama Ski Resort offers multiple ticket options with several discounts the earlier you purchase, especially if you do it online here.
Winter lift tickets cost $135 CAD online or $170 at the window. If you buy multiple, the price goes down further. There are also peak prices when skiing near a holiday. Peak prices are $185 per day.
Panorama also offers exclusive tickets for their Discovery Zone making it cheaper for those learning to access the slopes. This zone costs $76 and can only be purchased at the window with the ability to upgrade to the rest of the mountain.
If you’re part of the IKON Pass, you’ll get seven days with no blackout dates, meaning you can ski at the mountain whenever you want, even during the holidays. Three- and five-day SnowCards are $350 and $485, respectively, working out to about $117 a day.
Finally, Monster X (Snowcat) tickets cost $28 for a single ride or $80 for a 4-pack. This allows you to ride the snowcat to access Goldie Ridge on the far side of Taynton Bowl.
Even though Panorama Ski Resort has a small village, you’ll find many services to meet your needs.
Panorama Ski + Ride School is the resort’s only dedicated snow school and guiding experience. Need to hone your skills, build your confidence, or be taken to some local gems? Private, group, teen, and kids lessons are all available here with maximum flexibility. They even offer specialty camps and courses.
Mountain Friends Guided Tours offers guests free ski resort and Nordic center tours. Mountain tours run at 10 AM and 1:30 PM, and Nordic tours at 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM. These are designed for intermediate and above skiers and riders looking to explore the mountain with a knowledgeable local!
Mountain Outfitters Ski and Snowboard Rentals offer a wide variety of standard and high-performance gear. Take advantage of their powder skis and boards when a big storm rolls through.
Panorama Mountain Resort Info
Bag 7000, Panorama, British Columbia (BC), V0A 1T0 Canada
Reservations +1 800.663.2929,
General Inquiries: information@panoramaresort.com
There are two main places to eat and drink at the resort: on-mountain or in the village. Here's what you need to know:
On-mountain food options are available in three locations, each offering something different. Summit Hut, located at the summit, offers more North American-styled food like smokies, soup, burgers, and chili. They also have an impressive deck with some epic views to take in while eating. Elkhorn Cabin around mid-mountain offers more traditional Swiss alpine-style food with warm soups, breads, vegetables, and meats. Hut One Cafe and Bar sits at the bottom of the Champagne Chair and is more geared towards snacks and beverages like coffee and alcoholic options.
Within the tiny Pedestrian Village, you’ll find about a dozen spots to eat and drink. Restaurants and bistros offer modern Canadian, steak, seafood, Indian, Chinese, pub food, and pizza. However, you will find many more choices in the nearby town of Invermere, where you can also stay.
Cliffhanger is the town's top-rated upscale restaurant with a casual vibe. Prices are actually pretty affordable here for the experience you get. Their ever-changing menu takes inspiration from Canadian cuisine and locally sourced ingredients.
The General Store in Panorama is the resort's only grocery store. It’s small and pricey. The better spot to load up on groceries is one of the many stores in Invermere.
About 20 minutes down the road lies Invermere; you’ll be welcomed by more affordable restaurants and a quieter atmosphere. Here you’ll find not only more restaurants but also bars and some additional nightlife.
The Spice Hut in Invermere is your go-to for spicy Indian. After a day of chilly winter skiing, this place hits just right to warm you up. Check out Fubuki Sushi for tip-top sushi made from top-quality West Coast seafood. Attributable to our history of Japanese immigration, combined with proximity to the Pacific Ocean, BC sushi is among the world’s best and a must-try.
Panorama Mountain Resort offers a variety of lodging types to suit the needs of those wishing to stay overnight in the area. You can look at two primary locations for lodging: the resort and the town of Invermere.
Staying in the ski village will provide faster access to the slopes and a true ski holiday experience. However, most accommodations are not ski-in / ski-out and are costly. Staying in the town of Invermere will usually be more affordable.
Panorama Springs is a family-friendly lodge with premium flair. They boast Canada’s largest slopeside hot pools, offer ski-in / ski-out access, and are centrally located. Panorama Springs offers studio, one and two-bedroom suites.
Check out VRBO and Airbnb for affordable deals on studios and single rooms at about $100 a night, which rivals Invermere.
Invermere, a small town of 4,000 residents, is a much more affordable spot to stay if you’re looking to budget for your ski holiday. Invermere Inn & Suites and The Canterbury Inn offer standard hotel rooms.
Copper Point Resort is a more upscale lodge just on the edge of town. Remember, you’ll have to face a 20-30 minute commute to the ski resort if you choose this option.
Panorama Mountain Resort is known much more for its powder and variable ski terrain than its nightlife. Even though it can get pretty busy here during peak times, the resort lacks a proper après scene and regular events. Nonetheless, you can still find a few notable locations to kick back and let loose after a day of skiing.
T-Bones and the Great Hall patio are where most après ski parties go down. Jackpine Pub is another quieter spot at the base of the pedestrian gondola.
The only big events you’ll find here are in March. The year's highlights are the Turn and Burn banked Slalom and the Wonderland Après & Disco.
Panorama Mountain Resort is close to several smaller towns and villages nestled in the mountains. Invermere is a quaint town with a relaxed atmosphere, artisanal shops, local restaurants, and lots of outdoor activities.
Radium Hot Springs is a village half an hour northeast of the ski resort. The town's main draw for tourism is the natural hot pools heated by geothermal energy. Fairmont Hot Springs, southeast of Panorama, is similar and also has a small ski area.
Finally, Windermere is a small village south of Invermere, blanketed in rich history from European roots, gold mining, and logging. Today, the town welcomes guests looking for a peaceful glimpse into the past.
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