KiThis Horse Rocks.
That’s the catchphrase for Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, and it’s definitely a place for people wanting a big mountain experience with no shortage of hike-to terrain. If you want to earn your untracked powder by scaling ladders and using rope climbs, this is certainly a place to do that.
Kicking Horse is the most northerly resort on the famed Powder Highway and it has the 5th biggest vertical drop in North America. 3400 acres and 300 inches means the powder lasts a long time on the mountain..
And there’s a reason why three heli-skiing companies operate out of Golden. They don’t call Kicking Horse the “Champagne Powder Capital of the World” for nothing.
The Gondola takes skiers to Eagle Eye where they can access a ridiculous amount of extreme terrain. The beginner runs are pretty much all down the bottom of the hill. Whether you’re an absolute beginner or rip it to pieces, Kicking Horse is a user friendly place.
If you work at Kicking Horse the perks are great, including access to other CRC mountains. If employees get a few days off, they can ski for free at Fernie and Kimberley. I highly recommend a road trip at least once a season.
Downtown Golden photo credit Mitch Winton.
At this stage, there is no employee housing, but Golden (20 minutes away) has reasonable option on the private market. Affordable housing can be found on the Golden House Rental Facebook group. There’s a staff shuttle bus from Golden to Kicking Horse and carpooling is encouraged. This makes Kicking Horse a very user friendly place for internationals. For more information on finding housing check out the this  link.
Photo Credit Leigh McClurg.
Golden also has epic summer and winter back country terrain. The place is surrounded by half a dozen national parks ready to explore on skis, bikes, snow mobiles and on foot. It’s wild country so best to go with one of the town’s friendly locals.
If Kicking Horse is of interested to you, tag Golden BC and/or Kicking Horse in you preferred destination section in your profile.