Snowsure: 4.0
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Panorama Mountain Resort is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Panorama Mountain Resort Ski Resort
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(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
August 07, 2008
Graham Ross from
United Kingdom
Graham Ross from
United Kingdom
YIPPEE !!!.. We’ve just booked our return holiday to Panorama for 2 weeks in January 2009. My wife & I first stumbled across this wee gem while searching for snow in Jan 2007, while Europe struggled for cover we couldn’t believe how much you had hidden over there!
Although the first few days were quite cool (-28C ) you could not fault the maintenance and management of the pistes and, wrapped up warm, we couldn’t wait to find out what was round the next corner, up the next chair, over the next dip and.....what views!
We live with the spectacle of the Scottish Highlands on our back door and have toured Europe & the Alps extensively, but what you’ve got at the top of 1000 Peaks ...Amazing...
But it’s not ALL about the snow (incredible but true!) hospitality, service and a can do attitude made our stay at the Panorama Springs relaxing, comfortable and a home from home. Eating out, the range and selection of food could not be better, from the mouth watering steaks in the Wildfire to the tasty takeaway Mile High pizzas, and not forgetting those fantastic nachos in the Kicking Horse, which will be our first stop after check in next January! {oh, I’ve been told we have to unpack first..Damn!} Unfortunately we didn’t get round to The Earl Grey, Jackpine or Choppers Landing last time but that will be put right this time round.
Counting down the days until we leave (167), can’t wait to get back.
Graham Ross, Glasgow, Scotland
February 12, 2008
Sarah
Sarah
January 15, 2008
Phil Kerley from
United Kingdom
Phil Kerley from
United Kingdom
Visited Panorama for new year 2007/2008. If you have children, you are not allowed in pubs that don't sell food, if they do you will have to leave by 8.00pm at night. If you are staying in the god forsaken Pine Inn, you will have to be confined to a room and watch TV. We stayed in the Pine Inn. This is not recommended for families as we found out. The Hill Wreckers managed to descend on Panorama for New Year (college week) and caused chaos from all night parties to setting off the fire alarms at all hours. There is no reception in the accommodation and no security. Reception is at the base of the village. Panorama Springs is lovely though and we managed to be moved half way through the holiday. Food in the resort is ok if you like burgers and chicken wings. Compared to Banff it's rubbish. Good points; very good skiing for all abilities and Heli-Skiing on your doorstep. Beer is reasonably priced.
When will Canada learn that it is ok to take kids into a pub. In Austria, when the kids fall asleep, they pull up a couple of chairs and make a bed...no big deal. If you are going to make stupid laws, think of the parents of the families first, who are stuck in a resort with nothing to do and can't even have a pint after 8.00pm
November 28, 2007
John
John
I think Derek on Feb 21 2007 has got it just about right.
I have skied Panorama about 5 days a year for the past 15 years. Having a timeshare at Fairmont Hot Springs helps.
I remember "ITB" (In The Beginning), as some of the senior locals call it. Without a doubt what we have now is better, but the original design faults cannot be corrected and you have to learn to live with them.
The best time to go, I find, is early to mid March. Still good conditions on the mountain but the days are longer and the sun is getting warmer to soften up some of the runs.
If I were coming from the UK for say a week's visit I would rent a car in Calgary. That way you have choices within an hour or so.
For example:
Kimberley- Not so "in your face" steep from the bottom as in Panorama. Good for beginners.
Kicking Horse- Gets mixed reviews, depends on your skill level.
There are a number of things to do in the adjacent Columbia Valley. Invermere has good restaurants i.e. Strands.
There are a number of hot springs in the area, Radium, Fairmont, and Lussier.
If this is starting to sound like a Travelog it is because there are many options in the area if the the skiing is poor and you have transportation.
Derek's comments about the homicidal Calgarians apply to most times.
People from the Edmonton area are much more restrained; we have further to go.
On balance, I think Panorama is great and Intrawest have done wonders with what they have to work with on the hill. The Saskatchewan farmers who spend their winters driving the snow groomers do a superior job.
Fritz's run on the early morning corduroy is just fine for me and it can be for you.
P.S. I understand the road in from Invermere to the resort has been re-paved this summer. You will still have to watch out for fallen rock though.
February 21, 2007
Derek
Derek
I have such a yin-yang thing with Panorama, living in Calgary having skied it occasionally for 15 years. Lets start with the good stuff.
The mountain has a lot of terrain. The whole Shoeber's Dream/Sun Bowl areas is a great place to play in the trees, as is Founder's Ridge. There's plenty of mind numbingly freakishly scary double black terrain. There's RK Heliskiing based here, so you can go drop lots of dough if you want. The view from the top is stellar. The runs are long, and since they upgraded the chairs, it feels like you get in plenty of run for your lift line. Some of the accommodation is pretty nice, and the price is OK, so the value to stay on hill is there. Panorama Springs hot tub complex is huge. It's far enough away from a population base as to never be that busy on weekends.
Sounds great? Well, the downsides are also many. They just don't get that much snow, and so even in epic years like 2007, coverage can be light even as late as February. They make up for it by making ice -- er, "snow" -- all the way to the top, on virtually all the popular runs. This makes it like a gigantic eastern North American ski area -- icy and nasty hard pack most days. The runs don't seem to integrate with the lifts; it seems like you always need to take at least 2 chairs (and sometimes 3) to get back to where you started. They seem to be focused on the double black stuff, with tons of it in Extreme Dream and Taynton Bowl, but just not that much for the other 80% of riders. For some reason, I just never seem to get a lot of vertical in in a day there -- about a third less than I get at Sunshine, and 20% less than Louise. It feels like 3 separate small (tall and narrow mountains), rather than one large one. The village is blah and a half, with very high priced real estate jammed in around the run bases, and the better (but not low) priced stuff down the hill and almost inaccessible (Intrawest has not done a good job here since they took over). The base area itself is poorly laid out, and so is always a mess to get to the one lift. There's only two restaurants and two bars (including the RK base), so not a lot of choice (and neither is really that great). In order to get there from Calgary, I have to pass Banff, Sunshine, Louise, and I could go to Kicking Horse in the same amount of driving time. The road through Kootenay Park is pretty, but the Sinclair Canyon pass is nasty, and homicidal Calgarians treat the drive back on Sunday night like a rule free Formula 1 race.
So I like it and I don't. I make it a habit to go there for the weekend once every year or two, and it's a nice change, just not that often. I can't see skiing there a lot, but it would be an OK place for a vacation. I guess I just know too many other places that are better.
February 11, 2007
Jeff Collyer from
United Kingdom
Jeff Collyer from
United Kingdom
What a place! If you are looking for great skiing, then you can't beat this place. I've always skied in Europe prior to my trip (Jan 07) and after spending my time here, I can't see me going back to Europe out of choice!
The good points - It was quiet, so we virtually got the slopes to ourselves! Busier at weekends (Due to locals using slopes)and had to wait upto 3mins to get on the mile lift!(Yes - that was the longest!) Ski school were fantastic, resort staff were fantastic! Food was great! The bad points - There are only two bars and a couple of restaurants, but to be honest, after a good days skiing, all you want to do is sit in the nearest bar and drink! So, for those looking to go anywhere but Europe (due to lack of snow) - This is the place! If you have taking time to read this, please don't tell everyone..........I do like it cheap and quiet! (and once this gets popular with the Brits - the price is sure to go up! Busier too!!!!!)
December 12, 2006
Natalie from
United Kingdom
Natalie from
United Kingdom
Shhhhhh, don't tell everyone!
Great little resort, lovely hill and heli skiing to die for.
A true skiers resort. What it lacks in facilities and night life it makes up for in terrain with it's long cruisey blues and it's powder filled 'bowls' there's something for everyone at every level.
It's a long transfer from Calgary, but well worth the extra journey time if you like peace and quiet and acres of skiing.
I will be returning in January for my fourth visit and looking forward to it immensely.
April 20, 2006
Graeham Douglas
Graeham Douglas
A great family hill, with something for everyone. While it doesnt get the snowfall of some other nearby hills like Fernie or Sunshine, there are also fewer skiers. As a result, fresh snow tends to stay for days longer, espessially in gladed expert areas. Staff are friendly and helpful. Panorama also has a great village with many hot tubs and nice condos. Taynton bowl and Extreme Dream are among the most underrated expert terrain in western Canada. Lifts rarely have lines, espessially midweek.
Where Panorama is lacking is that it has no alpine (entirely below treeline), which reduces the number of cliffs, chutes and bowls it can have. Also, the lack of snowfall means that early season conditions can extend into late january in poor snow years.
April 12, 2006
Peter Thomson from
United Kingdom
Peter Thomson from
United Kingdom
Nearest