I visited Panorama Mountain Resort as part of a ski-drive tour of the Powder Highway in Canada. Accommodation was at in-resort lodgings.
Panorama Mountain Resort is acclaimed as the “most complete ski-in / ski-out village in the Canadian Rockies. At 1300m, the vertical is in the top three resorts in Canada.
Panorama stats, pros & cons
Panorama stats
- Top: 2,450m
- Base: 1,150m
- Drop: 1,300m
- Area: 2,975 acres.
- Number of runs: 129
- Green: 20%
- Blue: 55%
- Black Diamond: 25%
- Longest run: 6.5km
- 10 uplifts:
- Snow making?: Yes
- Average annual snowfall: 5.2m
Pros of Panorama
- No need for a car or shuttle service at the resort because everything is in easy walking distance
- The resort is known for the quality of grooming on endless fall-line pistes.
- Busiest days see 3,000 skiers on 3,000 acres so that’s an acre per person
- Panorama Springs Pools are the largest slopeside hot pools in Canada
- Panorama is close to the real BC town of Invermere.
- A free shuttle runs to the town every day, giving guests the chance to experience life outside the resort.
- Four “Monstrous” expert trails were added in the 2017-18 season, increasing both vertical and acreage.
- The Monstrous trails are mostly above tree line (unlike most of Panorama for a true alpine powder experience.
- Further expansion will take place in the coming seasons.
Cons of Panorama
- The rooms are noisy with other guests because the walls/ceiling seem quite thin
- Large resort that can seem too big and less intimate compared to other Powder Highway ski centres.
What we discovered at Panorama
- The resort is built with accommodation is self-contained studio maisonettes (four in a block)
- Found that we could hear guests in the room above
- Great resort that feels quite European
- Lots of groomers
- The blacks are particularly steep
- Plenty bumps, which we like
- Few trees, so that means you need god skiing weather
- Hot tubs and barbecue areas to share in the street
- Various in-resort restaurants to choose (use of gondola to reach them)
- Cat tow to back Bowls Monster run is a great thing to try
- Loads of super friendly hosts (I recommend you do the tour)
- Very scenic
- Good bars
- Reasonably priced food and drink
- Underground parking so you do not see many vehicles
- Ideal for families or groups of different abilities
- We greatly enjoyed the Sunshine Bowl.