Drive three and a half hours west out of Calgary, through Banff and Kootenay National Parks, and you’ll eventually turn south onto Highway 93 and start climbing into the Purcell Mountains. No big sign greets you, no fanfare — just a village that appears at the base of a mountain with a 1,300m vertical drop, one of the five largest continuous descents in North America. That’s Panorama’s whole personality in one drive: it carries serious credentials without ever raising its voice.

Kate skied Panorama on a recent famil, found the drive in from Banff easier than expected, given how remote Panorama sits on the map. Once there, the mountain does the talking. Wide-open runs, decent snow, real variety, and slopes so uncrowded you’ll ski entire runs without seeing another person.

A Vertical Worth the Trip

Panorama’s numbers hold their own against anywhere on the continent. The mountain drops 1,300m from summit to base — putting it above Kicking Horse and just behind Revelstoke, Whistler Blackcomb and Jackson Hole for continuous vertical — and spreads that drop across 2,975 patrolled acres and 135 named trails, with 520cm of snowfall landing most winters. Panorama also holds the number one ranking in the world for space per skier among the 100 largest ski areas, and you feel it the second you get off the lift: wide-open groomers, and often nobody ahead of you carving up the corduroy. Kate’s experience matched this exactly — genuinely uncrowded slopes, with plenty of runs left entirely to herself.

Everything steeper routes back to Taynton Bowl. Heli-ski operators once had this terrain to themselves; now it sits fully inbounds, patrolled and avalanche-controlled, so you won’t need backcountry gear to ski it. It’s still a serious proposition — 750 acres, entirely black-rated — and it funnels all the way back down to the village, which is exactly what makes it so good: push hard up top, then be back at the condo for lunch. For something different again, the Monster X snowcat carries skiers to freshly opened terrain higher up, giving you a taste of cat-skiing without ever leaving the resort boundary.

Fifty Years of Heli-Skiing on the Doorstep

Panorama’s most serious credential might be the one guests don’t expect: RK Heliski has operated right beside the resort since 1970. Over five decades later, it still runs from its own Heli Plex a short walk from the village, giving skiers access to 1,500 square kilometres of the Purcells. The high elevation means the operation loses only about two days a year to weather — a genuinely rare number in this business. Because it runs as a day trip rather than a lodge stay, you can ski the resort for a few days and simply add a heli day without changing accommodation.

If snowmobiling suits your group better, Toby Creek Adventures has run tours out of Panorama since 1996. Book the Paradise Basin trip — Kate’s top recommendation from the whole visit. Ride a groomed trail up to an alpine cabin at 8,000 feet, pass a frozen waterfall and the remains of an early-1900s silver mine, then tuck into a barbecue lunch with free-ride time built in. It’s the kind of add-on day that turns a good ski trip into a great one.

Village Life, Kept Simple

The village itself sits compact and ski-in, ski-out, with the lifts, lodging and handful of places to eat all within a short walk of each other. Kate describes it as quaint but genuinely isolated in that respect — dining and nightlife stay limited, though there’s enough to keep you fed comfortably over a week. Invermere sits close by for a supermarket run or a wider choice of restaurants on longer stays.

After a day on the mountain, head straight for Panorama Springs Pools — a warm pool and two hot tubs, marketed as Canada’s largest slopeside hot pools, open year-round from 10am to 10pm for anyone staying on-resort.

For food, Alto Kitchen & Bar serves genuinely good fire-baked pizza and Italian-inspired plates in the heart of the village — Kate rates it a step up for a nicer meal, and it runs all day long. T-Bar & Grill and Jackpine Pub both keep things pub-style and unpretentious; Jackpine draws the locals, especially for Sunday trivia night. Fireside Café handles the coffee and grab-and-go needs each morning. Up on the mountain, Summit Hut serves a small but well-chosen menu, including winter warmers like hot cider and spiked drinks — perfect for a mid-mountain pause. For something quieter, the short trail out to Choppers Landing at the RK Heliplex leads to a wood-fire spot with a proper cocktail list that most first-timers never find.

When to Time It Right

Time a trip around Family Day weekend if the dates line up. Panorama’s Wild West Winterfest brings live music, pancake breakfasts and a visit from the Calgary Stampede crew. Kate calls it a genuinely cool concept — the kind of event that gives the village real buzz without ever tipping into crowded.

Insider Tips From Kate’s Trip

• Book Paradise Basin, not just any snowmobile tour. The BBQ lunch and free-ride time in the basin make it worth the extra planning.
• Order the takeaway pizza from T-Bar and eat it at Jackpine. Locals do this for a reason — it’s the best combination in the village.
• Dining options can get repetitive, so plan a supermarket stop in Invermere if staying longer than a few days.
• Add a heli day early on. RK Heliski sits right beside the resort, so it slots in without changing accommodation or losing a ski day to travel. If the weather does not permit the helicopter going up, you get postponed – so don’t leave it too late.
• Find Choppers Landing before heading home. It’s an easy walk from the village, but most first-time visitors never make it out there. Ask at guest services if the trail’s hard to spot.
• Rental gear pickup only happens the morning of the booked day. Toby Creek Adventures won’t fit you out the night before, so build that into the schedule for early snowmobiling starts.

Quick Facts for Planning

• Vertical drop: 1,300m — 5th largest continuous vertical in North America
• Terrain: 2,975 patrolled acres, 135 named trails, average snowfall 520cm
• Getting there: ~3.5 hours from Calgary Airport (YYC)
• Signature terrain: Taynton Bowl (750 acres, inbounds, avalanche-controlled)
• Heli-skiing: RK Heliski, operating since 1970, based at the resort
• Best add-on day: Paradise Basin snowmobile tour with Toby Creek Adventures
• Best time for events: Family Day weekend (Wild West Winterfest)