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Your On-Snow Guide To Panorama Ski Resort
Guide Summary
Heading to Panorama Mountain Resort? Here is your on-snow guide to get the most out of every vertical foot. There’s a lot of it, by the way! Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, there is something for everyone at Panorama. From purpose-built learning areas to former heli-ski terrain, Panorama is Pure Canada.
Tucked deep into the Purcell mountains, you’ll find the best-kept secret in British Columbia. Panorama Ski Resort boasts 4,265 vertical feet, placing it in the Top 10 for most vertical in North America, holding stellar company with ski resorts like Revelstoke and Kicking Horse, but without the crowds!
I bet you didn’t know that Panorama is ranked #1 for the most space per skier among the world’s 100 top ski resorts! Now that’s Impressive. 2,975 acres of perfect groomers and tree line skiing, all to yourself. If you’re heading to Panorama this season, here is your on-snow guide to ensure you don’t miss any of it!
The Mountain
A Vertical Drop of 4265 ft (Top 10 in North America), 135 marked trails with a base elevation of 3773ft and a summit elevation of 8083 ft. There are 10 lifts at Panorama, including the two Monster X Snowcats! An average snowfall of 204 inches, and snowmaking that covers 40% of all marked runs. 6.5km is the longest run, found in Taynton Bowl. Oh, and there’s 2975 acres of skiable terrain for you to explore. Check out Panorama’s winter trail map.
The terrain has something for everyone, split 15% beginner, 35% Intermediate, 20% Advanced and 30% Expert.
The Discovery Zone
In recent years, Panorama has invested in upgrading its dedicated learning area. It has two beginner carpets, a drag lift and a beginner chair, so it’s the perfect terrain to practice your skills and have your first experience on snow. Easily accessible from the resort accommodation and rental shops. The Discovery Zone is also the Ski+Ride meeting area, meaning if you want a lesson to help you get started, it’s all right there! The lifts service a beginner slope, two gentle green runs with wide open space, and a more progressive green run off the chairlift that introduces you to skiing all over the mountain. Panorama’s ski school, Ski+Ride, has dedicated and professional pros that offer lessons for all ages and abilities. It’s the perfect way to be introduced to skiing and snowboarding. The best part is that you won’t have any of the crowds you’d find in the busier resorts in Banff and Whistler.
The Best Grooming In Canada
Panorama does one thing better than most resorts in Canada: its grooming. Extensive grooming overnight, combined with some of the best pre-season snowmaking (Snowmaking: 40% of main named runs), produces an endless array of groomed runs that you can open up the turns and leave some arcs on. The postcard runs Rollercoaster and Skyline, offer some of the best turns on the mountain first thing in the morning. The backdrop of Mount Nelson, the tallest mountain in the Kootenays, is pretty cool, too. Even at the end of the day, you can find some fresh cord on some of the groomed runs through the Sun Bowl or down Millennium towards Outrider and Little Dipper. For the carving enthusiast, Panorama is Pure Canada.
Taynton Bowl And Monster X
A former heli-skiing area, you just know the terrain here will be awesome. Now within bounds, patrolled and avalanche-controlled, it has 750 acres of powder and tree skiing. A ridge line off the Summit takes you all the way out to Panorama’s new terrain, the Monster. Panorama also has the Monster X cat, a snowcat with the capacity to transport a dozen skiers or snowboarders all the way to the top of the Monster. Save your legs for the way down and avoid the hike. Yes, that’s cat skiing in bounds! The Taynton trail brings you right back to the base of the mountain so you can quickly refuel before heading straight back to the top for another lap.
The Summit Hut
The famous Summit Hut is situated at the Summit of Panorama—a neat little cafè and eatery offering great coffee and the finest breakfast sandwich anywhere in Canada. The smokies at lunch are a great way to fuel up before dropping into Heli-High or making your way down a View Of A Thousand Peaks. It is accessible even to intermediate skiers, who can take the easy track Get Me Down back to mid-mountain. The views from the Hut are spectacular, offering a Panoramic view of the Purcells and Rockies. You can sit on the deck area in Spring and watch skiers and boarders drop into the bowl—a favourite spot among the locals.
Other notable stops are The Elkhorn Cabin and Cliffhanger. The Elkhorn, situated on mid-mountain, offers a quiet spot for lunch or a quick coffee and cooks up an excellent raclette you can share with friends. Cliffhanger is based over at Greywolf Golf Course, conveniently located at the base of the Sunbird chairlift—a fancier restaurant offering superb dining. Finish the day with an Après beer at the T-Bar.
Terrain Park
Not to be overshadowed by the rest of the mountain, Panorama boasts an incredibly impressive park. Based on the lower mountain, it is accessible by taking the four-person Mile One Express chairlift—a complete top-to-bottom terrain park with features to help you progress from beginner to XL. The upper half of the park features four jumps and seven boxes/rails that make up a beginner line and an intermediate line. There’s lots of space and lots of options. The lower section of the park is built like a true slopestyle line and offers three jumps and four box/rail features for those high intermediate to advanced riders.
We can’t wait to welcome our new interns to Panorama for this winter. World class grooming, former heli-ski terrain and wide open glades await. For more information about our courses at Panorama, give us a call or contact us here.
FAQs
To become a ski instructor in Canada you must successfully pass the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance (CSIA) Level 1 instructor course as a minimum requirement. To increase your employability and work internationally, you need to obtain your CSIA Level 2 after further training. Similarly you can achieve a secondary pathway through the newly formed Professional Ski Instructors of Canada (PSIC). Both governing bodies’ qualifications and prior training programmes are available through the Winter Sports Company. Getting a ski instructor job in a resort will be achievable with these certifications and guidance.
A typical salary ranges from $17-19 as a Level 1 ski Instructor to $19-22 as a Level 2. A level 3 instructor can start to make a good living with more hours and a higher wage of $23-28, depending on the resort. Private lessons and tips will help increase your take-home pay. When you reach fully certified Level 4 standard, you can maximise your earning potential and hours and become a sought-after commodity. This level will significantly increase your employability and offer many other gateways to earn a considerably well-paid salary.
If you are a capable skier, simply attending a three- or 5-day course and examination will entitle you to become a level 1 ski instructor upon successful completion. If you still need to gain sufficient skills, then a standard timeframe to train to this level can be around 3-4 weeks for Level 1 and another 5-7 weeks for Level 2. The Level 2 exams are completed within six days after the preparation and training.
If above 15, given the right attitude and ability, anyone can be a ski instructor. Training through a provider like the Winter Sports Company can ensure a speedy journey to becoming a ski instructor. Embarking on an intense training programme is a surefire way of learning the correct methods and, more importantly, understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses so that the student can improve through learning, practising and teaching the techniques and skills associated with a ski instructor.
