With 27 centimetres of fresh powder on the summit in the past 48 hours, and only three sleeps counting down until the mountain at Panorama Mountain Village officially opens to the public, excitement and energy in the resort village is 1,000 Peaks high.

The mountain resort will welcome winter enthusiasts of all kinds to enjoy the slopes beginning December 6.

“Opening day on the mountain is always a blast. We love to see the first groups of skiers and snowboarders head out early for their first run of the season,” says Jamie Hurschler, Panorama Marketing Communications. “We’re planning to open the mountain’s full 4,000 vertical feet of terrain and about 75 of the 120 trails. We expect to have open portions of Taynton Bowl, Extreme Dream Zone, Schober’s Dream, Sun Bowl, Founder’s Ridge and the beginner area.”

Panorama continues to introduce upgrades to the mountain, particularly in the Taynton Bowl, where even the most experienced Panorama veteran is sure to discover a new experience on the slopes this winter. Savvy skiers will take advantage of Panorama’s ‘Mountain Friend’ service this weekend and learn what’s new on the slopes with a free, guided tour of the mountain’s best terrain and powder. Guests looking to connect with a guide should gather at the ski racks at the base of the Mile 1 Quad. The free service runs twice daily at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

For individuals looking to improve their ski skills and challenge themselves on the slopes right off the bat, Panorama is also offering their annual ‘Ski with the Pros’ program, a three-day course pairing intermediate to advanced skiers with the top professional CSIA Level 4 ski instructors from across Western Canada. The series kicks off with a wine and cheese ‘meet and greet’ on Friday evening and over the duration of the weekend, participants will move through six on mountain sessions designed to improve their confidence and technical skills on the slopes.

Jason Simpson, Director of the Panorama Snow School notes, “We’re looking forward to opening day on the mountain. With our ‘Ski with the Pros’ program we can challenge your skills and help push your comfort zone to the next level. The program will introduce you to the best slopes at Panorama and give you the best skill foundation for immediate results.”

Above photo: Snowboarder Randy Smith rips it up in the powder on Roy’s Run at Panorama Mountain Village.

Editor’s note: We’d like to make a suggestion to Panorama Mountain Village. The 2013-2014 ski season should be dedicated to the late Don Bilodeau, one of the greats of the Columbia Valley ski industry.

For more on Don here is an article from Ski Canada Magazine: https://skicanadamag.com/2010/10/18/snow-school/the-end-of-the-bilodeau-reign

– Ian Cobb

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