￼Hitting all seven resorts situated along southeast British Columbia’s Routes 95A, 3 and 6, affectionately dubbed “The Powder Highway,” is like cracking a grand slam with the bases loaded, down three runs in the bottom of the ninth. You’re the hero who won the game for his team. In this case, your team is the shred crew you’ve persuaded to cross the U.S./Canada border for some of the best skiing on the planet.

To further sweeten the deal, historically low exchange rates translate to you experiencing these world-class ski areas on the cheap this season (1 U.S. Dollar equals 1.30 Canadian Dollar as of production date). You’re running out of excuses not to take this trip. If you need further convincing, check out the nitty-gritty details and quick guides to each resort on The Powder Highway, below. Then, just book it already, slugger.

RED MT > FERNIE

3h 53 m • 208.1 miles FERNIE > KIMBERLEY

1h 19 m • 72.2 miles KIMBERLEY > PANORAMA

1h 42 m • 88.0 miles PANORAMA > KICKING HORSE

1h 53 m • 94.4 miles KICKING HORSE > REVELSTOKE

1h 56 m • 102.0 miles REVELSTOKE > WHITEWATER

3h 55 m • 167.5 miles WHITEWATER > RED MT.

1h 26 m • 58.09 miles

Fernie Alpine Resort

A photo posted by Fernie Alpine Resort (@ferniealpineresort) on Sep 8, 2016 at 6:10pm PDT

Thanks to its complete lack of lift lines, the snow stays fresh at Fernie even days after the most recent storm. The resort’s terrain is defined by an incredible amount of natural features that allow skiers to get ultra-creative across five alpine bowls, 3,550 feet of vert, 2,500 skiable acres and 142 runs. Make sure to mark the calendar for Griz Days and Hot Dog Day in the spring, where neon attire, delectable corn snow and partying abound.

SLEEPS » The on-mountain Lizard Creek Lodge is smooth as can be; Fernie Slopeside is

a more affordable on-mountain option; and Red Tree Lodge in town offers arguably the best deals.

EATS » The Brickhouse for beers, burgers and pizza; The Griz Bar for a rowdy après

vibe; Infinitea T-Bar for a full tapas bar and wine selection; Yamagoya for the sushi lovers. Party at the Royal and kick the hangover with some grub from Big Bang Bagels, in town, come morning.

Kimberley Alpine Resort

A photo posted by Kimberley Alpine Resort (@kimberleyalpineresort) on Nov 4, 2016 at 2:00pm PDT

The low-key Kimberley Alpine Resort boasts 1,800 acres of terrain spread across four mountain faces. Tamarack Ridge and Black Forest are the hot spots for tree skiing, where runs like Geneva, Angus, Runt, Midget and Pyx plunge steeply through monstrous collections of evergreens.

SLEEPS » Polaris Lodge and Trickle Creek Lodge, walk out the door to the lifts, ‘nuff said.

EATS » Stemwinder Bar & Grill is the popular après spot; The Pasta Place on Howard is the place for Italian grub; for German and Swiss-inspired entrees—mmm, schnitzel—head to The Old Bauernhaus Restaurant.

Panorama Mountain Resort

A photo posted by Panorama Mountain Resort (@panoramaresort) on Nov 12, 2016 at 8:05am PST

This under-the-radar resort doesn’t average quite the eye-popping snowfall totals as its Powder Highway brethren, but its terrain is still worth the effort to experience. Take Taynton Bowl, for example—its 750 acres of wide-open bowl skiing used to be part of a heli-skiing operation, but is now completely inbounds, patrolled terrain.

SLEEPS » Upper and Lower Village Condos, Pine Inn.

EATS » T-Bar & Grill for après; the Cliffhanger Restaurant for delicious steak and other entrees; Thunderbird Pizza to get your ‘za fix.

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

A photo posted by Kicking Horse Mountain Resort (@kickinghorsemtn) on Sep 28, 2016 at 4:18pm PDT

The northernmost resort on The Powder Highway, the 2,800-acre Kicking Horse caters to those smitten with steep, challenging trails. Take your pick between four behemoth cirques, separated by three beastly ridgelines. While ascending the 4,133 feet of leg-burning vert, keep your eyes peeled for any one of the 85 inbounds chutes.

SLEEPS » Glacier Mountaineer Lodge and Palliser Lodge for the swanky stuff; Vagabond Lodge for cool digs at a lower cost. All three stops are on-mountain.

EATS » Fire Pit BBQ Smokehouse if you’re hankering for smokin’ meats; Legendz Diner for a low-key vibe; Eleven22 offers a more upscale, fine dining experience with plenty of local beer and wine. Of course, there’s the mountaintop Eagle’s Eye Restaurant, too; situated at 7,700 ft. the spot boasts stunning views and the food & beverage offerings do not suck.

Revelstoke Mountain Resort

A photo posted by Revelstoke Mountain Resort (@revelstoke) on Nov 17, 2016 at 5:24pm PST



You better have been keeping up with your leg exercises prior to visiting Revelstoke, because it boasts the most vertical—5,620 feet—of any resort in North America. The Stoke is also blessed with 400 inches of average annual snowfall, spread across its 3,121 acres of skiable terrain.

For more beta on all things Revelstoke, including where to eat, sleep and ski, click here. While you’re here, though, one more lodging spot to check out: The Cube Hotel—funky, fun, awesome.

Whitewater Ski Resort

A photo posted by Whitewater Ski Resort (@whitewaterskiresort) on May 21, 2016 at 3:54pm PDT

Whitewater is all about deep, deep… deep powder skiing. Located just outside the funky town of Nelson, the ski area averages 480 inches of snowfall annually. That light, dry interior BC pow is spread across 1,184 acres of incredibly fun terrain. With three unique sections of the mountain—Glory Ridge, Summit and Silver King— the ski area seems much bigger than its modest acreage leads on. And if you’ve got the tools and education, the lift-accessed backcountry is world-renowned.

SLEEPS » Hume Hotel—holy smokes, this place is historic, funky and cool. The Adventure Hotel is another awesome spot—newly renovated and a hot spot for the “characters” among us. Great bar, great value.

EATS » Jackson’s Hole & Grill for a laid back atmosphere and comfort food; Bibo is the choice for vegetarians and vegans; Cantina Del Centro for Mexican-inspired eats and,

of course, margaritas.

Red Mountain

A video posted by RED Mountain Resort (@redresort) on Jun 23, 2016 at 9:42am PDT

Red Mountain offers 360 degrees of terrain that’ll test any skier’s mettle. The ski area, located just north of Rossland—a mining era town recognized as one of the first ski municipals in Canada—boasts over 2,600 acres of lift-served skiing with an additional 1,600 of hike-to terrain. The cherry on top is the Mt. Kirkup Cat Skiing, which charges a measly $10 per run to shred open bowls and top-notch trees.

SLEEPS » Slalom Creek at the mountain for plush accommodations; Flying Steamshovel in town for funk and fun; and Casa Alpina, also in town, for budget digs.

EATS » The Rock Cut Pub for bar-style eats and beer; Gabriella’s Restaurant for Italian fare at the base of the ski area; Aka Dake Sushi if you’re in the mood to roll.

Note: This article appears in FREESKIER magazine Volume 19.2, the Resort Guide. The issue is available via iTunes Newsstand. Subscribe to FREESKIER magazine.