Kimberley

Kimberley ski resort is a full service ski-in resort located 2.5km (1.5 miles) - or a five minute drive - from the 'Bavarian' town of Kimberley with its additional amenities. The ski area has improved dramatically in the past few years with modern lifts, a big terrain expansion (more than 50%) and the creation of a base village. The original town of Kimberley is a now vibrant former mining-town with a rather surreal feel to it, thanks to the strong onus on Bavarian Germany in some of the bars, restaurants and shops. The crowning glory is Canada's largest Cuckoo clock. The ski resort is jointly owned (with about half a dozen other ski areas) by Resorts of the Canadian Rockies group, the relative proximity of Fernie and Kimberley (90 minutes drive apart) in the south East corner of British Columbia, has led to several UK tour operators offering the two as a joint package (rapidly expanding Intrawest resort Panorama and Big Mountain, south of the border in Montana, are all in the vicinity too, if you have transport).

Details: Written by: Jim Walker; Last Updated: 20 Aug 2012

Full service ski-in resort located 2.5km (1.5 miles) from the 'Bavarian' town of Kimberley with its additional amenities. The resort offers a ticket refund if skiers don't like the conditions after up to an hour on the slopes. There are 3km (2 miles) of floodlit cross country skiing trails.

Mountain

Kimberley has a reputation for light dry powder and has built some fast new chair lifts and increased facilities at the base of their slopes. Kimberley's 1800 acres of skiable terrain has expanded dramatically over the last few years up to 50 percent more ski area. There are many long, open gentle fall-line runs, often coated with fluffy Purcell Powder. There are also long runs for more advanced skiers, and some of the best bumps in North America. Off piste opportunities include floating in and out of glades with the entire backside, although just around the corner from civilization, feeling like an isolated wilderness of powder snow fun. From the top of the Easter triple chair the long green Caper trail (39) to the left or the Ridgeway (38) to the right each take you to the starts of over a dozen blacks which cut through then rejoin the same easy greens they left. The Easter Bowl on the backside of the mountain that is best known for its steep fall line runs, big moguls and long lasting powder stashes. Night skiing is available several evenings a week. Kimberley and Fernie are 90 minutes apart, share common ownership and an interchangeable lift ticket. The Kimberley Nordic Club trail network consists of a variety of double track set trails of varying degrees of difficulty and length, complete with centre skating lanes. There are also a variety of single track set secondary trails and a 3.3 kilometer lit loop for night skiing. The Kimberley Nordic Club trails, located by Kimberley Alpine Resort consist of 26 km of trails. There are also a variety of single track set secondary trails and a 3.3 kilometer lit loop for night skiing.

Families

Wildhorse Daycare caters for children aged 18 months to six years and is based in the Trickle Creek Lodge. Parents have the option of providing a bag lunch or picking up the little ones for lunch as a family. KidzRule evening programs are available for children aged three to twelve. The resort's talented staff offer a variety of games, crafts, ceramics, wall climbing, skating and much, much more. For children on skis and boards Kimberley Kruisers is a program for six to twelve year olds.

Eating Out

Kimberley has half a dozen eating choices on the mountain from the standard Day Lodge cafeteria to the more upmarket, but still pleasantly casual, Kelsey's (again) in the Trickle Creek Lodge. In the town there's a much bigger choice and everything available from pizza, pasta or prime rib thrrough sandwich, schnitzel or seafood to hamburger, hashbrowns and eggs or glazed ham. A visit to the Old Bauernhaus Restaurant is not to be missed. The Baurnhaus was constructed in southern Bavaria about 350 years ago. The building was taken apart, shipped to Canada and re-built in Kimberley. It serves authentic German cuisine. At Mary's Kitchen specialty items include Ukrainian perogies or the English style Fish & Chips.

Apres

Kimberley's base nightlife includes Kelsey's Bar + Grill and the Stemwinder Bar + Grill, both offering apre's food and drink as well as live music on weekends. Sullivan's Pub has live entertainment every weekend - daily specials, free pool and darts. The Ozone - in the heart of Kimberley has the village's wildest night life - drink specials and live entertainment. Marysville Pub & Grill, five minutes from the village centre offers pool and darts plus weekly draws.