Golden, British Columbia

Skiing on Champagne Powder  and World Class Mountain Biking: That’s Golden, Canada

Golden, British Columbia, is one of the few cities and towns in the Canadian Rockies that isn’t in a national park. But that doesn’t mean Golden doesn’t live up to its name; it’s actually one of the most beautiful places not just in Canada but the entire world, as it is surrounded by the edges of Banff, Glacier, Jasper, Kootenay, Mount Revelstoke, and Yoho national parks.

Like all cities and towns in the Canadian Rockies, the opportunities to get outside and play are limitless. If skiing is your bag, there is Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, located about 20 minutes away from Golden and nestled in the Purcell Mountain Range. In the winter these mountains are covered with “champagne powder” – light, dry snow snow that’s perfect for the technical skiing to be enjoyed here.

It’s also a perfect place in the warmer months for a holiday or vacation getaway; the Kicking Horse Gondola, which is open year around, provides spectacular views. At the top of the gondola’s lift is the Eagle’s Eye Restaurant, located at 2,347 meters, or about 7,700 feet, above sea level – which makes it the highest of any sightseeing gondola in British Columbia. Here you’ll also find the largest Grizzly Bear reserve in the world.

Got adrenaline? During the summer the mountains of Golden also provide world-class mountain biking. In fact for many years the town hosted the longest singletrack downhill mountain bike race in the world. There is also excellent whitewater here; you can take a rafting trip on the Kicking Horse River and pick the adrenaline level of your trip – choose from “ah, this is nice” to “Whoa this is crazy!” Looking for more sedate water fun? Golden is only one beautiful, scenic hour’s drive from Lake Louise. It’s also only 139 kilometers from Banff, just down the Trans Canada Highway.

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