BARB MARTOWSKI
 When it’s a pow day at Panorama, there are no friends. DAVE GLUNS,Tourism BC |
PANORAMA, BC — All I could hear was the sound of boots stomping down the hallway – and plenty of laugher. It’s not the sound you want to wake up to when you’ve only been asleep for a couple of hours.
We had pulled into Panorama Mountain Village, located in the heart of British Columbia’s Kootenay Rockies, in the wee hours of the morning. After checking in, locating my condo and dumping my gear on the floor, the only thing I wanted was to sleep until I woke up naturally—on my own with no alarm clocks of any kind.
Prime real estate
That’s the beauty of Panorama, once you're there and the driving is finished—your schedule and your time are your own.
Panorama offers a plethora of accommodation options, from basic but perfectly located (right at the base of the Mile One quad) hotel rooms in the Pine Inn to family condos and townhouses to the ultimate ... the ski-in, ski-out Panorama Springs with in-hotel access to the wonderful and relaxing Panorama Springs outdoor hot pools, and a perfect view of the slopes.
My favourite place to stay is the Ski Tip which is located above the day lodge, and if you are lucky enough to be on the mountain side, you can enjoy your morning cup of coffee from the comfort of your balcony, while watching the early birds head to the quad for first tracks.
On a sunny day, in the afternoon, the only place better than your balcony is Panorama’s large and inviting deck, which is right below, along with dining options, nightlife and shopping.
 Panorama’s large, outdoor hot pools. DAVID GLUNS,Tourism BC |
The only time you need leave the immediate area is maybe to pick up a few essentials at the general store located lower down in the Toby Creek Lodge, which is easily accessed by the mini people mover of a gondola – again, right in between the Pine Inn and the Ski Tip.
Time to make a move
Realizing that the stomping boots weren’t going to quit, I dragged myself to the window to see why all the hurry. It was snowing, big fat flakes and so much that the Mile One quad was only a ghost of itself. That only means one thing—a snow day, and everyone knows, there are no friends on a snow day.
Fifteen minutes later, I was in the queue waiting to get on a chair. It’s a funny thing about snow days, not much conversation in line, but you could really feel the positive energy—everyone’s focused on the ever-accumulating powder that was blanketing the mountain.
By 2:30 p.m., my legs were spent and it was time for me to call it a day; besides, the snow had stopped, the sun was breaking through and a pint was calling my name.
Down on the deck, a few of my cohorts were either also calling it a day, or were taking a break. While I had spent my time doing run after run off the Mile One, they were all over the mountain.
Mogul perfection
 Getting your picture taken in Panorama’s world-famous chair is a must. DAVID GLUNS,Tourism BC |
For Ryan Saulou, there is no better place to be at Panorama, than Taynton Bowl. "It is beautiful up there, so much snow. Everything has a great layer on it. The first face is pretty steep, but the powder keeps you from going too fast, and then when we hit Taynton Trail the moguls were like pillows, and perfectly symmetrical.
"Everyone who was in there this morning knew what they were doing – none of the mangled stuff that happens when a bunch who haven’t a clue have gone through."
While others were gushing over Top of the World, Summit and Roy’s Run, another mogul haven, Tammy DuChene and Trevor Suer were hanging out in the terrain park. "It took a day like this to make me venture into the park," said DuChene.
"I would normally be freaked out about landing on my tush, but today I didn’t mind trying the rails or even attempting some of the jumps. With all the snow, that’s exactly what we tried to do. Bite it. It was so much fun, we just kept egging each other on, trying crazier and crazier things."
With the sun beating down and listening to the conversations, the swapping of stories, I noticed that I had been sliding further and further into my chair. The legs had signaled that all was good, and if I really wanted to, they were up for another run.
Unfortunately, the ale was tasting like more and with good friends doing the entertaining, I found myself at peace with the world—I couldn’t think of a better place to enjoy the moment. So I stayed put.
Get more info on Panorama on our SnowSeekers' destination page.