A PANORAMA OF THINGS TO DO
Mountain village ripe for adventure
Despite his questionable technique ( you’re not supposed to eat your handlebars), two YouTubeworthy wipeouts and a tire-kicking tantrum of the finest order, Nick’s first downhill mountain biking experience wasn’t a total failure. After all, he did make it down Let it Ride — a beginnerfriendly downhill mountain biking trail at Panorama — in one piece. And, just like all of his white-knuckle adventures at the Panorama Mountain Village, he’s got stories to tell. Thankfully, most don’t involve tears.
Nick, 10, was one of three Penner boys slamming back single-track and playing a potpourri of “summer games” at Panorama on a recent father/sons getaway. The beautiful, high-in-the-alpine mountain village — located 20 minutes from downtown Invermere and 31/2 hours west of Calgary in the Kootenay Rockies — is ripe for outdoor adventure. And, like many mountain resorts, they’re upping their game when it comes to summertime pursuits.
“Our summer business has grown year over year,” says Jamie Hurschler, marketing manager at the all-season resort community. Most of our weekends are selling out and resulting in a push for increased mid-week stays. We’re a multi-faceted, full-on summer destination with a wide variety of soft adventure, relaxation, and action sports to choose from. When you combine our offerings with a picturesque mountain setting, close to Calgary, and our growing residential community, it’s a really exciting time for the resort in terms of growth and popularity.”
The highlights of our getaway included an awesome ATV Tour high in the mountains with Toby Creek Adventures, a white-water rafting trip down Toby Creek, a round of golf at Greywolf Golf Course (one of the best mountain courses in the world), downhill mountain biking in the Panorama Bike Park, and plenty of hot-tubbing and water-sliding in the spacious outdoor waterpark. In between the adrenalin rushes we retreated to our cosy twobedroom condo unit located in the 1000 Peaks Lodge, which is situated right along the beginner ski slopes at the popular resort.
Thankfully, being a beginner on an ATV Tour with Toby Creek Adventures isn’t a deal-breaker. After signing the waivers and going through the safety tutorial, we motored up the mountain on a decades-old backcountry trail that took us to an abandoned mine site. The professionally guided tour with the powerful machines — we choose a fourseater that allowed us to ride in the same vehicle — was a thrilling initiation to ATV touring in the mountains. Both Nick and Nelson, 13, were wide-eyed and white-knuckled as dad steered the machine through the many dips and dives along the way.
After a quick snack in the cabin, which is situated right at tree line, we drove even higher for a walk in the snow and a panoramic view of Panorama. Three hours later, covered in dust, we arrived back at the staging area and the day was only half done.
Tumbling down the mountainside and featuring one of the most talked-about and photographed par-3s in Canadian golf — the infamous “Cliffhanger” hole — Greywolf is also a thrilling roller-coaster ride. The course, designed by Canadian architect Doug Carrick, features wide play- ing corridors and plenty of daring, downhill tee shots — perfect for mediocre players who need a little distance assistance.
While stunning mountain golf is, for many, reason enough to head to Panorama in the summer, the sheer convenience of the wide range of summer activities, most of which are located right at the village, is ideal. Take, for example, the proximity of Toby Creek and an exciting, familyfriendly rafting adventure.
Although this particular section of water isn’t as hair-raising as, say, the nearby Kicking Horse River in Golden, the class II and III rapids of Toby Creek are ideal for kids. And the quick-and-easy ride up the road and takeout right at the Adventure Centre in the Lower Village can’t be beat. While Nick and Nelson were grinning from ear to ear as we thundered down the river (we even saw a moose!), the fear factor didn’t reach red-line levels. That was saved for the downhill mountain biking.
True, downhill mountain biking isn’t for the faint of heart. But, no question, if you’re the adventurous type, coasting down Let it Ride is a great initiation to the sport. (The park also features expert runs, jump trails, and gnarly single track that’s capable of challenging the best downhill riders in the country). Complete with super-fun berms, easy rollers, and a smooth pitch, Let it Ride is definitely an adrenalin rush, especially if you’re fairly new to the sport. (Bike rentals and protective gear can be rented at the park).
Although it took a little persuasion, Nick, who had never been on a mountain bike before, was game to give it a go. Halfway down the trail, after suffering some roadrash and a wounded ego, he wasn’t at all convinced that downhill mountain biking was his calling. “No problem, son,” I said as he wiped back a few tears and booted his tires. “There are plenty of other sports we can do.”