Canadian Mountain Holidays

One of the most challenging mountain bike races in North America, the TransRockies, got underway in Panorama Mountain Village this morning!

Just after 11am, about 500 bikers in two-person teams set off for a seven-day trek through the Kootenay Rockies of south eastern British Columbia, Canada. The cyclists will ride from Panorama to Fernie, where the race is scheduled to end on Saturday, August 16th.

The TransRockies was the brainchild of Heinrich Albrecht and Chester Fabricius, creators of the European TransAlp Challenge, which was first run in the 80’s. Albrecht and Fabricius wanted to start a similar race in North America. The inaugural TransRockies was held in 2002, and has been held every year since.

The route usually covers about 600 kilometers (over 370 miles) of mountainous terrain, over 7 days, with around 12,000m (over 13,000 yards) of climbing. The route varies every year, and regularly has to be changed at the last minute due to forest fires, or the threat of fire.

Panorama Mountain Village is a Canadian mountain holiday destination located about four hours’ drive south west of Calgary. Offering a wide variety of activities during the summer, including world class golf, and excellent skiing in the winter months, Panorama is a well-kept secret! The village is very well designed, with all accommodations centrally located and with excellent lift access in winter - there are few places that cannot be classed as ski in/ski out!

Compass Tours creates reasonably priced custom holiday packages to Panorama, as well as Whistler and Sun Peaks, for its clients.

If you’re thinking of visiting the mountains of beautiful British Columbia, don’t hesitate to ask us for a free quote - there’s no obligation!

We have received several inquiries about the recent fire in Panorama Mountain Village, so decided to put up a post about the incident. Please be aware that this article is written from a casual observer’s point of view and contains opinions and conjecture that have not be confirmed by the relevant authorities.

On the night of June 20/21, a Friday night, one block of the Horsethief condo complex caught fire. All sixteen units in the 300 block sustained serious damage.

It is believed that the fire started at about 12.30am, apparently caused by an electrical fault.

Here are some photo’s taken on the Saturday morning:

Fortunately, there is no word of any injuries caused by the incident, nor were any firefighters harmed while dealing with the blaze.

It is believed that twelve units had resort staff living in them. Some had literally just moved in a couple of nights previously, and others had been living there for several years. These people lost everything they owned, destoyed either by the fire, or damage from the chemicals and water used to douse the flames.

Word is that the central check-in office received complaints from guests in nearby units about the noise made by the fire alarms, and how the fire had impacted on their enjoyment of their visit to Panorama. What can I say? Its amazing how self-centered people can be, when their neighbours have just lost not only everything they own, but the very roof over their heads!

Now, almost three weeks later, the block is safely condoned off and awaiting the finalization of the fire investigation before any action can be taken with regard to repairing or replacing the building. General consensus is that the building will have to be completely demolished and rebuilt:

A family holiday in Panorama has a lot to offer everyone, whether you’re just after some rest and relaxation, or want to enjoy some of the great summer activities available in the area!

Take a drive around the area … venture onto a logging road in the early morning or towards dusk, and you will have a good chance of viewing some area wildlife … bear, deer, moose, mountain goats, and many different types of birds! Go onto the logging roads on weekends or holidays - the loggers aren’t working so that the wildlife won’t have been too alarmed by the activity. A great alternative is to head up through Radium into the Kootenay and Glacier national parks … most of the time you don’t even have to leave the main road to enjoy game viewing!

Of course, when you’re out and about, you’ll also see the incredible variety of plant life that is able to survive the extremes of climate in this area … both evergreen and deciduous trees, and many flowering varieties (both wild and cultivated) with lovely fragrances!

Golfers can enjoy play at the renowned Greywolf Golf Course, which has some of the most spectacular mountain golf scenery in the world! Its a super track, great fun, and forgiving enough that even players who’ve not swung a club in over two years can still enjoy their games!

Speaking of scenery, no matter where you look, there’ll be something that will take your breath away … photo’s are great but they simply cannot capture the majesty of the area.

Today’s the official start of summer in Panorama: The first day of operations at Greywolf Golf Course! Although the course opening was delayed a week due to the cool spring and late snowmelt, its been worth the wait! The first long weekend of summer promises increased temperatures, up to as much as 30C, and sunshine right through to Monday!

Whistler’s summer has kicked in, too, with the golf courses all having opened in the past couple of weeks. Canada’s leading golf destination has five championship courses that’ll delight the most discerning golfer!

After an epic winter of huge snowfalls, and a long, chilly spring, Sun Peaks‘ Graham Cooke design golf course is scheduled to open for the season on May 24th.

Compass Tours specializes in creating reasonably-priced summer and winter holiday packages to Whistler, Sun Peaks and Panorama resorts. Experience, local knowledge, and great service!

Contact us today for your free, no-obligation quote!

Yes, its that time of year already! The freezing levels are starting to rise and the daffodils, tulips, bluebells and snowdrops are starting to pop up.

Panorama Mountain Village closed last Sunday, seeing the end of an epic season which boasted super snow conditions throughout the winter! Now the golf season’s on the way, with Greywolf Golf Course set to open on May 9th, with the mountain bike park soon to follow!

This coming Sunday will see the last weekend of winter operations in Sun Peaks for 2008, with several end-of-season events scheduled to celebrate what has been a great snow year. The Sun Peaks Golf Course will open on May 17th, and the mountain bike park opens June 28th.

Whistler still has almost two weeks of skiing and boarding left with Whistler Mountain closing on April 20th, while Blackcomb remains open as conditions permit until June 8th. Summer sliding on Blackcomb Glacier will open on June 9th. The much-anticipated Whistler golf season will start on April 18th with the opening of Big Sky Golf & Country Club. The other courses, Fairmont Chateau, Nicklaus North, and Whistler Golf Club, will be coming online as soon as conditions permit. The world-class mountain bike park on Whistler Mountain opens on May 17th.

If you’re thinking of planning a Canadian mountain holiday this summer, ask Compass Tours to help you make the arrangements! We operate in Whistler, Sun Peaks and Panorama, and would love to help you get the most out of your vacation! Contact us today for your free quote - and to benefit from our local knowledge and vacation planning experience!

What a great snow year all the mountain resorts in B.C. are having this season!

Things are going ahead at the new Whistler nordic centre in the Callaghan Valley - now officially known as Whistler Olympic Park. The facilities have been open for some weeks and have proved to be a hit with nordic fans! Added to the popular Lost Lake complex in the village, Whistler has grown into a world class nordic destination - there’s plenty here to keep everyone entertained!

More great news is that the issue of dual-passes with Lost Lake cross country trails has been resolved … users can now choose from a pass that gives them access to the Callaghan Valley network of trails alone, or just to the Lost Lake trails … or a dual pass that covers both! For more information on the new facilities and trail passes in the Callaghan, visit the official Whistler Olympic Park website.

Sun Peaks offers skinny skiers a total of 40km of trails - 28km are trackset for both classic and skate skiing, and 12km are ungroomed backcountry trails. An added bonus is that the nordic pass in Sun Peaks includes access to the Mt Morrisey Express alpine lift, which opens up a great tour all the way down to the McGillivray Lake warming hut.

This winter Panorama has a little less to offer in the way of cross country skiing than usual, due to logging in the area that has closed access to some outlying trails. There’s still access to over 10km of groomed and trackset trails, though, via the Greywolf Nordic Centre. You can also stop at Carrick’s Restaurant, which offers casual light dining with a licenced bar, and a retail outlet, too, for those items you may have forgotten to bring along!

Compass Tours can create your holiday package to any of these outstanding resorts!

Let us put a reasonably-priced custom package together for you, with a free quote, so that you don’t miss out! Read what our clients have to say about us!

Contact us today for more information!

A great alternative to hotel- or condo-style accommodation for your Canadian mountain holiday is a bed & breakfast inn. Just imagine:

You start you day with a good meal that’s catered for (and cleaned up after!), along with the personalized experience of staying in a small property where people will know your name - in a neighbourhood right where the locals live!

Earl Grey Lodge, Panorama Resort

An example of this is the Earl Grey Lodge in Panorama Resort. Located in the main village area, this bnb is just steps from the lift base and within easy walking distance of all the amenities. Your hosts, Phil & Clare Marshall, will make you feel right at home, and there’s also the opportunity to enjoy the service at their intimate award-winning restaurant if you don’t feel like going out in the evening!

Alpine Chalet Whistler

Whistler Resort boasts the purpose-built Alpine Chalet that offers European-style hospitality with afternoon cookies and cake for apres-activities! Nothing has been forgotten at this lovely inn … internet access, spa services …

Sun Lodge, Sun Peaks

In Sun Peaks there’s the Sun Lodge, a true ski in/out b&b that’s great for families, with the added benefit of a Japanese restaurant for those evenings in!

Compass Tours can create reasonably-priced custom packages that include any combination of accommodation with air and/or ground transportation, lift tickets, rentals, lessons, winter and summer activities, golf … even dinner reservations! We can also add on a night or two in Vancouver, host of the 2010 Winter Olympic & Paralympic Games!

Contact us today for more information about your next trip to Whistler, Sun Peaks or Panorama!

Panorama Resort, B.C., Canada, opened last weekend and is boasting the most early season terrain in the B.C. Interior!

Conditions are so stellar that you can already ski out with over half a metre (20 inches) of snow at village level, and there’s pure champagne powder at the top!

There’s something for sliders of all abilities, with plenty of groomed runs, too!

Its shaping up to be a great season, so plan your Canadian mountain holiday in Panorama now with Compass Tours! We also operate in Whistler and Sun Peaks.

You will benefit from our experience and local knowledge, so request your reasonably-priced custom package quote that can include accommodation with any combination of air and ground transportation, lift tickets, rental equipment, lessons, activities, even dinner reservations!

Summer packages also available!

It was announced recently that the Canadian Temporary Foreign Worker program is set to expand over the next weeks and months.

The program has already been broadened to include hospitality and tourism workers, which specifically addresses issues that affect resort destinations such as Whistler, Sun Peaks, and Panorama, and is to be further widened to include other trades. No specifics have been made public yet, though.

The idea is to ensure a better supply of qualified workers not only for the immediate future as the population ages, but also to cover the demands of Vancouver and the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympic & Paralymic Games.

In addition, Human Resources and Social Development Minister, Monte Solberg, has advised that the Canadian Working Holiday Visa system is also being reassessed with a view to possibly including the UK, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan.

So, if you’re interested in working in Canada temporarily, be sure to keep an eye on the Immigration Canada website.

Good luck!

Its official! Racing this weekend is a “GO”! For the first time in 15 years, Panorama Mountain Village will host World Cup Skiing!

After more than 20cm of snow fell on the area over the past couple of days, the FIS has given the go-ahead for the running of the women’s World Cup technical races this Saturday and Sunday!

It is estimated that more than 140 million television viewers worldwide will watch the action on the slopes of Panorama, where the course is said to be in great condition already, and will offer a fair test to the competitors!

A special event in will be held at 6pm in Invermere on Saturday, which will include the Parade of Nations and athlete bib draw, as well as a tree-lighting ceremony and fireworks!

Panorama Mountain Village is a great place for a family vacation, too, and the slopes are scheduled to open for public skiing and boarding from about December 8th!

Compass Tours specializes in reasonably-priced custom packages that include accommodation with any combination of transportation, skiing and snowboarding, and activities.

Contact us now so that we can start building your Panorama itinerary!