On December 11, opening day will have new meaning at Panorama Mountain Resort as it unveils a new Taynton Bowl experience. Following the completion of a major glading project, Taynton Bowl is now more easily accessible and skiers and boarders will enjoy an additional 60 acres of skiable terrain. Along with many other resort enhancements, this winter’s guest will reap the benefits of more than $10 million worth of recent improvements.
Taynton Bowl’s high elevation natural snow and vast area is now more accessible to guests, following the completion of over $210,000 worth of terrain work. Three main areas of the 750-acre bowl have been gladed, including Kinbasket, Ktunaxa to Devil’s Drop, Heli High, Lower Stumbock’s and White Room.
A new access trail has been built from the Summit Hut to Never Never Land along Taynton Bowls’ ridgeline. Ski Patrol will now have greatly improved access to scope out the area, complete their safety control work and open it sooner on powder days.
“We’ve made a major change to the way people access the backcountry style terrain of Taynton Bowl by widening the ridgeline significantly. The result will be a much more comfortable and enjoyable experience for guests by eliminating the need to clamber over ridge crests and obstacles to access our powder,” says Steve Paccagnan, President and CEO of Panorama Mountain Resort.
“There was a tremendous amount of work done to the terrain in Taynton Bowl this fall. Returning guests and new guests alike will be astonished by the 60 acres we’ve gladed and the impact it will have on the entire Taynton experience, continues Paccagnan.
The ex-heli ski terrain of Taynton Bowl is controlled for avalanches and is patrolled. Guests venturing into Taynton Bowl can ski or ride down the full 4,019 vertical feet of the mountain without specialized backcountry equipment or guide services. In addition to the glading within Taynton Bowl, Panorama’s trail crew also completed glading in the Extreme Dream Zone on the frontside of the mountain. The newly gladed area extends from Last Chance to Fat Chance and Dunes to Toadstool in the lower section of the Zone.
For children, Panorama is offering a more engaging, fun and exciting experience with the addition of the Canadian Discovery Trail. A slim twisting forest trail that winds in and out of the Discovery Zone, the trail will be groomed by a specialized snowmobile instead of a snow cat, due to the trail’s narrow nature. Designed to help accelerate progression, the new trail’s natural terrain functions as a guided discovery to learning, complete with cartoon character figures along the way. Small rollers and banked turns in the Discovery Zone will further assist new skiers and boarders with edge and speed control in a safe environment.
Further catering to new skiers and boarders, a new ski-in / ski-out demo centre is set to open in the Discovery Zone. Guests now have the opportunity to test out the latest ski & ride equipment for free, which will assist them in making a choice when it is time to purchase new gear. Panorama is currently in the final stages of completing the Burton Riglet Park, which will be located at the base area in the Discovery Zone and will be open through February. The park will teach young children to snowboard in a fun and engaging environment.
A new option for slopeside lodging has opened for overnight visitors. The 1000 Peaks Lodge is Panorama’s brand new 37-unit slopeside accommodation. The new building stands in the footprint of its predecessor which was destroyed in a 2013 fire. Completely re-built from the parkade up, the new lodge features a variety of studios and one, two and three bedroom units with full kitchens.
The new lodge will be open from the first day of winter. Centrally located in the Upper Village with the Mile 1 Express and amenities only steps away, guests can access over 4,000 vertical feet of skiing from their doorstep. After a day on the mountain, guests can enjoy direct access to Canada’s largest slopeside hot pools that are right next door.
Panorama is scheduled to open on December 11. The resort is offering a three-day SnowCard for $149 for adults for purchase until December 26.
