Think old school charm, European flare, natural landscapes and glades that stick it to the big ski hill man. If you like trees, Kimberly arranges some very romantic runs between you and Mother Nature.
Less of a “family resort” and more of an “ode to the quaintness and quality of European ski hills”, Kimberly has terrain, that on a good snow day, will get your giddy up. Lots of nice pitches spooned by trees give you something to brag about. Thinned out, tall glades offer you the chance to play slalom racecourse with the horticulture.
With an always welcome, as far as I’m concerned, German influence, you can get your favorite wursts for lunch, both brat and weiss and of course eine grosse bier.
Nestled into a quiet nook of the Purcell Mountains, Kimberley is fondly referred to as the “Bavarian City of the Rockies. True to its German-ness, it keeps things old-school, authentic, beer-fueled and fun. And all this…to the tune of 80s music and traditional folksongs.
Visit the Platzl, the main shopping area. If you haven’t been to Europe, here’s a taste. (You’d think we’d have figured out by now that closing a few streets to cars for shops and bars is a good thing.) You can also marvel at the romantic alpine buildings and dream of your first trip to Europe.
If you’re making your way from Calgary, it’s about a four-hour drive. I hear there are more and more flights into Cranbrooke so this may be a better option as it’s right next door.
Close to Panorama, you can easily ski the two resorts and even continue on to Kicking Horse or Fernie.
A piece of Europe in British Columbia, Kimberly is a great place to experience a whole other side of skiing. While in Canada we are a bit more “drive up, rip it up, have one beer, head for home”, Europeans have embraced skiing as a way of being. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go see for yourself.
