I don’t know about you – but for me – rolling up to a resort for the first time can be a little bit intimidating. I’m not sure what the terrain is going to be like, which chairlift to take first, or what run takes me where.
So, when I pulled up to the Kimberley Alpine Resort for my first winter visit, I was both excited and nervous. Luckily, the snow had been streaming down from the sky the night before, so even though I had some butterflies in my belly – I knew I was in for a treat.
Saddling up to the North Star chair on that sunny Sunday morning, my partner, Mathieu and I smiled at the ticket checker who was grinning so wide we had to ask her if she’d just had the best powder run of her life?
“Nope,” she laughed, “I’m just happy to be here.”
We loaded the high-speed quad with a couple of youngsters who had driven out from Calgary to bask in the warmer temperatures and champagne powder that the resort was serving up that day and they too, mentioned to us how “stoked they were to be here.”
Hooking hard right off the chair, we made our way around to test out a lap on Buckhorn – which had accumulated a hefty layer of fresh snow after the groomer had passed the night before – making for a superb layer of soft snow underfoot.
As we blitzed our way down the wide open run, fresh dry powder flew up beside our boards and each turn felt better than the last. My legs were warming up – and my nerves were starting to settle.
Back at the base, another jovial duo joined us on the chair – a young couple who had fallen so in love with Kimberley’s laid-back vibe on last year’s ski trip – that they sold their home in the city and moved two minutes down the road from the resort.
“We just love being here,” they said in unison.
As we rode off the chair, it suddenly seemed like everywhere we looked people were smiling, laughing, high-fiving and having a great time – sure, the fresh snow was helping – but it felt deeper than that. There was a sense of community, connection, camaraderie and joy – even among those of us who had shown up to the ski hill that morning as strangers – we felt welcomed in right away.
Traversing towards Vimy Ridge, the untouched snow on the side of Caper beckoned and we weaved our way along the treeline, slashing and splashing our way down the run before picking up the Easter Triple with plans to explore the aptly-named Black Forest.
Standing in front of the trail map like a couple of lost travellers brought back some nervous insecurities – but they were quickly squashed by a gentleman in a bright yellow Resort Host jacket who waltzed over to us with a warm smile and offered up a few of his favorite lines off the ridge.
“You can never go wrong with a Dean Left to a Dean Right, and be sure to check out the Glades in between,” he pointed along the map, “just keep an eye out for the Ridgeway traverse so you can get back to the bottom of the Easter chair.”
These amazing interactions became the theme of our day and I quickly became smitten with the ski hill – not just because of the soft groomers, the fun side hits, the perfectly spaced glades filled with fresh powder, the quick chair rides and the well-manicured, inclusive terrain parks – but because of the vibe of the people who work and ride here.
I was having trouble putting it all into words until we rode the last chair of the day with a brilliant young man who simplified what I was sensing.
“You know what it is?” he said, as he leaned over the bar and brushed a dusting of fresh powder off his skis, “Everyone just wants to be here – and that – is an amazing feeling to be surrounded by.”
Photos & Words by @trip.longer
