Amazing Hidden Ski Runs at Canadian Rockies Resorts!

Skiing the Canadian Rockies this winter? Check out this excellent list of hidden ski runs at some of the best-loved resorts in the Rockies! Whether it’s your first time skiing in Western Canada, or the area is your home turf of powder, these runs are definitely worth checking out for an off-the-beaten path experience!
 

PANORAMA MOUNTAIN RESORT

Run: Eagle Glide (Green) or New Timer (Blue)
Rating: Green/Blue
What is it: These runs are short, mellow, and always perfectly groomed and there are some nice trees that you can ski through. The area has a really cozy feel about and is completely surrounded by forest.
How do I get there? Take the Toby Chair and exit right, it’s the first run on your right. This lift is one of the first to be built at Panorama and is a small two person fixed grip that moves slowly, this is what keeps this run in good shape and relatively vacant.
 
Run: Alive Glades to Sunna
Rating: Blue to Black
What is it: This is a favourite of a friend of ours on the Panorama staff (thanks Clarissa)! The trees were gladed in a diamond pattern in here, like the 10 of diamonds playing card. So you get to experience these islands of trees with runs snaking in between them. The whole bowl is quite mellow and on a powder day this is a great place for intermediates. The Alive Glades are named after the film ‘Alive’ which was partially filmed here.
How do I get there? Take the Summit Chair up and make your way to Sun Bowl Trail. Alive Glades branch off Sun Bowl Trail to the right. Alive will reconnect you to Sun Bowl Trail, follow it until you see Sunna which branches off to the right.
 
Run: Sunbird Lift Line
Rating: Black
What is it: Another staff favourite, this run is best experienced on powder days and hit it first before going to the summit. Steep but not like a double diamond, with plenty of natural features for you to pop off on your way down.
How do I get there? Take Sunbird up and ride down underneath it. You’ll be skiing directly under the lift line so you will have an audience for any epic bails.
 
Run: Gunbarrel
Rating: Double Black
What is it: On the trail map this looks like a short run that pretty much ends at a bunch of cliffs. Not the case! This is an excellent, steep and quite challenging run that only locals seem to venture into. It’s fairly shaded so is often a good place to find snow, but double check conditions with a ski patroller at the summit before venturing in if it hasn’t snowed in a while.
How do I get there? Go all the way to the top, baby, and then just follow the signs. It will be to the left after you get off Summit Quad.
 
Run: Sidewinder Glades
Rating: Double Black
What is it: This hidden gem is super steep with perfectly spaced trees and hardly a person in sight. What more could you want, really?
How do I get there? From the top, take View of 1000 Peaks. Once you pass Stumbock’s, Sidewinder will come up shortly on your right.
Read more here about skiing or snowboarding at Panorama Mountain Resort. To view the interactive Panorama trail map and locate these trails more specifically, just click here.
 
 

SILVER STAR MOUNTAIN RESORT

Run: Silver Fox
Rating: Green
What is it: This run skirts the Silver Woods area and is a lovely way to experience a smooth, not so steep, treed run. Silver Fox is located in the Silver Woods area of the mountain and is easy to get to, and off the beaten path.
How do I get there? Take the Powder Gulch Express, then ski Last Chance which will take you to Silver Fox.
 
Run: BX Express
Rating: Blue
What is it: This is the intermediate version of Silver Fox as it runs parallel to it and also skirts the Silver Woods area.
How do I get there? Take the Powder Gulch Express, then ski Last Chance which is a green run that will take you to BX Express.
 
Run: Minerva
Rating: Black
What is it: Located on the backside of the mountain means this run is often overlooked and has fresh powder even late in the day when most other runs are tracked out.
How do I get there? Take the Powder Gulch Express, once you get off go to the right and take 25 North to Sunny Ridge, both blue runs. Sunny Ridge will connect you to Minerva but you’ll have to pass Bon Diablo and Holy Smokes, two other black runs, all of which drop off to the left. Minerva will dump you out onto El Dorado which will take you back to Powder Gulch Express.
 
Runs: Black Pine, Here’s Joe, Stardust, Where’s Bob
Rating: All Black…take your pick.
What is it: These runs are on the back side and all run parallel to one another. They’re often overlooked and have fresh powder even late in the day when most other runs are tracked out.
How do I get there? Take the Home Run Tee and Sunny High, a blue one which will deliver you to all of the entrances to these black runs. Pick the one that looks the most fluffy and untouched and enjoy!
 

REVELSTOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT

Run: Greely Bowl to Big Woody
Rating: Black
What is it: A combination powder-filled bowl, an opportunity to pause take in the incredible scenery from an area of the mountain that is rarely visited, and a natural creek bed filled with snow that will lead you to the ‘Big Woody’ run and The Ripper Chair.
How do I get there? Take Revelation Gondola to top and take Stoke Chairlift to summit. Upon disembarking from chairlift head right (South) towards Patrol cabin. Approximately 50m past the top of the chairlift is a boot pack that heads to the true summit of the Sub-Peak. It takes about 15-20 min to boot pack up to the Sub-Peak. At the sub-peak is a cool meteorological station, and the feeling of being part of the select few who access this place. Drop in the most top part (and most powder filled) section of the North Bowl wherever the line and your bravery take you. Keep skiers right in the descent to end up in Greely bowl.
Read more here about skiing or snowboarding at Revelstoke Mountain Resort.
 

Sunshine Village

Mountain: Goat’s Eye Mountain
Run: Jackrabbit
Rating: Black
What is it: Named after Jack Rabbit Johansen, the pioneer of cross-country skiing in Canada, this run is a 120ft long groomer that is steep, fast and lined with trees. It’ll take you back to Jackrabbit Chair.
How do I get there? At the top of Jackrabbit Chair turn left and it’s the first run on your left.
 
Mountain: Goat’s Eye Mountain
Run: Eagle Creek
Rating: Black
What is it: An old, tight creek bed that zooms along a mini-canyon and dumps you out onto a wide fairway called Christmas Tree that will take you back to the Goat’s Eye Gondola.
How do I get there? It’s a bit of a journey, but it’s so worth it. This run seems to be most frequented by snowboarders, but advanced skiers use it as well. The run starts nearly halfway down the mountain. If you’d like to take a blue down then just follow the Sunshine Coast, you need to go past Rolling Thunder and past Wildfire. Once you’ve passed Wildfire, stay on the left side of the groomer until you see the signage saying Eagle Creek. Enter here.  If you’d like to ride a black down then any of the runs that are across from Delirium Dive will funnel you into Eagle Creek territory. You’ll have a flowy groomer to ride to begin with, but keep your eyes peeled for another Eagle Creek sign which will guide you to the left and down a steeper groomed run through the trees. After a short ride you’ll see a tight turn to the right which becomes a much narrower funnel and looks like what it is…a dried up creek bed. This is where the real fun begins. Just be aware that a few minutes into Eagle Creek there is a 15ft drop off into a lower creek bed. If you don’t feel like doing a ‘jai-ho’ off the cliff, it can easily be avoided as the trail goes around it to the left and you can climb down into the creek bed at your own pace rather than jumping. Even though the creek bed is not steep, it is tight and very fast. The first time you do it might have you putting the brakes on, but once you’ve had a few repetitions and know what to expect you can really fly and enjoy the enthralling experience that Eagle Creek offers.
 
Mountain: Mt Standish
Run: Back Door
Rating: Black
What is it: An amazing natural half-pipe that funnels you down to Wolverine Chair. This run is outside the patrolled area so you won’t find it on the map but its so much fun for those who like to experience rolling kickers carved out between the trees. This run tends to be snowboarder territory, but experienced skiers love it too. It starts out as a blue with a wider, softer half-pipe and then narrows into a faster, groovier, and tighter run through trees, and over and under logs…if we’re being fair we should probably call this a black even though it’s not steep, but simply because it requires a fair amount of skill and quick reflexes to navigate.
How do I get there? Take Wawa Chair and immediately go right. Go past Tin Can Alley and Shaken Not Stirred. You’ll see a little timber frame doorway straight ahead of you at the edge of the boundary, and boot pack going out of bounds. This is where you have to carry your gear for a bit. The hike will take no longer than 10 minutes. The boot pack will eventually split. If you go to the left and up it will take you to Wawa Ridge (another amazing hidden gem), if you go to the right and hike for another 5 minutes you’ll find yourself at the top of a ridge and you can enter anywhere along here. This is called Side Door (although some people call it Back Door…either way, it’s not on any maps). Put on your gear and drop down into the half-pipe that is on your left-hand side. This will take you on a magical ride through the trees and dump you out just above Wolverine Chair.
Read more here about skiing or snowboarding at one of the Ski Big 3 Resorts.
 

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