Kimberley
720 hectares, 80 runs near Kimberley. Abundant sunshine, long cruising runs, family-friendly, Epic Pass.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
12 Dec 2026
Closes
11 Apr 2027
Days open
120
Annual snow
3.9m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Kimberley's summit reaches 1,982 metres, dropping 752 vertical metres to a base at 1,230 metres across 80 runs spread over roughly 720 hectares near Kimberley, British Columbia. Terrain splits 42 per cent intermediate, 38 per cent advanced, 20 per cent beginner and no dedicated expert terrain, with average annual snowfall of roughly 3.9 metres. The resort carries Epic Pass affiliation. Five lifts, including one double chair, one quad chair and one triple chair, serve the mountain alongside one surface lift and one t-bar.
Kimberley holds a genuinely notable place among Canadian ski towns for its considerable sunshine, long marketed as among the sunniest ski destinations in British Columbia, and for a community rescue that saved the resort from closure in the late 1980s. Its long, cruising intermediate-and-advanced terrain has built Kimberley's reputation as a genuinely family-friendly Rockies destination.
The Kimberley Ski Resort Society, then a community-owned operation, was forced into bankruptcy in the late 1980s when interest rates climbed to 25 per cent. The City of Kimberley purchased the mortgage from the bank and took ownership of the hill, a move that saved more than 100 local jobs and kept the resort operating through a genuinely difficult period.
Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, founded in 1981 and today the largest private ski resort owner in North America, acquired Kimberley in the early 1990s alongside the adjacent Trickle Creek Golf Course and campground, and has operated it since. RCR's portfolio also includes Fernie, Kicking Horse and Nakiska. Adult daily tickets run from 139 to 159 Canadian dollars.
752m
Vertical
80
Runs
1,779 acres
Skiable
3.9m
Annual snow
Epic
Pass
The Terrain
80 runs across 1,779 acres skiable
Kimberley spreads 80 runs across roughly 720 hectares in the Purcell Mountains, with a 752-metre vertical between 1,230 and 1,982 metres. There is no expert-rated terrain, but the mix is strong through the middle, at 42% intermediate, 38% advanced and 20% beginner. That makes it a mountain of long cruisers and steeper tree runs rather than extreme lines. Snowfall is modest at about 3.9 metres a year, yet the sunny, settled weather that the East Kootenay is known for makes for comfortable skiing most days.
The mountain is organised into four faces: Northstar, Tamarack, Vimy Ridge and Black Forest. Northstar is mostly groomed greens and blues with small glade pockets, while Tamarack Ridge is an advanced, mostly black zone of open runs and more glades. Black Forest takes its name from the black diamond runs that skiers have cut and shaped on the back side of the mountain. Kimberley suits families, relaxed intermediates and advanced skiers who like glades and consistent pitch. Skiers wanting steep chutes or serious off-piste will find limited challenge, so expert riders should temper expectations before booking.
Terrain split
80
runs
80 runs across 4 grades
Beginner16 runs · 20%
Intermediate34 runs · 42%
Advanced30 runs · 38%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Kimberley
The 2025-26 season at Kimberley ran from 13 December 2025 to 5 April 2026, a roughly sixteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 3.9 metres. The resort's considerable sunshine, among the most abundant of any BC ski destination, distinguishes its seasonal character from the wetter coastal resorts.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Kimberley's long, cruising terrain. As an Epic Pass resort through Resorts of the Canadian Rockies' partnership with Vail Resorts, Kimberley draws pass-holding visitors alongside families seeking a genuinely relaxed Rockies destination.
Kimberley's night-skiing programme and authentic mountain-town atmosphere continue to draw strong visitation throughout the season. School holiday periods bring substantial family visitation given the resort's approachable terrain mix and considerable sunshine.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations and night skiing is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Resorts of the Canadian Rockies' acquisition in the early 1990s, Kimberley has continued building on its community-rescued history following the Kimberley Ski Resort Society's late 1980s bankruptcy. The resort's sunny reputation and family-friendly terrain remain central to its enduring appeal.
Season 2026 - 2027
12 Dec 2026
Opens
11 Apr 2027
Closes
120
Days open
3.9 m
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Kimberley
Daily snow reports at Kimberley go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
22 cm
Snowiest day
10 Dec 2025
0 cm
This winter · 2026-27
so far
174 cm
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
cm
Past wintersThis winter
Getting there
Getting to Kimberley, and where to stay
Kimberley sits near Kimberley, British Columbia, in the Purcell Mountains, with a base elevation of 1,230 metres and a summit at 1,982 metres across a 752-metre vertical drop over roughly 720 hectares. This setting places the resort in the East Kootenay region, close to the Alberta border.
The town of Kimberley itself, known for its Bavarian-themed downtown and considerable sunshine, offers extensive lodging and dining within a short drive of the resort.
British Columbia Highway 95A provides direct access to the resort from Kimberley. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled road is regularly maintained given the resort's status as a significant regional destination.
Calgary International Airport, roughly a three-and-a-half-hour drive away, is the primary gateway for visitors flying into the region, with Kimberley's considerable distance from major population centres drawing a genuinely dedicated regional visitor base.
Where to stay
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Hotels and lodges near Kimberley, powered by Stay22.
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Kimberley Lift System
Kimberley runs five lifts: one double chair, one quad chair and one triple chair, serving 80 runs across roughly 720 hectares, alongside one surface lift and one t-bar. This network has developed considerably since the resort's community-owned origins under the Kimberley Ski Resort Society.
Following the City of Kimberley's rescue of the resort from bankruptcy in the late 1980s, and Resorts of the Canadian Rockies' subsequent acquisition in the early 1990s, substantial investment supported the lift infrastructure that serves the mountain today.
The quad and triple chairs now distribute skiers efficiently across Kimberley's long, cruising intermediate-and-advanced terrain, a layout well suited to the resort's family-friendly reputation.
Under ongoing Resorts of the Canadian Rockies ownership, continued investment has supported this five-lift network as part of the Epic Pass system through RCR's partnership with Vail Resorts. Specific recent individual lift replacement projects are not confirmed in available resort information. Kimberley's efficient lift network remains well matched to its considerable, family-oriented terrain.
5lifts across 5 types
1
Quad Chair
1
Triple Chair
1
Double Chair
1
T-Bar
1
Surface Lift
Kimberley lift system
Kimberley is served by 5 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.
More Kimberley intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.