Panorama
1,203 hectares, 133 runs near Invermere. Considerable vertical drop, hot pools, Mountain Collective access.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
4 Dec 2026
Closes
11 Apr 2027
Days open
128
Annual snow
6.2m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Panorama's summit reaches 2,450 metres, dropping 1,300 vertical metres to a base at 1,150 metres across 133 runs spread over roughly 1,203 hectares near Invermere, British Columbia. Terrain splits 35 per cent intermediate, 30 per cent expert, 20 per cent advanced and 15 per cent beginner, with average annual snowfall of roughly 4.7 metres. The resort carries Mountain Collective affiliation. Nine lifts, including four quad chairs, one double chair and one triple chair, serve the mountain alongside one gondola, one surface lift and one t-bar.
Panorama holds a genuinely distinctive place among Purcell Mountains resorts for its considerable vertical drop, marketed by the resort as its Mile 1 lift given the drop's proximity to 1,600 metres, and its year-round hot pools and championship golf course. Its heavily expert-and-intermediate-weighted terrain has built Panorama's reputation as a serious mountain with genuine village amenities.
Fritz Zehnder of Invermere and Guy Messerli of Switzerland, together with friends, founded Panorama in 1962, and the original facilities amounted to little more than a warming hut, a parking lot and a single rope tow powered by a V8 engine. The Calgary-based Cascade Group purchased the resort in 1978, recognising its potential as a major destination and investing in significant expansion.
Intrawest Corporation acquired Panorama in 1993, injecting substantial capital that delivered the Doug Carrick-designed Greywolf Golf Course in 1999 alongside the Panorama Springs hot pools. On 26 February 2010, the resort returned to local ownership when a group of investors from the Panorama community purchased it, and Panorama Mountain Village Inc continues to own the resort privately today. Adult daily tickets run from 109 to 129 Canadian dollars.
1300m
Vertical
133
Runs
2,973 acres
Skiable
6.2m
Annual snow
The Terrain
133 runs across 2,973 acres skiable
Panorama sits in the Purcell Mountains above Invermere, with 133 runs across roughly 1,203 hectares and a 1,300-metre vertical. Its grading is tougher than most family-oriented resorts in British Columbia: 30% expert and 20% advanced, balanced by 35% intermediate and 15% beginner. Intermediates still get long, rolling groomers from the upper mountain, but half the terrain is steep enough to keep stronger skiers busy. Snowfall is lighter than in the wetter Columbia ranges at about 4.7 metres a year, so grooming and the long fall-line do much of the heavy lifting.
The Summit Chair is the gateway to the Extreme Dream Zone, a steep black-diamond area, and to Taynton Bowl, which was once reserved for heli-skiers and is now reached by lift after a major glading project. The Mile 1 quad serves gentler lower slopes and the Showoff night run, while the gondola links village and mountain. Panorama suits confident intermediates stepping up to steeper pitches, advanced skiers who like bowls and open trees, and families who want a ski-in village at the base. Strong skiers should plan on a few full days before they run out of new lines to try.
Terrain split
133
runs
133 runs across 4 grades
Beginner20 runs · 15%
Intermediate47 runs · 35%
Advanced27 runs · 20%
Expert40 runs · 30%
Time it right
When to visit Panorama
The 2025-26 season at Panorama ran from 13 December 2025 to 12 April 2026, a roughly seventeen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 4.7 metres. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather in the Purcell Mountains.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Panorama's heavily expert-weighted terrain. As a Mountain Collective resort, Panorama draws pass-holding visitors alongside destination travellers seeking the resort's considerable vertical drop and year-round village amenities.
Panorama's hot pools and championship golf course infrastructure, though primarily warm-season draws, support the resort's broader identity as a year-round destination even through the ski season. School holiday periods bring family visitation to the resort's more moderate terrain, though the overall terrain mix skews toward experienced skiers.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since returning to local ownership in 2010, Panorama has continued building on more than six decades of history since its 1962 founding by Fritz Zehnder and Guy Messerli. The resort's considerable vertical and Purcell Mountains setting remain central to its enduring appeal.
Season 2026 - 2027
4 Dec 2026
Opens
11 Apr 2027
Closes
128
Days open
6.2 m
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Panorama
Daily snow reports at Panorama go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
29 cm
Snowiest day
12 Mar 2026
0 cm
This winter · 2026-27
so far
343 cm
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
cm
Past wintersThis winter
Getting there
Getting to Panorama, and where to stay
Panorama sits near Invermere, British Columbia, in the Purcell Mountains, with a base elevation of 1,150 metres and a summit at 2,450 metres across a 1,300-metre vertical drop over roughly 1,203 hectares. This considerable elevation range places Panorama among the more dramatically situated resorts in the BC interior.
The town of Invermere, on the shores of Lake Windermere, offers lodging and dining within a short drive of the resort, while Panorama's own considerable village provides extensive on-site accommodation.
British Columbia Highway 95 and local roads provide direct access to the resort from Invermere. Winter driving conditions on these routes can include snow and ice, and travellers should carry appropriate equipment given the mountainous terrain surrounding the area.
Calgary International Airport, roughly a three-hour drive away, is the primary gateway for visitors flying into the region, with Panorama's considerable distance from major population centres drawing a genuinely dedicated destination visitor base.
Where to stay
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Hotels and lodges near Panorama, powered by Stay22.
Good to know
Frequently asked
When is Panorama's ski season?
Panorama's 2026 - 2027 season typically runs from December 4 through April 11. That window is roughly 128 calendar days, though daily operations depend on snow cover, weather, and lift maintenance.
Resorts in British Columbia, Canada often announce firm dates closer to winter; check the live snow report before you travel if you are planning around opening weekend or spring closure.
How much skiable terrain does Panorama have?
Panorama lists about 2,973 acres skiable of marked terrain spread across 133 named runs (1,203 hectares alongside 2,973 acres skiable). That footprint is what most riders experience on a lift-served day. Side-country or hike-to terrain may sit outside these published numbers.
Use the trail map to see how the mountain is laid out and where the longest fall-line runs connect back to base.
What is the terrain like at Panorama?
Trail grading at Panorama breaks down roughly as 15% beginner, 35% intermediate, 20% advanced, 30% expert. The advanced and expert share is substantial, so confident skiers and riders will find plenty of steeper fall-line options once they leave the nursery slopes.
Percentages describe the resort's published piste mix, not vertical metres. A mountain with modest "expert" stats can still feel demanding if the steep terrain is long or exposed. Read the trail map alongside these numbers when planning your route.
How many lifts does Panorama have?
Panorama operates 9 lifts across 6 lift types. The fleet includes 4 quad chairs, 1 gondola, 1 triple chair, 1 double chair, 1 t-bar, and 1 surface lift.
Lift mix affects how quickly you can lap your favourite zones. Gondolas and trams move big crowds to mid-mountain, while shorter chairs and surface lifts often serve learning areas or local pods. Check the live snow report on ski days for real-time open/closed status.
What is the elevation and vertical drop at Panorama?
Base elevation at Panorama is about 1,150 m (3,773 ft), with the summit around 2,450 m (8,038 ft), giving roughly 1,300 m (4,265 ft) of vertical from base to top.
Higher start heights usually mean colder, drier snow holding longer into spring, but also thinner air and faster weather changes. Pack layers if you are riding from village level to summit lifts in one day.
How much snow does Panorama get each season?
Panorama averages about 622 cm (245 inches) of natural snowfall per season. That is a long-term climate figure. Any single winter can run well above or below it depending on storm track and temperature.
For trip planning, pair this baseline with the live snow report and webcams: fresh cycles show up in overnight totals and summit cameras long before season averages tell you much about today's surface.
Where can I buy Panorama lift tickets and how much do they cost?
Published single-day adult pricing on SnowStash currently spans CA$69 to CA$129, depending on date band and whether you are buying peak or regular windows. Multi-day products (multi-day passes) usually lower the per-day cost if you are staying several days. Tickets can be bought online through the resort's official checkout (linked from our lift tickets page) or at on-mountain ticket windows, subject to availability.
Buying ahead of peak holidays and weekends generally saves money and guarantees access on sold-out days. Before you commit, scan the snow report and webcams so you are paying for conditions that match your expectations.
How can I check snow and mountain conditions at Panorama before I go?
SnowStash pulls together 6 live mountain webcams, a downloadable piste map, and the daily snow report for Panorama so you can plan from home. Webcams refresh on a short interval and are the fastest way to judge visibility, wind exposure, and whether storm snow is still falling.
The snow report adds structured totals, base depth where available, and lift/trail status when the resort publishes it. Use both together: cameras show what it looks like right now, and the report summarises numbers your group can compare day to day.
Does Panorama have a trail map?
Yes. The downloadable PDF/image map is better for offline planning, marking meeting points, and understanding the full mountain layout at a glance.
Both versions are on the trail map page for Panorama. If you are navigating with kids or meeting friends across separate lifts, screenshot or print the static map and keep the live map open on your phone for operational updates.
Where is Panorama located?
Panorama sits in British Columbia, Canada. That regional context matters for travel planning: airport transfers, snow tyres, and typical storm patterns all follow geography as much as resort marketing.
Browse nearby accommodation from the resort page if you are comparing village-base vs valley-base stays; where you sleep changes your first lift of the day more than most trail stats do.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
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30 Oct 2026
Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing
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29 Oct 2026
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