Luxurious Retreat Nestled in Purcell Mountains

In the early 1900s, miners trudged up the snow-covered slopes of Kimberley's Purcell Mountains, pickaxes slung over their shoulders as they returned home for a warm meal. Where miners once hiked from the thriving Sullivan Mine, skiers now descend the powdery trails to the Mountain Spirit Resort, which rests at the base of Kimberley Alpine Resort. The ski-in, ski-out lodge comprises equal parts elegance and rustic mountain charm: mornings in a spa tub are often followed by afternoons exploring thousands of acres of wilderness surrounding Kimberley.

The resort's rustic wooden portico provides a sheltered pathway to Mountain Spirit's cozy lobby, which is warmed by a massive, double-sided fireplace. Well-appointed condos boast floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the resort's heated outdoor pool and the soaring Kootenay Rockies. A tranquil soak in spacious, freestanding bathtub brings satisfying closure to a full day of skiing or competitive snow shoveling.

Kimberley, British Columbia: Alpine Charm and Outdoor Adventure

As sunrise mists the horizon, restful slumbers give way to breakfasts prepared in the en-suite kitchen and served on sleek granite countertops. Deer often gather on the grounds to forage for their own breakfasts, trotting into the woods as vacationers emerge to snowshoe through 1,800 acres of mountain trails or seek out powder on Kimberley Alpine Resort's 80 trails. In warmer seasons, the snow-fed waters beckon kayakers and whitewater rafters, and nearby golf courses unfold across lush, rolling fairways.

Kimberley complements mountain-village charm with year-round outdoor adventures. Kimberley’s Underground Mining Railway chugs through Mark Creek Valley's scenic landscape as guides acquaint would-be miners with authentic mining equipment and historical tidbits about Sullivan Mine and the town's late 19th-century roots as a mining center. In town, pedestrians amble through the Platzl shopping center, which boasts quaint boutiques, Bavarian architecture, and Canada's largest freestanding cuckoo clock, which coos hourly in fluent German. Beyond the picturesque town, mountainous topography and abundant waterways make for excellent horseback-riding and fly-fishing, and in the winter, visitors can ski one of British Columbia's top mountains or mush through the snowscape on dogsled tours.