Secluded Mountain Resort with Hillside Dining Venues

The Canadian Olympic ski team trains at Panorama Mountain. That fact speaks to the quality of the skiing here, a mixture of long winding trails, powdery bowls, and 120 runs that are carefully groomed. Though some slopes have Olympic-level challenges, there are breezy runs for skiers of all levels. And from the top of the mountain's 4,000-foot-high (1,219 m high) peak, one can look to the Canadian Rockies and the glaciers that cover the Purcell Mountains. Panorama Vacation Retreat at Horsethief Lodge resides just minutes away from Panorama Mountain, and skiers can access the slopes via the resort's ski-in, ski-out trails or the pedestrian gondola.

Of the runs at Panorama Mountain, Out Rider is good for beginners as it follows a wide, forgiving arc; it lands at the foot of Sunbird Chair. The Gunbarrel trail picks up speed as it funnels into a narrow chute. Come spring, one can experience the mountain's rugged beauty up close with horseback-riding and hiking expeditions. There are equally stunning views of the alpine landscape from the vantage point of Greywolf Golf Course, an award-winning track that spans the Panorama Vacation Retreat at Horsethief Lodge.

Horsethief Lodge's studio rooms help re-create the feel of a comforting home with fully stocked kitchens, flat-screen TVs, and vending machines filled with framed family photographs. If guests wish to dine out, the lodge's surrounding village features nine restaurants, including Grey's Restaurant, where chefs craft chicken and crab mornay in open-design kitchens.

Panorama, British Columbia: Secluded Mountain Town with Skiing and Water Tours

Panorama is located in southern British Columbia, 180 miles (290 km) west of Calgary, and the secluded mountain town revolves around its evolving ski village and outdoor recreation. An hour north of the hotel, Kootenay National Park is lined with preserved wildlife habitats, limestone canyons, and steep rock façades on the western slopes of the Canadian Rockies. Here, the popular Rockwall Trail meanders south to Floe Lake and features views of the Vermillion River and mountain goats as they wander the landscape. After a day hiking or building high-rise treehouses, one can rejuvenate muscles at Radium Hot Springs, which has two large pools and is located just outside the park's southwestern entrance.

The neighboring town of Invermere is home to Pynelogs Cultural Center, a log building built in 1914 that now serves as an art gallery and concert space. The gallery is lined with works of local artists, and outside, the Botanical Heritage garden features vegetables growing around a 60-foot (18 m) water fountain.