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Visitor reviews for Powder King Ski Resort

Powder King Ratings

Overall: 2.8. Based on 34 votes and 13 reviews.

Snowsure: 4.4

  • Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
  • Is often closed due to a lack of snow
  • Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
  • Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
  • Powder King is snowsure even in the poorest seasons

Variety of pistes: 3.6

  • The ski runs are featureless and unvaried
  • The ski runs are varied but not extensive enough for a week
  • Powder King has diverse and interesting pistes including forests and high alpine terrain

Off-piste: 3.9

  • No off-piste worth mentioning
  • Off piste is out-of-bounds
  • Some varied offpiste that stays fresh for one or two days
  • A vast array of off-piste routes that can stay untracked for several days

Scenery: 3.6

  • An ugly resort in a bland setting
  • Average mountain views and resort
  • A spectacular setting and a beautiful / historic resort town

Access: 2.7

  • At least one overnight stop
  • Requires a whole day
  • Requires more than half a day – you may have time for a few turns
  • Arrive by lunchtime and ski all afternoon
  • There is a main airport within an hour of Powder King

Public Transport: 2.9

  • There are no buses or taxis to Powder King
  • There are slow or infrequent buses / trains available
  • Getting to the resort is easy with frequent bus / train connections

Accommodation: 2.2

  • No places to stay in/near Powder King
  • A few places to stay in the resort
  • A wide variety of accommodation suitable to suit all budgets

Cheap Rooms: 2.8

  • No budget accommodation available
  • Just one or two hostels so book ahead
  • Several cheap hostels and pensions available

Luxury Hotels: 1.2

  • No luxury accommodation available
  • Just one or two luxury hotels so book ahead
  • Several up-market hotels in Powder King

Ski in/Ski out: 3.0

  • The ski area is located far from any accommodation
  • A free ski bus takes you to the ski area in a short trip
  • Ski-in ski-out accommodation is available

Childcare: 1.2

  • There are no child care facilities at Powder King
  • The resort has limited child-care facilities
  • the resort has excellent child-care facilities including at least one reasonably priced creche

Snowmaking: 1.4

  • Powder King relies entirely on natural snow
  • There are just a few snow cannons
  • There are snowmaking facilities on all pistes

Snow Grooming: 3.0

  • There are no snow groomers at Powder King
  • Occasionally some pistes are left ungroomed and in a poor state
  • All the runs at Powder King are groomed daily

Shelter: 4.2

  • There is nowhere to ski when it is windy or visibility is bad and lifts often shut
  • There are some trees for poor visibility but main lifts sometimes close
  • Powder King is mostly in forest where you can ski in flat-light and windy days, lifts rarely close

Nearby options: 1.4

  • If snow conditions are poor at Powder King, it will be poor everywhere nearby
  • There are good alternatives within an hours drive
  • Other locations on the same lift pass provide a rich variety of snowsure ski conditions

Regional rating: 4.5

  • Powder King usually has poor snow conditions compared to other resorts in region
  • Has average conditions for the region
  • Usually has the best snow conditions in the region

Lift Staff: 4.2

  • The staff at Powder King are rude or unhelpful
  • Lift staff at Powder King are pleasant, cheerful and eager to help

Crowds/Queues: 3.9

  • The resort is always busy and there are usually long lift queues
  • It is quiet apart from occasional weekends and school holidays
  • It is uncrowded and lift queues are very rare

Ski Schools: 2.2

  • No ski schools available
  • One or two ski schools but local language only
  • A few ski schools but book early for multi-lingual instructors
  • Plenty of ski schools and multi-lingual instructors available
  • Excellent ski schools with friendly multi-lingual ski instructors

Hire and Repairs: 3.2

  • Nothing can be sourced, not even ski-wax or ptex
  • There are some ski shops but rentals need to be booked in advance
  • Good quality ski equipment can be purchased or hired and overnight repairs are possible

Beginners: 3.2

  • Beginners can only watch others ski and snowboard
  • A few gentle slopes but beginners will get bored in less than a week
  • Vast areas of gentle terrain

Intermediates: 4.0

  • No intermediate terrain at Powder King
  • Intermediate skiers will get bored after a few days
  • Vast areas of cruising runs

Advanced: 3.7

  • Nothing for advanced skiers and snowboarders
  • Enough steep terrain for a few days with some good offpiste
  • Enough steep terrain and offpiste areas to entertain advanced skiers for at least a week

Snow Park: 2.2

  • Not even a kicker at Powder King
  • Average sized park quite well looked after
  • Huge park area and expertly crafted pipes, jumps and boardercross trails

Cross-country: 2.0

  • There is nowhere to go for cross-country skiing around Powder King
  • There are some cross country trails available
  • The area features many spectacular and well maintained cross-country trails

Luge/Toboggan: 1.2

  • No designated luge or toboggan runs
  • There are toboggan runs that open quite often
  • Powder King has long and well maintained luge / toboggan facilities suitable for all ages

Mountain Dining: 2.6

  • Nowhere to buy food by the pistes
  • Some places to eat up on the mountain but they are often busy and expensive
  • There is a variety of excellent mountain eateries right next to the slopes to suit all budgets

Eating: 2.4

  • Bring your own food, there isn't even a shop
  • There are a few places to eat in the resort but nothing special
  • A wide variety of places to eat and drink in the resort, from fast food to fancy restaurants

Apres-Ski: 2.3

  • Nothing to do, not even a bar
  • There are a few bars in the resort but nothing special
  • Clubs and bars stay open until very late and have a friendly atmosphere

Other Sports: 1.1

  • No sports facilities at all apart from ski lifts
  • Resort has just a small public swimming pool
  • Resort has all kinds of sports facilities, including a full-size swimming pool

Entertainment: 1.6

  • Besides the snow and walking there is nothing to do here
  • The non-skier will find things to do for few days but may become bored after a week
  • The resort area is a fascinating place to visit, regardless of winter sports

Winter Walks: 1.8

  • Very limited walking and no snowshoe trails
  • A couple of designated scenic walking/snowshoe trails
  • Extensive and diverse winter walking trails for all abilities

Ski Pass Value: 3.4

  • A 1 week ski pass is overpriced compared to the number of lifts available
  • The ski pass is averagely priced and covers a reasonable number of lifts
  • Ski passes are excellent value for money and cover a lot of lifts spanning a big area

Value (National): 3.5

  • Overall, Powder King is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the country and not worth the money
  • Overall represents average value for money
  • Overall offers the best value resort in the country

Value (Global): 3.6

  • Overall, Powder King is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world
  • Overall it offers pretty average value for money compared to resorts from other countries
  • Internationally the resort offers excellent value for money

Show all 35 ratings

February 16, 2018
Karen
Great snow. No lineups. Amazing trees. Plenty of slack-country. Don’t tell anyone.
January 09, 2018
Ian
The most good snow in BC at the moment with this last storm. Believe me, I check the sticks. Great grooming and always powder in the trees days after a snow fall. You come for the skiing, because that is what matters.
January 25, 2016
Powder Old Fart
Great mom 'n pop ski hill. Deep snow most years. Small hotel 'n restaurant. Cheap powder skiing right off the highway.
November 08, 2014
Jim
I am fortunate to live within an hour of PK (Powder King). I ski 50-55 days a year and seldom am I disappointed. Since the new owners purchased PK, it is continually improving. It is twice as big as originally and much better maintained. There is no luxury but often a pile of beautiful powder. By the way, you could not smoke in the pub 20 years ago.
February 19, 2013
Wilson's
13 days of deep, light, fresh powder days this month (Feb. 2013). Need I say more...
February 07, 2012
webby
Still digging out from 166cm last week. Backcountry is awesome. [note from the editor: this post will remain for a short time]
February 01, 2012
John
Powder King has the best snow in BC on most days. Come see for yourself.
January 14, 2012
local
Those who like it....like it a lot!
January 07, 2012
Jon Palfy
Bill, sorry you had a bad time @ PK. I myself have had a blast almost every time I have gone. As mentioned before the hill does live up to the name. Snow quality is top notch and it takes days to get punched out after the storms. Next time try somewhere more populated. Anyone looking for powder turns for a reasonable price come on up to the far north. PowderKing is what it says it is! Just ask any friendly local for a tour run.
December 31, 2011
Bill Rancher
Basic local ski hill with flat to intermediate terrain, very dangerous and ugly high voltage power lines cross over the one and only ski lift. Although they do get lots of snow the mountain is too low and any new snow tends to be wet or icy. Very few sunny days, mostly flat light with dangerous unmarked obstacles. Bar is fun if you are in to fried overpriced food, smoking and drinking. Nothing for kids at this hill, no daycare or facilities. Be cautious of moose, drink drivers, black ice and speeding truckers on Hwy 97 drive. Three more died this week on the Hwy in 2 separate accidents.