On January 12 of the new year, Golden and Area A residents will be able to get a taste of the slopes for free for Kicking Horse Mountain Resorts annual Community Day.
By providing proof of residency, which can be a piece of government issued ID that displays an address in either Golden or Area A, locals can get a free all day lift ticket to explore the mountain.
It’s a way for the resort to say thank you to the community for supporting them throughout the years.
“We as a resort don’t work without our local population,” said Tyson Newell, the Marketing and Media Coordinator at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. “It’s a big part of the character of the resort, and that includes all the people who have seasons passes here and ride all the time.”
The inspiration behind the day is to say thank you to the residents by giving them the opportunity to explore the mountain.
The free pass isn’t just limited to people who ski and ride – residents are welcome to come up for a meal at Eagle’s Eye and explore the peak, or snow shoe and hike around and enjoy the view.
“You don’t have to be a skier, there are multiple ways for people to enjoy the mountain,” said Newell. “It’s a great way to get people to enjoy it, specifically the people who live and work in our community, because they are key.”
Newell also emphasizes that the day is a great way for new skiers to give it a try. While the promotion doesn’t cover equipment rentals, it’s often the lift ticket that can be the priciest part of a day of skiing. The free lift ticket can be a way to democratize skiing, and make it more accessible to more people.
“One of our big initiatives is to democratize skiing a bit, and make it more accessible, because not everyone can afford it,” said Newell. “We owe pretty much everything to the local community, so it’s a way for us to return the favour and get people to come out to the mountain who otherwise wouldn’t have.”
Community day has been an ongoing tradition since Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR) purchased Kicking Horse in 2011.
Each year the resort has a good response to the day, with the quality and amount of snowfall affecting how many people come out to take advantage of the free day.
