Ski resort in British Columbia, Canada
Kicking Horse
A resort just west of Golden, British Columbia, with 1,315 m of vertical and a large share of advanced and expert terrain.
Kicking Horse snow forecast at 2,505 m (top lift)
Out of season.
Forecasts for Kicking Horse pause outside the snow season and start again in October. The lifts usually run from mid-December to mid-April. The snow record below shows when it usually snows here.
Kicking Horse snow forecast at 1,190 m (village)
Out of season.
Forecasts for Kicking Horse pause outside the snow season and start again in October. The lifts usually run from mid-December to mid-April. The snow record below shows when it usually snows here.
Where is Kicking Horse?
- Province
- British Columbia
- Country
- Canada
- Mountains
- Columbia Mountains, Purcell Mountains
- Village
- 1,190 m
- Top lift
- 2,505 m
- Vertical
- 1,315 m
- Lifts
- 5
- Season
- Mid-December to Mid-April
- Airports
- Calgary (YYC)
- Pass
- Epic Pass
- Website
- kickinghorseresort.com
About Kicking Horse
Kicking Horse is about 6 km west of Golden, on the eastern slope of the Dogtooth Range of the Purcell Mountains. It opened under its current name in 2000; the ski area was previously Whitetooth.
The lifts include the eight-person Golden Eagle Express gondola, and the vertical drop is 1,315 m. The resort rates 60% of its terrain as advanced or expert and reports more than 85 inbound chutes.
When does it snow in Kicking Horse?
In Kicking Horse, snow falls on about 12 days in December in a typical year, the snowiest month. Snow is regular from October to May.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 days | 10 days | 10 days | 8 days | 3 days | 2 days | 0 days | <1 days | 1 days | 8 days | 11 days | 12 days |
Average days each month with at least 1 cm of snowfall at mid-mountain, 2016–2025. Calculated from ERA5 reanalysis data.
Snow in Kicking Horse month by month
Averages for 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain, from ERA5 reanalysis data.
| Month | Snow days | Share of the year's snow | Low to high |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9 | 11% | −15 to −7 °C (5 to 19 °F) |
| February | 10 | 13% | −16 to −7 °C (3 to 19 °F) |
| March | 10 | 13% | −11 to −1 °C (12 to 30 °F) |
| April | 8 | 9% | −7 to 3 °C (19 to 37 °F) |
| May | 3 | 4% | −2 to 10 °C (28 to 50 °F) |
| June | 2 | 2% | 2 to 14 °C (36 to 57 °F) |
| July | 0 | 0% | 6 to 19 °C (43 to 66 °F) |
| August | <1 | 0% | 7 to 19 °C (45 to 66 °F) |
| September | 1 | 1% | 2 to 14 °C (36 to 57 °F) |
| October | 8 | 14% | −6 to 4 °C (21 to 39 °F) |
| November | 11 | 17% | −11 to −4 °C (12 to 25 °F) |
| December | 12 | 17% | −16 to −9 °C (3 to 16 °F) |
Snow in Kicking Horse in October
In October, Kicking Horse gets snow on about 8 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 14% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −6 to 4 °C (21 to 39 °F).
Snow in Kicking Horse in November
In November, Kicking Horse gets snow on about 11 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 17% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −11 to −4 °C (12 to 25 °F).
Snow in Kicking Horse in December
In December, Kicking Horse gets snow on about 12 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 17% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −16 to −9 °C (3 to 16 °F).
Snow in Kicking Horse in January
In January, Kicking Horse gets snow on about 9 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 11% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −15 to −7 °C (5 to 19 °F).
Snow in Kicking Horse in February
In February, Kicking Horse gets snow on about 10 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 13% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −16 to −7 °C (3 to 19 °F).
Snow in Kicking Horse in March
In March, Kicking Horse gets snow on about 10 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 13% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −11 to −1 °C (12 to 30 °F).
Snow in Kicking Horse in April
In April, Kicking Horse gets snow on about 8 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 9% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −7 to 3 °C (19 to 37 °F).
Snow in Kicking Horse in May
In May, Kicking Horse gets snow on about 3 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 4% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −2 to 10 °C (28 to 50 °F).
Which winters were snowiest in Kicking Horse?
Of the last ten winters in Kicking Horse, 2025/26 was the snowiest, about 28% above the ten-year average at mid-mountain. The leanest was 2022/23, about 33% below average. The biggest single day of snowfall in the record was 14 November 2021.
| Winter | Compared with average | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016/17 | 110% of average | |
| 2017/18 | 100% of average | |
| 2018/19 | 90% of average | |
| 2019/20 | 99% of average | |
| 2020/21 | 108% of average | |
| 2021/22 | 100% of average | |
| 2022/23 | 67% of average | |
| 2023/24 | 101% of average | |
| 2024/25 | 97% of average | |
| 2025/26 | 128% of average |
Winters are compared with each other rather than given in centimetres. The ERA5 record is reliable on which winters were big and which were lean, but it underestimates absolute snowfall in the mountains, so the resort's own measured totals are the ones to trust for amounts.
Questions about snow in Kicking Horse
Does Kicking Horse have snow at Christmas?
Kicking Horse had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Christmas Day in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 20 to 26 December in every one of those years.
Does Kicking Horse have snow at New Year?
Kicking Horse had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on New Year's Day in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 27 December to 2 January in 9 of those years.
Does Kicking Horse have snow in mid-February?
Kicking Horse had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on 15 February in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 10 to 20 February in 9 of those years.
Does Kicking Horse have snow at Easter?
Kicking Horse had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Easter Sunday in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during Good Friday to Easter Monday in 6 of those years.
How many days a year does it snow in Kicking Horse?
It snows on about 75 days a year in Kicking Horse at mid-mountain, counting days with at least 1 cm of snowfall, averaged over 2016 to 2025. December has the most, about 12 days.
What is the snowiest month in Kicking Horse?
November is the snowiest month in Kicking Horse, bringing about 17% of the year's snowfall at mid-mountain, based on ERA5 reanalysis data for 2016 to 2025. December has the most snowy days, about 12.
Which recent winter was the snowiest in Kicking Horse?
Of the last ten winters in Kicking Horse, 2025/26 was the snowiest, about 28% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2022/23, about 33% below average.
How cold does Kicking Horse get in winter?
February is the coldest month in Kicking Horse at mid-mountain, with average daily lows of −16 °C (3 °F) and highs of −7 °C (19 °F).
How high is Kicking Horse?
The village or lowest lift at Kicking Horse is at 1,190 m (3,900 ft) and the top lift is at 2,505 m (8,200 ft), a vertical drop of 1,315 m (4,300 ft).
When does the ski season start in Kicking Horse?
The lifts at Kicking Horse usually open in mid-December and close in mid-April. Exact dates change each year with the snow, so check the resort's own website before you book.
Snow forecasts near Kicking Horse
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Sources: Kicking Horse mountain stats, Kicking Horse getting here, Wikipedia