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Yes we are back open and ready for business at Vagabond Lodge. And Christmas couldn't have been better. We were lacking in good quality snow conditions prior to Christmas plus it was cold. It was skiable but a lot of the terrain wasn't because of natural hazards such as trees and rocks. But over Christmas we got dumped on with over 40 cms in a couple days and more on the way. It was the best Christmas present we could get. Big news from Kicking Horse around Christmas. There now is a town shuttle from Golden numerous times a day plus there is an airport shuttle from Calgary. Click here for the link. We don't have many rooms at Vagabond Lodge available over the next couple months but if we can fit you in, we will. Phone us at 250 344 2622 or email info@vagabondlodge.ca Video was from December 26.
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Another season is underway at Vagabond Lodge and Kicking Horse Resort. It hasn't been the start we were hoping for in terms of snow unfortunately. We had a good dump early but not much since which means staying to the groomed runs which isn't the way I like to ski. But it is still early and we normally get our big snowfalls after the New Year. It looks like a busy winter for Vagabond Lodge with a lot of return guests from around the world which is awesome. Some are staying with us for extended periods. We are working closely with CMH which is the big heli-skiing operation and will be flying some of our guests directly out of the resort. And the best part is, if weather conditions are such they cannot heli-ski, they can spend the day on the resort. A lot of the terrain we ski on here, used to be terrain used by Purcell Heliskiing which was bought by CMH a few years ago. . In other words, pretty special. I have been getting out daily for a run or two and but not attempting too much as I am saving myself for the powder. It looks from the forecast, snow will be joining us around Christmas. The best present ever. Enjoy the video. Some hi lights to get to ready for your next visit. Things are looking great for the start of ski season here at Vagabond Lodge. Kicking Horse Resort isn't scheduled to be open until December 9 but with the snow conditions we have I wouldn't be surprised if it opens a week early. The top of the mountain has been getting some nice dumps over the past week or so and now the snow has moved down to our level with a good 20 cms a couple days ago and 30 cms new snow at the top. They now have over 100 cms at the top. It looks like a busy winter for us at Vagabond with some dates fully booked especially in January and February. There are still some open dates in mid March. Give us a call directly 250 344 2622(text too) or email us at info@vagabondlodge.ca and we can see if you can fit you in. You can pre-purchase lift tickets through the resort for a bit of savings. Click here for the link. Looking good. Video is from November 5th. The snow is starting to happen here at Vagabond Lodge at Kicking Horse Resort. After an amazing autumn with temperatures in the 20's C and very little moisture, the mountains are turning white in the past few days and with more snow in the forecast for the next couple weeks. Tentative opening date is December 9. It looks as if we are going to have a very busy winter here at Vagabond Lodge with a lot of dates sold out. If you are interested in staying with us, it is best to give us a call at 250 344 2622 or text us at this number. You can also email info@vagabondlodge.ca to see if we have some room. We have a 4 night minimum stay for the winter. I always look forward to the first turns of the season. Can't wait. Video is flashback from last winter with friend Patrick. We did hike up to the top of T1. Amazing run. It doesn't get much better than an autumn kayak trip down the Kicking Horse river through the town of Golden. Along with friend Patrick we took advantage of a perfect fall day. With water levels dropping dramatically we spent some time making sure we could navigate through some of the rocks that were starting to pop up in various spots along the channels. But at the end of the day we had no issue. The water this time of the year is so nice and clear and colourful. Usually in the summer it can be either muddy after a big rainfall or a lot of silt with the runoff. It was a great way to finish off our kayaking season. Next up heading to the interior for some lake stuff. It's not over yet. Vagabond is closed for the next couple months and reopening for ski season in December. Book your vacation direct. It's the final long weekend of the summer and it definitely feels like summer with temperatures hovering around 30C which is not normal for this time of the year. Luckily we have had some nice rain every week so unlike a lot of parts of the province and North America we are not dry. Having said that there are forest fires not that far away but not big wild fires such as we have had in the past where thick smoke blows in for days on end, although there has been a bit of a haze in the air the last few days. Forecast calls for a cooling trend in the next few days and temperatures in the high teens and lower 20s C. That is perfect. We have been taking advantage of both the Kicking Horse and the Columbia rivers that run through and by the town of Golden. And what better way to enjoy the long weekend than a great paddle. We are open for a couple more weeks and then closed until ski season. Bookings have been strong for the upcoming winter. Don't miss out. Book direct at Vagabond Lodge for the best rate. We have some great ridge hikes in our backyard at Vagabond Lodge. The gondola at Kicking Horse Resort does most of the grunt work. This trail is seldom used and is not on any maps but it is outstanding. Overall it is about a 2 hour loop from the top of the gondola with some great views and if you are lucky maybe a sighting of goats. As the snow in higher elevation has finally melted for the most part, this is my favourite time for hiking. We have finally gotten some heat. The first of this summer with temperatures around 30C which is as hot as we want. And one of the best things to do is to find some water and that is not an issue here. We have both the Kicking Horse River and the Columbia river running through or by the town of Golden which is just a 10 minute drive away. On a hot day, there is nothing better than a float down the Columbia River. A group of us did this trip a few days ago. We need to have cars at both ends to do a shuttle after getting off the river. Our trip was about 4 hours and allows time to go into some of the lakes that are formed this time of the year with the water level very high. Not much paddling is needed. Just sit back and relax. There are a couple of companies in our area that rent kayaks and canoes as well as stand up paddle boards and they will do a shuttle for you. It is a great way to enjoy our playground here at Vagabond. It has been a slow melt this spring to say the least. We are probably a month behind as far as the snow disappearing from the upper elevations which means hiking is limited to lower trails and they are not always the most scenic. But finally I was able to do one of my favourite ridge hikes here at Kicking Horse Resort up to Terminator peak. And the views are always stunning. We have had a lot of rain and cooler weather throughout the spring and even fresh snow not long ago at the top of the mountains. But having said that, I will enjoy this compared to last year when we had a heat dome in June with temperatures unheard of and then followed by forest fires throughout the province. That meant smoke and that is not fun. This is just fine. Video is from my hike a few days ago to Terminator peak. We have an amazing playground in our backyard here at Vagabond Lodge. One of my favourite spots is Takakkaw falls in Yoho National Park. Over the past few years we have made it a tradition to ride our bikes the 14km up from the turnoff off hiway#1 to the falls before they open the road to car traffic. Once that happens it is way to busy to ride bikes as it is a narrow road. Plus going there prior to the road opening makes it a very special experience. We try and do it a few days before they open for the summer and then in the fall just after they close the road. During the summer there are hundreds of people daily. We saw six other people who were doing the same as us. Friend Patrick and I did the ride just two days before they opened the road and it was magical as usual with the falls at full force with all the runoff from a few days of rain. We were lucky and managed to sneak there and back without getting too wet. Well worth the effort. |
KenKen along with his wife Lori are the owners and operators of Vagabond Lodge at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. 
 Click on Photo to go to Vagabond Lodge Website. 
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