Cradled in a deep valley in the Purcell Mountains, Panorama’s ski area climbs a massive 4000 feet to offer some of the best seats in the house for views of the magnificent main spine of the Rockies – hence the resort’s name. But Panorama’s certainly not all about gazing into the distance, as below its windswept summit lies a virtual paradise for cruisers and carvers, with some of the region’s best-maintained runs. There’s also a wealth of underrated and underused expert terrain in lightly wooded bowls and even the chance to go heliskiing with the resort-based RK Heliskiing, if your pockets are deep enough.

As to the resort’s shortcomings: many complain about the unpredictable snow quality outside January and February (hence the vast snowmaking capacity) and the rather dull resort village. Convenient, but with a very limited choice of restaurants and virtually no nightlife.