Summer in Panorama
Hiking
You will find plenty of incredible hiking around Whitebark Pine Mountain Retreat! There are plenty of guidebooks available on our bookshelf with detailed trail descriptions.
Some of our favourite kid-friendly and low-commitment hiking is around Lillian Lake. An extensive network of single-track trails shared by mountain bikers and hikers allows you infinite flexibility in terms of distance. Some trails are essentially flat, while others are rolling. The views of the Canyon at the East end of The Johnson are spectacular!
For a relatively flat hike near the resort, you can hike along the Monument Network HC Bike Trails network out to Hale Hut and enjoy plentiful wild strawberries along the way (map here). We also enjoy hiking up Tayton Bowl to Goldie Lake (not shown on map).
Visit Travel Columbia Valley for a list of short and day hikes in the area.
Summit Trail Makers Society is a volunteer group which maintains 11 spectacular trails in the Columbia Valley, including some of our favourites (Lake of the Hanging Glacier, Pinto Mountain, Jumbo Pass). Please note that most of these hikes are accessed via FSR (Forestry Service Roads) and are 10-40km into the backcountry with no cell service. The roads can be rough and in general, a high clearance vehicle is recommended.
If you are on Strava you can explore some trails we frequent by following me on Strava (QR code below).
Biking
As with hiking, one of our favourite family-friendly (and free!) places to bike is on the Johnson Trails across from Lillian Lake. This is a short 15-minute drive from our condo, towards Invermere. Here you will find bike trails for all skill levels!
Just across the street from our condo is the silver platter chairlift and the “Sanchez” trail (a.k.a. Moustache); a short, fun, accessible trail which kids and adults will enjoy doing lap after lap.
Panorama Mountain Resort also maintains an extensive mountain biking trail network which can be accessed by chairlift. For details see their website. You can also find a trail map here.
If you don’t want to take the chair lift, we have also enjoyed biking the Monument Network XC Bike Trails which extend west past Panorama Resort along Toby Creek. Maps of this trail network can be seen here.
We also have paper trail maps and many books in our collection at the condo.
Though we haven’t had a chance to try it yet, we have also heard good things about the Mountain Biking at Toby Creek Adventures - which is a five minute drive from our condo.
Watersports
Windermere Lake in Invermere is a scenic, 24-minute drive from the Whitebark Pine Mountain Retreat. The whole family will love Kinsmen Beach which features a sandy beach, roped-off swimming area, lake dock & slide, picnic tables and playground, water sport rentals, accessible change rooms & showers, beach volleyball courts & plenty of mature trees for shade. You are welcome to borrow our two beach chairs, beach shade tent, and children’s lifejackets.
We also love Lillian Lake, which is part way up the road to the ski hill, about 15 minutes down the road from Panorama Mountain Resort. No motorized watercraft are permitted here but it is excellent for swimming, paddle-boarding or canoe/kayaking.
Award Winning Mountain Golf
Enjoy award-winning mountain golf at Greywolf golf course, minutes from the Whitebark Pine Mountain Retreat.
There are also plenty of wonderful golf courses in Invermere, Radium, and along the Columbia Valley.
Winter in Panorama
Downhill Skiing & Snowboarding
Panorama has ~2,975 acres of skiable terrain and a vertical drop of ~1,300 m (4,265 ft). There are 135 named trails, with 10 lifts + 2 alpine snowcat shuttles (the “Monster X” cats) to access big terrain. Some of our favourite zones include Taynton Bowl (steep, glades, formerly heliski terrain) and the “Extreme Dream Zone” for more aggressive runs. Our kiddos enjoy the plentiful tree trails and the variety of terrain parks (from beginner to advanced) available. The longest run is about 6.5 km. Plenty of additional information available at Panorama Mountain Resort Website.
Snowshoeing
Borrow our snowshoes and head out for a tranquil winter walk. We have 2 adult pairs and 2 youth pairs of snowshoes. Panorama has snowshoe trails around the Nordic Centre and resort area, or you could explore around the Lillian Lake area.
Skating
There are incredible options for ice skating around Panorama! Most famously, the Windermere Whiteway on Lake Windermere (20 minutes from Panorama) is the world’s longest skating trail (according to Guiness World Records).
For the littlest skaters or beginners, there is also an outdoor rink in the upper village at Panorama Mountain Resort, located just past the Candy Cabin outside the Summit and 1000 Peaks Lodges.
Nordic/ Cross-Country Skiing
The Panorama Nordic Trail Network maintains over 20 km of trails for classic & skate skiing, plus ~4 km of snowshoe and fat-bike trails, and there’s a cozy warming hut (“Hale Hut”) along the route.
Toby Creek Nordic maintains high-quality nordic ski trails throughout the Columbia Valley, including the Lake Windermere Whiteway, a 30 km multi-use trail (for classic & skate skiing, and ice-skating) with access at Invermere’s Kinsmen Beach and Windermere Beach.
They also support the Lake Lillian Whiteway, a 3 km lake loop groomed for classic and skate skiing.
YEAR-ROUND OUTDOOR POOLS
There is a fantastic, outdoor, year-round heated pool complex in the main village. We have two card keys for guests to use to access the pools (included in your rental fees). The labelled, white plastic card keys are located at the back of the utensil drawer. Please make sure to return the keys! The pool provides towels, so no need to bring towels from the unit. In the winter, there is a large, heated outdoor shallow pool (up to 1m deep), two hot tubs, and a dry sauna. In the summer, there is also a large deep cold pool, and two water slides!
From our unit, you can walk (red line shows our preferred walking path, up the bunny hill; but you can also walk on the roads), or drive and park in front of the Panorama Springs building (exterior access to the pools is on the slope-side; walk around the building to the right).
Restaurant Recommendations
While we are still relatively new to the Invermere area, we have tried a number of the local restaurants and have found some we really love!
CLIFFHANGER
Located in the Greywolf Golf Course clubhouse, this is a fantastic place for lunch or dinner Thursday through Sunday. We like to pop in for lunch on a cold day once in a while! You can ski in (at the bottom of the Sunbird chair) or drive. They have a reasonably-priced kids menu (same price as the day lodge, better food).
FUBUKI SUSHI
Our kids’ top pick! Small restaurant with good sushi. They have a cute private room which seats about 10 people, traditional-style (take your shoes off and sit around a low table). We particularly enjoy the grilled soybeans!
VESANO PIZZA
*Note: closed until ~end of March 2026 for Renovation
A small selection of creative, delicious pizzas made with high quality ingredients and the perfect chewy-crispy crust. Dine-in or take-out. They often don’t answer the phone but if you just show up and order it doesn’t take very long!
FUZE
Our go-to for a quick, wholesome meal! We often stop here on Friday evenings on our way into town. Limited seating inside the restaurant but perfect to take on the go. Call when you get to Radium and it will be ready by the time you pass by. Vegetable-heavy dishes (with option to add one or many proteins) made from obviously fresh ingredients and flavourful seasonings. Personal favourites include the Buddha Wrap and the Satay Bowl or the Teriyaki Bowl (my kids).