Steep enough for ya?

What is it with resort names? Rarely do they describe what's really going on. Take Kicking Horse, British Columbia: it kicks, for sure, but Kicking Mountain Goat might be nearer the mark. Steep does not adequately describe what's going on here, and the resort is pretty straightforward about what they've got: if you're a beginner or anything less than a very adventurous intermediate, it's nothing personal, but they don't want you here - there are plenty of more suitable places. Michael Dalzell, the resort's sales & marketing director took a reluctant break from his office to explain it all to me today in the Eagle's Eye restaurant on the peak, shortly before demonstrating what he was talking about on the way down - that's him on the left.
So if you think steep skiing is for you, bring it on. There are places with comparable challenge - Jackson Hole, Big Sky, Chamonix, Alagna, Engelberg, Verbier - but only La Grave shares Kicking Horse's ultra-simple layout. Basically, one gondola rises from 3900ft (1190m) to 7700ft (2450m) without stopping, passing go, or collecting $200. For a few years that was it - head on down via any number of ungroomed bowls, ridgelines and thick forest, perhaps leaving your plan for the day with someone who cared enough to raise the alarm if you were more than a few hours late. There's even a grizzly named Boo fast asleep in the middle of a thicket halfway down the mountain, for Pete's sake, who tends to wake up ravenous when spring arrives a little early.
Things have changed, a bit, with one groomed run 'guaranteed' from the top, a couple of quad chairs for variety, and some really nice ski-in ski-out accommodation, but they can't really kid anyone. Nor should anyone kid themselves or a local guide that they're up to the mark. It's not just the pitch but the length of the drop, and all of this without having to hike more than ten minutes, though there's even more to north and south beyond bounds where the snow (a strong point, generally) is even better. So if you ever thought you really knew how to ride, or you're Scandinavian, get out here, now.