At the base of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort lives Boo, one of the most famous grizzly bears in Canada. Boo was orphaned as a cub in 2002 after his mother was hit by a train and has lived at the resort's wildlife refuge ever since. The 20-hectare enclosure gives him room to roam, forage, and hibernate naturally while allowing visitors to observe him from an elevated boardwalk.
The refuge is accessible via the gondola and is open during the resort's operating season. Interpretive signage explains grizzly bear ecology and the challenges of human-wildlife conflict in the Canadian Rockies. Boo's weight, diet, and seasonal behaviour are tracked by wildlife biologists, and the staff are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about bear conservation. It is one of the more unusual wildlife encounters you can have in the Rockies without venturing into the backcountry.