Boarding & Skiing
Winter in Alberta is about a season that offers unequalled skiing and snowboarding opportunities. Up to 1,000 cms of our legendary light, dry Canadian Rocky Mountain powder graces our major resorts every year. Throughout the province, there are excellent local hills within easy reach. And virtually every ski area offers a learn to / return to skiing or snowboarding package.Canadian Rockies – Top Spots
Castle Mountain, located 2.5 hours from Calgary and 1.5 from the U.S. border towns of Carway and Roosville, features slopes for the expert level skier, although the resort plans to expand to accommodate those newer to the sport.The Lake Louise Ski Area is Canada’s largest single ski area with 17 sq km (6.6 sq mi) of terrain over four mountain faces. It’s unique layout, with beginner, intermediate and advanced runs down from every chair, means groups of all abilities can ski or board together, to enjoy one of the most scenic resorts in North America.
Marmot Basin located twenty minutes from the town of Jasper, is a family-friendly resort and one of the least crowded ski areas for its size. Eighty-four runs are tailored for novices to experts, providing plenty of fun for the whole family and more than enough to challenge serious skiers and boarders.
Nakiska, less than an hour west of Calgary, was home to the 1988 Winter Olympic events. Because of its groomed fall-line skiing, Nakiska is a cruiser’s paradise and ideal for family fun. If you’re just beginning, check out their “First Timers Guide” for everything you need to know—even before you take your first lesson.
Mt. Norquay is known as the most family-friendly resort of the Big Six and a locals’ favourite. The four runs you see when approaching the mountain, just ten minutes from the Town of Banff, are legendary as some of the most challenging terrain anywhere. Mt. Norquay also has lots of gentle runs for beginners, plus flexible hourly rates and night skiing.
Sunshine Village is just 20 minutes from the town of Banff and boasts one of the longest ski seasons in North America, from mid November to late May, and 100% natural, deep snow. It has the only ski-in, ski-out accommodation in Banff-Lake Louise and if extreme skiing is the lure, your skills will be tested on the double black diamond run, aptly named Delirium Dive.
Around Alberta
You’ll find regional ski clubs and resorts all over Alberta that offer terrific ski and snowboard packages at family-friendly prices. Use our search engine to get complete results. Here are a few ideas to get you started.Calgary
Canada Olympic Park, which is open to the public, was originally built for the 1988 Winter Olympics. The ski jump that towers over the site is likely the most visible reminder of the games. Unlike Olympic venues in other host cities, this one continues to be used as a centre for professional training and competitions in ski jumping, downhill, snowboarding, and bobsledding. It has expanded to a year-round recreation centre, with an excellent mountain bike dirt park and summer day-camp activities for children.Drumheller
Ski the Badlands is located on the outskirts of Drumheller, sporting a panoramic view of our famous Canadian Badlands. Because its 12 hectares (30 acres) of open territory are completely treeless, courses can be constantly reconfigured to keep things interesting for skiers and boarders. The facility offers a significant discount for youth group ski programs.Edmonton
Rabbit Hill lays claim to the largest local ski and snowboard area.Snow Valley claims to have the best snow in the city. If Mother Nature isn’t cooperating, their state-of the art snowmaking equipment and daily grooming keep skiers and boarders happy and certified instructors busy with alpine, telemark and snowboarding lessons for all ages.
Edson
Silver Summit, located 50 km (31 mi) north of Edson on Hwy 748, is the second-largest ski area in central Alberta. It has overnight accommodations, making it a great location for anyone in the Edmonton area looking for a weekend getaway.Medicine Hat
Hidden Valley Ski Area, south of Medicine Hat and minutes from the town of Elkwater is in Cypress Hills Provincial Park and is known for its consistent snow conditions. The resort receives 2 m (6.5 ft) of snow annually and has snow making equipment to enhance coverage throughout the season. There are ski runs for beginners to experts and a snowboard park to challenge even the most experienced boarders.Red Deer
Canyon Ski Area, near Red Deer, is Alberta's largest ski area outside the Rockies. The facility offers instruction packages in both skiing and snowboarding for all ages. Runs range from beginner to expert.Amenities & Events
All major ski resorts in Alberta offer snow school programs, first-track programs, daycare, food services, day lockers, rental equipment, free ski host tours and evening torchlight runs. There’s plenty of room for skiers and boarders—spines, table tops, quarter pipes, jumps, berms and banks are standard fare. Weekend races, demo days and festivals abound.Heli-skiing: the Ultimate in Pristine
For those adventurous souls looking to rise above it all, nothing compares with heli-skiing and boarding. Our heli-ski operators have years of experience and offer half, full and multi-day Canadian Rockies vacation packages. Lift off from a resort helipad or companies in Banff , Jasper and Canmore. The thrill of a run down deep untouched powder is the stuff memories are made of. Canadian Mountain Holidays offers excellent packages. They have a well-earned reputation for providing a safe environment for their guests.Ski Vacation Packages
All the big resorts offer Canadian Rockies vacation packages, which always include the basics—lift tickets and lodging. Offered by most hoteliers in the Banff area is the tri-area package which includes lift tickets and transportation to and from three of the world’s finest ski resorts; Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise Mountain Resort and Sunshine Village. It’s an affordable way to for families and friends to experience the best of skiing in Canada’s Protected Playground, Banff National Park.
Be sure to have a look at all of the wonderful skiing opportunities throughout Alberta. Use the Advanced Search. Click on Category, Activities and Adventures, and then Skiing/Alpine Downhill.
