Skiing in Canada
Snowboarding and skiing in Canada is considered an institution and for good reason. Many powder hounds travel from afar to ski Canada for the big and beautiful mountains and legendary tree skiing, and there is no shortage of great snow in Canada. Lift infrastructure and facilities are impressive at most of the major Canada ski resorts without being overly grandiose, and the laidback atmosphere and friendly locals are a major drawcard for skiing in Canada.
With the exception of
Whistler and
Banff, the Canada ski resorts are not crowded relative to many of the
US ski resorts, and the lack of skier traffic keeps powder hounds very happy with decent opportunities for fresh tracks.
BC Ski Resorts Canada
There are many fantastic
BC ski resorts that offer some of the best skiing and snowboarding in Canada. Check out the Canada ski resorts map icon at the top of this page for a visual of their location.
The biggest name in Canada skiing and snowboarding is undoubtedly
Whistler Blackcomb. Whistler has mega terrain that ranges from mild to wild, an abundance of non-skiing activities, and plentiful accommodations for a large range of budgets.
Sun Peaks,
Silver Star and
Big White Ski Resort are a little further inland and are particularly renowned for their family friendliness.
In the BC Interior in the south-eastern corner of British Columbia is the famous
Powder Highway which as well as being the epicentre of snowcat and heli skiing in Canada, is also home to great BC ski hills such as
Revelstoke,
Kicking Horse,
Red Mountain,
Whitewater and
Fernie.
Ski the
ski resorts in BC page for more information.
Ski Alberta
In the neighbouring province of Alberta there are various ski areas. The highest profile resorts are those located near the gorgeous town of
Banff which features the trio of
Sunshine Village,
Lake Louise and
Norquay.
Another high profile Alberta ski resort is
Marmot Basin in the very picturesque Jasper National Park.
See the
Alberta ski resorts page for more information.
Skiing in Eastern Canada
There are also Canadian ski resorts in Ontario and Quebec (such as Mont Tremblant), but whilst these are adequate for the locals, they are not considered high on the priority list for international powder hounds, especially considering the goods on offer with skiing in Canada out west.
Canada Skiing Terrain
The Canada ski resorts are renowned for having plenty of vertical and ski terrain. You'll definitely need a pre-season fitness program to cope with the thigh-burning ultra-long runs. Most Canadian ski resorts have something for everyone with runs for all ability levels. However Canada is famous for its steeps with some resorts providing hair-raising runs that are definitely worthy of their double black diamond status. See the
Canadian ski resorts ratings for an indication of which ski hills are best for experts as well as other ability levels.
Heli Ski Canada
And if the ski resorts arenโt enough to satisfy every whim, powder hounds can spread their wings and go heli skiing. British Columbia is the home of heli skiing because this is where it was pioneered, and heli skiing in Canada continues to be world renowned for the high snow volumes, great alpine terrain and tree skiing, and high safety standards. See the
heli skiing Canada page for more information.
Cat Skiing Canada
Alternatively powder hounds can become powder cats and partake in some cat skiing. Canada has about 20 cat skiing operators, most of which are located in British Columbia, so Canada could also be considered the capital of
snowcat skiing. See the
cat skiing BC page for more information.
Canada Ski Holidays - Cost
Canada provides a quality snow holiday at reasonable prices, and considering the currency exchange is commonly favourable for those from the US, UK and Europe, the costs are even better. Whilst lift tickets are not dirt cheap, they're certainly cheaper than in New Zealand or Australia.
Ski towns and resorts have a range of accommodations that provide good value for money, and for those wanting to travel on a shoe-string, there are always good quality budget lodging options.
The lift tickets, ski lessons, and activities at Whistler are relatively expensive. Banff can also be pricey, but there are a range of inexpensive accommodation options available.
Silver Star ski resort and
Big White offer better value for money, and when you get a little off the beaten track at places such as Revelstoke, Whitewater and Red Mountain or in northern BC, the value for money is very good.
Why Snowboard or Ski Canada?
Ski Canada for the great combination of good snow and impressive terrain, relatively uncrowded slopes, and a very laid-back culture. The only problem with snowboarding or skiing in Canada is that once youโve experienced it youโll be forever addicted. Awesome eh?!