Canada
Skiing in Canada
Snowboarding and skiing in Canada is considered an institution and for good reason. Canada is very well known for having legendary ski resorts. There is no shortage of great snow in Canada, and the mountains are big and naturally beautiful. Lift infrastructure and facilities are impressive at the 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 feel almost deserted. The lack of crowds keeps powderhounds very happy with plenty of opportunities for fresh tracks. And if the Canadian ski resorts aren’t enough to satisfy every whim, powderhounds can spread their wings and go heli-skiing.
Heli skiing Canada is world renowned! Alternatively powder hounds can become powder cats and partake in some
BC cat skiing.
BC Ski Resorts
There are many BC ski resorts (British Columbia ski resorts). Check out the Canada ski resorts map in the right hand column of this page for their location.
Whistler Blackcomb is located out west near Vancouver. Whistler has mega terrain that ranges from mild to wild, an abundance of non-skiing activities, and plentiful accommodation from budget to opulent.
Sun Peaks,
Silver Star and
Big White Ski Resort are a little further inland and have some similarities to each other. These three BC ski resorts have decent sized terrain and are incredibly family friendly. The have ski terrain for beginners, intermediates and advanced riders, but have minimal on offer for those who love super steep, white knuckle terrain.
A little further into the BC Interior in the south-eastern corner of British Columbia is the infamous powder triangle (aka the powder highway), but there’s a bit of debate as to how far the triangle extends.
Revelstoke Mountain Resort is east of Silver Star near the town of Revelstoke. The ski resort is reasonably new and it has a very firm foothold in the advanced riding market. Revelstoke is also a cat skiing and heli skiing Mecca.
Kicking Horse is a fraction further east again near the town of Golden. Kicking Horse has some similarities to Revelstoke except that it caters to expert skiers and snowboarders even better than Revelstoke.
Panorama Ski Resort is a good all-rounder and provides an affordable family skiing option.
Fernie Alpine Resort is another all-rounder that is family friendly. It’s also popular for powder skiing, which can be supplemented with nearby cat skiing.
Red Mountain is a BC ski resort located near the US border. Red Resort is popular with families, hard core ski bums, and others looking for an inexpensive Canada ski holiday.
An hour north near Nelson BC is
Whitewater, a back to basics ski resort with the biggest and best powder in Canada.
Alberta Ski Resorts Canada
In the neighbouring province of Alberta there are various ski areas. The highest profile resorts are those located near the gorgeous town of
Banff.
Sunshine Village (which also partially sits in BC) is a large Banff ski resort and a very popular powder skiing destination.
Lake Louise is also located near Banff, has huge terrain, and phenomenal views. The poor cousin of
Norquay makes up the trio of Banff resorts.
Other Canada Ski Resorts
There are also Canadian ski resorts in Ontario and Quebec, but the word on the street is that these are adequate for the locals, but not worthy of an overseas ski holiday considering there’s so much on offer in western Canada.
For a further overview of the western Canadian ski resorts, see our
Canada ski holidays page.
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.
Canada Heli Skiing and Cat Skiing
British Columbia is the home of
heli skiing. CMH pioneered heliskiing and the company now has 12 different locations. BC also has another 15 heli-ski operators, and with 20
BC cat skiing operators, Canada could also be considered the capital of
snowcat skiing.
Cat skiing and heli skiing are absolute heaven for powderhounds and a highlight of any Canada ski holiday. See our overview of
heli skiing Canada and
cat skiing BC 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 Australia, New Zealand or the US.
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 accommodation 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 off the beaten track at places such as
Revelstoke,
Whitewater and
Red Mountain, the value for money is fantastic.
Why Snowboard or Ski Canada?
Ski Canada for the great combination of good snow and impressive terrain, uncrowded slopes, and a very laid-back culture. The only problem with snowboarding or skiing in Canada is that once you’ve experienced it you’ll be forever addicted. Awesome eh?!
Ski Canada Tours / Operators
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Heart & Soul Tour | 9 Days | Alberta + BC
Check out Lake Louise & Sunshine whilst staying in picturesque Banff, Alberta & then head to BC for the steep & deep at Kicking Horse. For intermediate skiers & boarders & above.
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Pure Powder Adventure | 9 Days
Check out some of Canada's best powder skiing destinations including Sunshine & Lake Louise (Banff, Alberta) & Fernie, Castle Mountain & Kicking Horse in BC.
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Canada BIG Mountains Tour | 10 Nights
Find out what all the fuss is about at Revelstoke Mountain Resort - Canada's new "big mountain". More vertical than Whistler; steep & deep and get kicked by the horse at Kicking Horse resort
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Multi-Resort Skier Improvement Tours
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BC Powder Triangle Tour | 9 or 13 Days
Experience the some of BC's best powder skiing destinations including Fernie, Red Mountain & Whitewater (PLUS Kicking Horse for those on the 13 day tour) with qualified instructors.. |
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Banff Long Weekender | 5 Days
Ski 4 of the Canadian Rockies premier powder skiing zones including Lake Louise, Sunshine, Norquay & Kicking Horse whilst taking your skiing & snowboarding to a whole new level.
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Canada Ski & Snowboard Improvement & Instructor Courses
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Yes Improvement Program / Tour
Improve your skiing and boarding to instructor level and at the same time have the Canada ski holiday of a lifetime - Whistler / Blackcomb from 1 to 11 weeks in duration.
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Ski & Snowboard Instructor Courses
Earn your ski or snowboarding level 1 or level 2 instructor certification. Courses at Whistler Blackcomb, Lake Louise or Lake Tahoe. Duration 4 weeks or 11 weeks.
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Canada Cat Ski Tours
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Powder Safari | 4 Days Cat + 2 Days Resort
Can't decide whether to go out cat skiing with Big Red Cats or Valhalla Powdercats? Then do 2 days with each of them with this combined tour PLUS ski Red Mountain and/or Whitewater.
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Catski Intro Tour | 3 days & 3 Nights
This tour is specifically designed for skiers & boarders who have never been cat skiing before or who have never skied deep powder before. Includes 3 nights lodging & all meals. 2 dates only so be quick!
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