Beyond the Border: Some of My Favorite Canadian Ski Resorts
I never could have guessed that learning to ski as a teenager in Colorado would grow into a lifelong passion . . .
and even influence some of the biggest decisions I’ve made in my life. Ultimatley, I chose a lovely ski town in Montana to be my home, married a fellow ski bum, and we have enjoyed a few decades of exploring this area on skis (amongst other ways). Due to my proximity to the Canadian border, I have had some great opportunities to check out ski resorts located in our neighbor to the north. Canada has a bit of a built-in advantage when it comes to skiing: its northern location means colder, longer winters and plenty of opportunities to chase fresh powder. After years of skiing in Canada, I’ve discovered a few gems that are worth putting on your list.
Fernie, BC
Fernie Alpine Resort
The town of Fernie is located in the southeast corner of British Columbia, very near to the US-Canada border. Fernie Alpine Resort rises right on the norh side of town.
Known for: Powder! Fernie boast 29 feet of average snowfall annually.
Stats:
3,550 vertical feet
2,500+ resort acres
10 lifts
145 named runs plus five alpine bowls and tree skiing
29 feet average annual snowfall
Multi-Mountain Pass: Epic Pass
Hot Takes: To be honest, it has been many years since I have skied at Fernie. But, the last time I did, it was a powder day! What I remember is being happily exhausted from skiing powder run after powder run. I also remember having a beer in the legendary Griz Bar - a must for apres-ski in Fernie. The other notable feature about Fernie is that the town and resort have such a great vibe. It feels like a community that happens to have a resort nearby rather than a resort town.
Kicking Horse, BC
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
Just over 200 miles north of Fernie, located close to Golden, British Columbia is Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.
Known for: Rugged, challenging terrain, including 85+ inbound chutes, and l-o-n-g runs.
Stats:
4,314 vertical feet
3,400+ resort acres
5 lifts
120+ runs (including 5 bowls)
24 feet average annual snowfall
Multi-Mountain Pass: Epic Pass
Hot Takes: Our family skied Kicking Horse over President’s holiday weekend in February. Turns out it was a Canadian holiday weekend as well and the lines were nearly as long as the runs. Someone we met in the hot pools at Radium Hot Springs gave us the very good advice of having lunch at Eagle’s Eye Restaurant at the summit of Kicking Horse. I never knew I liked poutine until that lunch!
On a side note, one time we were attempting to drive through Golden enroute to Revelstoke but the road over Roger’s Pass was closed due to avalanche danger. Little did we know we would be stranded in Golden for the next 5-6 hours. Lucky for us we spotted a sign advertising Public Night at the Curling Club. It was great fun! The locals were friendly and patient with our attempts to “slide the stone toward the button”. It is definitely much harder than it seems!
Curling in Golden, BC
Revelstoke, BC
Revelstoke Mountain Resort
The town of Revelstoke, BC is not always to the easiest to get to. You may have figured that out from my last story. It is located only about 90 miles to the west of Golden on Canadian Highway 1, however, that stretch of highway is sometimes closed due to avalanche activity in the winter. The other route from Golden to Revelstoke is over 300 miles. For future trips, we will always check the road status first!
Known for: Big snow and so much vertical!
Stats:
5,600 vertical feet
3,100+ resort acres
4 lifts
75 runs (including 4 bowls)
34 feet average annual snowfall
Multi-Mountain Pass: Ikon and Mountain Collective
Hot Takes: The vertical statistics of Revelstoke are slightly inflated because there is not many ski runs on the lower mountain. In fact, most people opt to download rather than skiing down The Last Spike. At 9.5 miles long, it earns the title of longest ski trail in North America. As you can imagine, this beginner run is much more of a road slowly zigzagging down the mountain.
Revelstoke is full of unique terrain - from beautiful tree skiing to powdery bowls. Revelstoke delivers a great skiing experience. Lodging has historically been a bigger challenge, however, so start looking early!
Banff Sunshine, AB
Banff Sunshine
Known for: High elevation and long ski season.
Stats:
3,510 vertical feet
3,300 resort acres
12 lifts
145 runs
30 feet average annual snowfall
Multi-Mountain Pass: Ikon and Mountain Collective
Hot Takes: Banff Sunshine is located about 10 miles outside of the town of Banff. To get to the resort of Sunshine, you take a gondola up to the Village area. Like many of the Canadian resorts, it has a stunning view. We skied at Sunshine during spring break one year and discovered it attracted spring breakers from around Canada. There were costumed skiers everywhere. We even saw a group of young men skiing in a line within the hull of a bobsled! I can’t imagine doing that all day.
Lake Louise, AB
Lake Louise Ski Resort
Known for: So much terrain and so much variety!
Stats:
3,250 vertical feet
4,200 resort acres
13 lifts
170 named runs, across 5 mountain faces
15 feet average annual snowfall
Multi-Mountain Pass: Ikon and Mountain Collective
Hot Takes: I have probably skied at Lake Louise more than any other Canadian Resort and I love it! The extensive terrain at ‘Louise’ is spread across multiple mountain faces, with everything from wide-open groomers and long cruising runs to glades, gullies, chutes, moguls and expansive alpine bowls. Lodging can be a bit of a challenge, however. Sometimes we have stayed in the more affordable town of Canmore which is a 45 minute drive to the resort. It’s not a terrible option, and there are many restaurants to choose from in Canmore. Once we stayed in Lake Louise itself and had a short shuttle ride to start our ski day. That felt like a much better option, but there is not much going on in Lake Louise so we ended up driving to Banff for dinner.
Ski season is knocking on our doors . . .
and I, for one, am ready for some fresh powder!
If you’re a skier, now is the time to start thinking about which mountains you want to explore and which ski passes will help you maximize your powder turns this winter. From local favorites to bucket-list destinations, a little advance planning can go a long way, especially when it comes to choosing the right multi-mountain pass.
I’m excited to add multi-mountain ski passes to my offerings as a travel advisor, making it even easier for me to help you plan your winter adventures. Whether you’re dreaming of a week in the Canadian Rockies, a few weekends chasing fresh snow, or a full-on ski season, I can help you put the pieces together.
Ready to start planning your ski season? Reach out to me for help choosing the right pass, planning your ski trip, or simply figuring out where to find the best turns this winter. Let’s get you on the mountain!
