The Canadian Rockies are home of the “Great Powder Highway” where the mountains shoot up from the deep valley floors to the majestic mountain peaks. If you haven’t discovered Canada’s great skiing – its time to get off your butt and head up to the Great White North.
I love Colorado, Utah, and Lake Tahoe skiing, but there is something magical about skiing in the Canadian Rockies. The ski runs tend to be quite long, lesser traveled and expansive. Most of the resorts boast 3,000 – 4,000 ft far surpassing what you’ll find in the states. There are many regions and resorts to explore including the Baniff / Lake Louise, Revelstoke Central Region, and Southern BC / Fernie & Red Mountain areas. The more you explore, the more you will be rewarded with massive mountains, incredible deep snow, and a wide variety of conditions and terrain.
The Canadian Rockies are also the home and birth place of Heli Skiing with dozens of Heli Ski and Snow Cat destinations. If you haven’t been into the BC back country you’re missing one of the most spectacular adventures of your life – Heli Skiing in BC should be on your bucket list if you’re someone who calls themselves a “Hard Core Skier”.
Here are the top 10 Ski Resorts in the Canadian Rockies
- Lake Louise Ski Resort
- Kicking Horse Ski Resort
- Revelstoke Ski Resort
- Fernie Alpine Ski Resort
- Red Mountain Ski Resort
- Sunshine Village Ski Resort
- Panorama Ski Resort
- Sun Peaks Ski Resort
- Whitewater Ski Resort
- Big White Ski Resort
One thing I love about skiing in Canada is the exchange rate has been quite favorable for years, offering a 25% discount to the USD currently. This offers you the ability to stay a bit longer, and perhaps at a more premium hotel destination like the Fairmont Lake Louise.
I recommend that you take a bit of a Ski Safari along the Great Powder Highway, sampling a bit of everything the Canadian Rockies offer. Renting a car and driving resort to resort is an awesome experience. You can fly into Calgary and start with Lake Louise & Sunshine Village, head deeper into the region and hit up Kicking Horse and Revelstoke… or start out more south and hit Castle Mountain, Fernie, Island Lake Cat Skiing, and Red Mountain. Or design your own trip based on what you like the most. You really can’t go wrong.
The only negatives for Canada are the periods of extreme cold temperature that can hit. These mostly occur in Dec – Jan, but also hit the region in Feb – Mar depending on Mother Nature. So, do yourself a favor and get geared up with extreme cold weather clothing before you travel to ensure you stay warm and happy on those -10 to -20f days.
When it comes to skiing the Canadian Rockies don’t miss our review on the 10 Best Heli Ski Destinations
Although not in the Rockies – Whistler is one of the best ski resorts in Canada – Check it out!