Top Things to do in Canadian Rockies
The 9 Best Ski & Snowboard Areas in Canadian Rockies, Canadian Rockies
From Alberta’s southwestern border north into British Columbia, the Canadian Rockies are a network of provincial and national parks that collectively make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Banff and Jasper national parks are connected by the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic drives in the world. The towns of Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper are hubs for adventures including hiking, horseback riding, rafting and wildlife viewing. Accommodation ranges from hotels to mountain lodges.
Restaurants in Canadian Rockies
1. Pass Powderkeg Ski Area
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 15 reviews
Welcome to the PPK, the perfect place for families to ski and ride! Opened in 1938, Pass Powderkeg is a delightful throwback to when a family ski day was all about big smiles and exploring, not upsells and lift lines. We are located in the beautiful Crowsnest Pass in SW Alberta, about 140 km from Lethbridge and just 230 km from Calgary. PPK a community-owned ski area, designed for skiers and riders of all ages and abilities where there's no need to hunt for parking, battle for space on the slopes or a trip to the bank to finance a family ski trip. Oh, and did we mention that we have Night Skiing & Snowboarding? Pure Magic.
Reviewed By GoPlaces726460
We were greeted at the online ticket line by a friendly lady and we were quickly suited up with our rental snowboard equipment. As we were able to book everything online from our boot sizes to ability level it made things a breeze. Maps posted at the top of each T made it easy to pick out runs for my beginning daughter, The openness of the layout allowed me to tackle some more difficult terrain while keeping tabs on her. The cafeteria served large portions and we were satisfied with the selection of food. Great prices on and off the hill made for a great weekend. We will be returning.
2. Sunshine Village
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 965 reviews
Sunshine Village sits high on the Continental Divide in the heart of Banff National Park, and is just minutes from the mountain town of Banff. Three sprawling mountains provide breathtaking sitelines, uninterrupted by any signs of civilization beyond the resort's leasehold. Ski or ride in Alberta and British Columbia in one run. Sunshine Village's seven-month season stretches from early November until late May - the longest non-glacial season in Canada. The Village's altitude of 7,082 feet ensures the snow stays dry. Sunshine can receive up to nine metres (30 feet) of snow in a season, and it stays all year.
Reviewed By flattiresonmycar
We stayed at this resort for two nights and wished it was much longer. So much fun! All Staff at the village were exceptional; truly friendly and willing to go the extra mile to make one feel welcome. Thank you to all for your sincere kindness The accommodation was fabulous, scenery spectacular food was wonderful and the guided mountain tour hosted by Paul and Ron was just the best! They were very knowledgable and attentive to needs of the group making sure everyone arrived safe and sound at the end of the day. Wonderful.
3. The Lake Louise Ski Resort
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 934 reviews
Spectacular scenery awaits at Lake Louise with uniquely beautiful terrain that is both vast and varied. Located in the heart of majestic, historic Banff National Park, Lake Louise is truly legendary and offers the world's finest terrain. With 4200 skiable acres, Lake Louise is one of the largest ski areas in North America.
Reviewed By Blob2020
Lake Louise is a real western classic, and wow it did delivered! I skied there for 2 days during the first week of february and got at least a foot of fresh powder on the first day. Being mid-week there was no crowds. On the tuesday it was mostly top to bottom all day, thursday had a bit more people but nothing crazy. The choice of runs and bowls is just amazing, there is something for everyone. If you are not comfortable with blacks and double-blacks, all lifts even the highest ones have green or blue tracks access so you can cruise your way down easily while your buddies drop through some crazy gullies. With such a variety of terrain, it's honestly hard to get bored. Don't expect a flashy touristic village at the base, it's just a big lodge with a gondola and a quad lift, and it's perfect like that.
4. Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 386 reviews
Created for the 1988 Winter Olympics, this ski area offers many expert trails.
Reviewed By robmU9339CP - Vancouver, Canada
Great wide, well groomed trails with and excellent lodge and a friend ski rental shop. One of the best for trails
5. Marmot Basin Ski Area
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 504 reviews
Marmot Basin, located in Jasper National Park, Alberta provides unparalleled skiing and snowboarding for all ages and all abilities. Nestled in the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Marmot Basin offers a family friendly, laid back, crowd free experience with stunning views. The nearby town of Jasper offers a friendly welcome to all with hotels, bars and restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. As well as an unforgettable snow sports experience, there are also many other activities available, including shoe-shoeing, cross-country skiing, dog sledging, winter wildlife tours, canyon walks and much, much more! Once visited, never forgotten, come see us for an authentic Rocky Mountain experience. We look forward to seeing you! Your friends at Marmot Basin.
Reviewed By 805douga
We ski one day per trip when travelling to Jasper. I love the parking alongside the runs. Parking is easy, and access to the run down to the lift is at the end of the parking lot. fantastic variety of difficulties, great snow, lifts, and amenities.
6. KPOW! Fortress Mountain Cat Skiing
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9 reviews
Reviewed By michellepK9233FX
POW for days , SMILE for days~ big shout out to the staff at KPOW-Mick ,Chris. Ally, Nyren and the bad ass Cat driver / chief Kelly. You won’t be disappointed, from the warm welcome of the staff to the epic terrain . Great day , great way to spend with friends . Thank you KPOW
7. Allison Lake Cross Country Ski Trails
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By BenLar137 - Calgary, Canada
Some great cross-county ski venues are quite a drive from anywhere, not here. We appreciated the highway sign, but then had to figure out a little which road to take, as we didn't notice further explicit "cross-country ski" signs. They have a good grooming and track-setting operation, and appear to be able to host a variety of related events. We enjoyed our visit very much. There was some figuring out to do related the many on-site maps (excellent they have so many!), as some links on the map didn't seem to be there. The website is helpful, but you need a good memory to figure out which trails are not maintained because they allow dog-walking. And some of the trails we thought, from the website, would have been track-set weren't, but there were still lots that were. All-in-all, a great place, and kudos to Coleman for having such a high quality facility!
8. SkiBig3 Adventure Hub
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 15 reviews
Ski and snowboard rentals including demo fleet and free hotel delivery. Lift tickets for the SkiBig3 resorts of Banff Sunshine Village, Lake Louise Ski Resort, and Mt. Norquay, and ski accessories including goggles, helmets and gloves. Summer rentals include ebikes and stand-up paddleboards.
Reviewed By Relax65810643899
Our recent experience with Ski Big Three Lift Tickets was stellar! We were staying at a remote lodge where there is no cell phone service and very limited Wi-Fi (in the main lodge building only). We decided we wanted to ski Lake Louise the following day and used the limited Wi-Fi available to us to book one day of skiing and equipment rentals for two people. The connection failed before we could receive confirmation that the transaction was completed successfully and had no voucher, tickets or confirmation number. The following day (the day we planned to ski), we sent an email to Ski Big Three explaining our problem. We had not done our homework and did not understand that they are based in Banff and that ski lift tickets and ski equipment are obtained directly from them or are delivered to your hotels. Their response was exemplary. They contacted Lake Louise ski resort Guest Services and arranged for them to print our lift tickets there and they reversed the charge for our ski rentals, advising us to obtain what we needed directly from Lake Louise. They were under no obligation to do that but it made it feasible for us to spend the day at Lake Louise without having to travel back from Yoho Park to the town of Banff at the beginning and end of our ski day. Clearly, they went above and beyond what was required of them and allowed us to have a fun day of skiing for a very fair price. Highly recommended!
9. Nakiska Ski Resort
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 126 reviews
Reviewed By MonkeyMeetsRabbit - Calgary, Canada
Nakiska is a decent place for a day ski trip. It is a short drive from Calgary and there are ample parking spaces. The scenery on the hill top is amazing! Our favourite runs are Mighty Peace and Eye Opener.
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