Skiing in the Alberta Rockies

It’s no accident that I call the Alberta Rockies home.  I didn’t even have a job lined up when I moved to Jasper, Alberta; I just knew I wanted to spend my days skiing the Rocky Mountains. The region is so beautiful that it inspired the first two Canadian National Parks, Jasper and Banff. They form the majority of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks and their quintessential mountain towns, also named Jasper and Banff, serve as base camps for skiing at Alberta’s four major ski resorts. Banff, the bolder sibling, has a signature style and is home to trendy boutiques and martini bars. Jasper has a tamer vibe and a more rustic style with bars like De’d Dog and Whistle Stop. The two towns are linked not just geographically but also, conveniently, by the Icefields Parkway which winds for 140 miles past incredible landmarks like Peyto Lake and the Columbia Icefields.

Here’s a guide to the region’s four major ski resorts.

 

Marmot Basin

Marmot Basin, my home mountain, is just 20 minutes from Jasper and lays claim to Canada’s highest base elevation. While that stat may seem insignificant to a novice skier, it’s paramount to sustaining a 6 month ski season that keeps you skiing until mid-May (no kidding). This winter it’s celebrating its 50^th anniversary and new owners have poured millions into updating facilities, replacing T-bars and triple chairs with detachable, high speed quads. But it isn’t the infrastructure that’s kept me skiing there for the past few years. It’s the terrain. Both the Canadian Rockies Express and Paradise Chairs access groomed runs that are long and fast. The Knob chair accesses Charlie’s Bowl, the steepest run on the mountain. And the Eagle Ridge Chair ferries you to my favorite zone, Eagles Ridge East, a massive gladed area that feels more like backcountry than a ski resort.

www.skimarmot.com

 

Lake Louise Ski Resort

Lake Louise Ski Resort isn’t just the largest ski resort in the Canadian Rockies. With 4,200 acres of terrain it’s one of the largest in North America so it’s no surprise that it offers something for every level of skier. But it does take a bit of patience navigating your way around it.

No one should miss riding the Top of the World Express Chair. Views from the summit are among the best in the Rockies so be sure to pack your camera. The back side bowls which are accessed from here are my favorite place to ski. They’re steep and often blanketed with the champagne powder that makes Rocky Mountain skiing so sublime.

For a thigh burning challenge, try skiing the Men’s World Cup Downhill Trail from top to bottom without stopping. I treat this as an annual fitness test, and it always leaves me with shaky legs. Both the Grizzly Express and Glacier Express chairlifts offer prime access to beginner and intermediate terrain on the front side of the mountain.

The resort is located in the hamlet of Lake Louise, which is at the southern end of the Icefields Parkway, 45 minutes north of Banff on the TransCanada Highway. The little village is famous in summer when the emerald waters of Lake Louise serve as the backdrop for Canada’s most photographed landscape. In the winter, the lake is equally impressive. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise builds a massive ice rink on its surface, making it, in my opinion, the world’s most scenic pond hockey venue.

www.skilouise.com

 

Sunshine Village

While one advantage of Sunshine Village is the short 20 minute drive from downtown Banff, the other is that it has the only ski-in, ski-out accommodation in the Alberta Rockies.  Sunshine Mountain Lodge is perfect for visitors who favor quiet nights mid-mountain over party nights in town.

The resort racks up big novelty points with the Great Divide Express Chairlift, which picks up guests in Alberta and drops them in British Columbia. Trivialities aside, this is a sprawling ski area with trails spanning three different mountains. Mount Standish features mostly beginner and intermediate runs, Lookout Mountain blends intermediate and advanced runs on its front side and offers the steepest, craziest terrain in Alberta – called Delirium Dive – on its back side. Goat’s Eye Mountain is mostly expert terrain, however, it’s great for skiers looking to push their abilities to the next level.

www.skibanff.com

 

Mt. Norquay

Although it’s the smallest resort in the Alberta Rockies, Mt. Norquay scores big for its proximity to Banff – a mere 5 minutes away. It’s also the only resort in this group to offer night skiing, with slopes staying open until 10 pm.

When my legs need a break, I like to relive my childhood and head straight to the lift-access tube park for a thrilling, and seemingly out of control, slide to the bottom. And if I make it to the 10 PM gong, I always reward myself with a beer at the Rose and Crown Pub, where live music acts hit the stage 365 nights per year.

www.banffnorquay.com