Skiing in Canada - please advise me

[yumma]

Hi

So I have been skiing a fair few years and have only ever done Europe, but since the great British summer has turned rubbish yet again my attention has swung around to where can I ski next season.

I have never skied outside of Europe, I do quite fancy Canada, but time constraints with work kind of dictate a one week maximum. Is it worth the 13 hour + trek to Canada for a weeks skiing, if so where do you recommend. I really do not have a clue.

Ideally I'd like to be in a convenient area with skiing/shops/bars/restaurants all within a stones throw. What I don't want is somewhere I need to spend an hour on the bus in the morning and afternoon getting to and from the slopes.

When is a good time to go. It is just myself and Mrs Yumma so outside of holidays/peak times is a must, plus we'll both be upset if it's colder than -10/15C.

Apologies for thinking of skiing already but I have already got my summer holiday out the way and the prospect of skiing next season is what keeps me sane (although I do already have St Anton booked for Jan '18 so the season is already off to a good start!)

Thanking you in advance.

Darren

[IdiotAbroad]

I can help with this!

We ski every year (5 weeks this year in fact; 1 week Whistler, 1 week heli-skiing, 3 weeks Chamonix).

We LOVE Whistler. It is immense for sheer scale and variety. Yes, it is a long way, but conditions can be unbeatable. There is more than enough skiing for all ability levels to fill several weeks, and that's just the on-piste stuff.

It certainly ticks your boxes for everything you need in one place. Loads of options of places to stay, eat, shop, rent gear etc. And actually not silly expensive if you book early lift passes and get yourself organised, which it sounds like you already are doing.

If you don't want it bitterly cold, I'd recommend March before it gets mild. After Feb half term and before Easter when the schools have gone back is usually a good time for quieter slopes. We were there in jan and it was -24c, the peak was closed etc. Damn cold sat on a chair!

I also personally recommend Nita Lake Lodge, having stayed in several places in the area. Rooms are all suites and can be had for around £100p/n, a veritable bargain. Still walkable to lifts, and next to a truly brilliant little restaurant (2 week waiting list for a table in winter!). Creekside is that little bit quieter than the Village, but free hourly shuttles in to town for eats, drinks, shops etc at your leisure. Welcome to PM if you need any tips.

[NikGixer750]

I went to Banff years ago, one problem is all the ski areas require a bus ride. The snow was amazing and I was there for 10 days but I did not see much night life compared to say Austria (still my favourite place to go). Not sure it would be worth going all that way for a week, and when I went around Easter (from memory) it was freezing.

[IdiotAbroad]

I went to Banff years ago, one problem is all the ski areas require a bus ride. The snow was amazing and I was there for 10 days but I did not see much night life compared to say Austria (still my favourite place to go). Not sure it would be worth going all that way for a week, and when I went around Easter (from memory) it was freezing.

Banff is that bit colder than Whistler for sure (further inland so less mild air from the coast).

We've considered it but as you say it is on a limb. We stayed at the Fairmont on our honeymoon in Lake Louise, the thought of paying to eat there for a week was eye watering! Plus the long shuttles, lack of apres etc made Whistler a hands down winner for us at least. Banff town centre is ok, but I always feel it lacks that magic option of skiing straight to the pub door after a few runs! We were there a few weeks ago for my better half to run the marathon, very beautiful in summer for sure.

[trident-7]

It pi$$ed it down all week when I went to Whistler. We were provided with polythene bags with holes cut out for your head & arms by the lift offices. We were advised it rained quite a lot. It made the snow a bit heavy on the lower slopes :-/

[IdiotAbroad]

It pi$$ed it down all week when I went to Whistler. We were provided with polythene bags with holes cut out for your head & arms by the lift offices. We were advised it rained quite a lot. It made the snow a bit heavy on the lower slopes :-/

That sounds awful. What time of year was it?

[Meesterbond]

We did 10 days in Whistler a few years back and the locals were complaining about how poor the snow was - the guy in the hire shop wouldn't even bother go out in it... I've snowboarded for nearly 15 years and the snow in Whistler then was still better than almost anything I've ever had in Europe.

[Thom4711]

I went to Banff last year after skiing for many years in Europe and loved it even with having to take a bus to the slopes. We did some heli skiing and various other trips to bc. The slopes are wide and were really quiet so no queuing for lifts or packed pistes.

The town itself is really nice so loads of good food and drink along with shopping etc and the hotels were much nicer than we usually get in France and Italy.

My brother and I came back to Europe this year and enjoyed it... but have now booked next year's trip to whistler 🤙

[IdiotAbroad]

My brother and I came back to Europe this year and enjoyed it... but have now booked next year's trip to whistler 酪

That's it for me, Canada has really spoilt us and now we really want to go back there instead of the Alps! It seems we're not alone!

[snowman]

Not sure Banff is the best place to ski, but it gets my vote because it's a proper town and a good place to stay.

Access to Norquay (under-rated, but small), Sunshine and Lake Louise is easy (ideally with a car, but there are buses) and there is plenty to do and places to eat in and around the town if you fancy some time away from the slopes.

I've not been for years, but one of the local ski schools used to cycle through the three areas, so you got to see all of all of them and I found their instructors excellent, even for more experienced skiers looking to improve.

People tell me Whistler gets rain sometime, which I don't recall having on two trips to Banff - Not much worse than skiing in the rain! (I guess not skiing in the rain!).

I went heliskiing from Banff - Awesome (if slightly terrifying) experience - It was too windy to ski on the wide open slopes, so we were skiing in dense forests full of BIG trees! 3 of the 8 people in my helicopter wouldn't go for a second run, even though they'd paid for it!

M

PS I'd have to say, though, that the skiing was even better in Breckenridge!

[IdiotAbroad]

People tell me Whistler gets rain sometime, which I don't recall having on two trips to Banff - Not much worse than skiing in the rain! (I guess not skiing in the rain!).

Yep, that's the risk of being more coastal. Also one more point on Whistler which most initially forget: it is 2, HUGE mountains (Blackcomb and Whistler). Blackcomb being generally the quieter of the two, easily linked by the Peak to Peak gondola, which is worth riding even if you don't plan to ski!

[Man of Kent]

Banff gets my vote. Lovely little town, nice bars, restaurants etc. There's also the world's most expensive co-op.......

[bobar]

Try Jasper and Kicking Horse.

Jasper has the small town attraction of the "Dead dog Saloon"

I went on a tour around with a ski pal who had moved to Canada. Just threw our kit in a car and moved around.

Whistler was great when I went, but prone to the first dump of moisture from the Pacific, so at 4000 odd feet high, can often as not be rain in the village, and higher up too.

Alberta for dryer but colder skiing.

Have fun.

[jchlu]

I've skied "to the door" in Fernie, British Colombia.
Amazing place.
Can get bitter as they still had some open chair lifts when I was there.

[trident-7]

That sounds awful. What time of year was it?

It was 15-30 March. To be fair it was snowing high up &, as we skied down, it turned to sleet & on the lower slopes & in the resort it was raining. It was OK if you stayed high

[Thom4711]

That's it for me, Canada has really spoilt us and now we really want to go back there instead of the Alps! It seems we're not alone!

Yes, the skiing is sometimes better in Europe but the variety and quality of restaurant/ bars etc in Canada makes for a more rounded trip- I look back on the dining, people and shopping as much as I do the skiing! Still love skiing in the alps but I think we'll be alternating trips to North America from now on

[MCFastybloke]

If you get the weather then you cant fail with Canada, i have skied all those above and more thanks to a friendly relative in Vancouver over the last 25 years,

Its is a big flight and some are a big journey from the airport, manners and guest services are a cut above Europe, i have seen lads have tickets removed by staff for jumping queues.

The ones i would return to would be Big White,Hemlock and Sunshine/lake louise,but holiday memories have a lot to do with the company.

[casbar]

Lake Louise is brilliant. You can do other resorts from there as well. Not much to do at night though. Done Whistler a few times, nearly always rains as its lower.

[Hewjardon]

Fernie has the best powder in the country, if that is what you a re into. Kimberley is close enough to dirve over to for a day, IIRC a week pass at fernie covers a day at Kimberley, or used to. Panorama also close enough to visit. Decent cat skiiing and Fernie is cool, and old mining town.

Have ridden at more than one resort on the list. Stick to the west coast, North Rockies. All that moist air coming onshore and then over the mountains makes for great riding. Mid/end of Jan through Feb into March for best conditions.

[Steve748]

I learnt to ski in Lake Louise and it is great for learners and those who have a couple of weeks experience. For the better skiers it is so big it takes a few days to go on every run and there is plenty of powder to play in. I returned there four times and the pass gives you a day at Fernie or Kimberley. Fernie is better suited to better skiers as there were only a couple of green runs back in 2004 when I was there last.
Banff is good for shopping and nightlife but Norquay is limited and you can ski all the runs in a morning.
A day on a Skidoo at Golden is worth doing, hard work and scary but a great day out.

[Captain Morgan]

I'm quite lucky a pal of mine lives in Lions Bay, it's on the Sea to Sky between van and whistler and over the last twenty years we've done some epic trips.

We've done Kimberly, Fernie, Big White, Whistler, Sun Peaks, Kicking Horse, Revelstoke and Red, now days I find whistler too hectic, my wife reffers to it ad Disney Land on snow.

My pal now has a place just outside red mountain and while not big it has some challenging off piste and lift lines are tiny, something that's much more of an issue in the big resorts.
That said it's a lot harder to get too than some of the others you note so if I was you I'd do fernie, cracking town and mountain.

[Bogmanfan]

I spent 2 weeks snowboarding in Fernie a few years back and it was fantastic. We stayed in the town, so a short bus ride to the slopes each morning, but much better apres ski than at the slopes. Fernie's nickname is Steep and Deep, so it's definitely not a good choice for beginners. They leave a lot of the slopes ungroomed, so if you like powder it's heaven. The town is pretty cool too with lots of good restaurants and bars. While there we visited Panorama for a day. It was nice, but much smaller. Maybe too small for a full week

[IdiotAbroad]

I'm quite lucky a pal of mine lives in Lions Bay, it's on the Sea to Sky between van and whistler and over the last twenty years we've done some epic trips.

We've done Kimberly, Fernie, Big White, Whistler, Sun Peaks, Kicking Horse, Revelstoke and Red, now days I find whistler too hectic, my wife reffers to it ad Disney Land on snow.

Lion's Bay is where our dream house is going to be. What a cracking spot! Our friends did Whistler over New Year. Lift lines were 1hr+ to get up from the Base. The following week it was all much easier though, and people were unbelievably polite in the queues.