20 Best Ski Resorts In Canada: Experts Guide

We may be biased, but Western Canada is the best place to ski due to its incredible terrain, limited crowds, and abundant snowfall. Many other international destinations receive a lot of praise, but it’s pretty tough to compete with Canadian ski resorts when it comes to natural beauty.

There may not be many bars and restaurants on the slopes here, as the ski resorts here are about one thing; skiing and snowboarding. As veterans of Western Canada, we share insights into our favorite ski resorts in Canada. It may be a hotly contested subject about the “best ski resort,” but you can’t go wrong with any ski resort.

These are our favorites, all of which we have personally snowboarded at.

---

About Skiing In Canada

Canada is one of the best places in the world to ski. The country is blessed with abundant snow and big mountains that are perfect for skiing. Visitors can find fantastic mountain towns, such as Banff, Whistler, Fernie, Rossland, Nelson, and Mont Tremblant, which make for a great ski holiday. Best of all, many resorts are known for their affordability and fewer crowds.

Ski resorts have it all! There is a wide variety of terrain, and if there is a particular type of ski you love, there is likely a resort in Canada that is the perfect fit. You can find everything from big open bowls, freshly groomed runs, tree skiing, bottomless powder, and stomach-turning chutes and drops.

Most ski resorts are out West and located in Alberta and British Columbia. The resorts stretch from the Coast Mountains to the Canadian Rockie across several mountain ranges, largely in British Columbia. While the resort villages of Whistler, Banff, and Mont Tremblant offer full package holidays, many skiers opt for a road trip along the famed “Powder Highway” in search of “smaller” ski hills and untouched tracks.

---

The Best Ski Resorts In Canada

---

Lake Louise Ski Resort

Lake Louise is one of Canada’s most well-known ski resorts, thanks to its location in Banff National Park. It’s one of the most gorgeous Canada ski resorts where the quality of the ski is only surpassed by its stunning natural location. Lake Louise Ski Resort is one of North America’s largest ski resorts, with 4,200 acres covering four mountain faces.

The terrain varies between beautiful groomers, challenging steeps, and expert-level chutes. Every skill level will find something enjoyable at Lake Louise, and it’s a manageable mountain to navigate after a bit of orientation. Experts love the extreme terrain, while intermediates and beginners love the long-groomed runs with stunning views.

The cold climate ensures Lake Louise has one of the longest seasons in Canada, from November to May! While it is no powder mecca, the average snowfall is around 400-500 centimeters a year. The snow that does manage to fall on the mountain is of good quality, as the dry air and cold climates make for great snow. It can also be incredibly rocky on years with low snowfall—locals are very familiar with P-Tex.

The cost and lack of accommodation are Lake Louise’s significant downsides. Since it’s in a national park, there are no hotels on the mountain and only a handful in Lake Louise village. Most visitors will plan a trip to Lake Louise with a stay in nearby Banff, a 40-minute drive away. It’s a great resort town, but prices are higher than most ski resorts in interior B.C.

Banff is one of the best resort towns in Canada, and it has plenty to offer visitors. If skiing isn’t your only focus, you can make a whole trip around Banff with a wealth of activities and sights off the ski hill. Plus, there is more than just Lake Louise in Banff, as there are three ski resorts: Mt. Norquay, Banff Sunshine Village, and Lake Louise, known as SkiBig3.

---

Whistler Blackcomb

Whistler Blackcomb is the most famous ski resort in Canada and North America. It’s a mega-resort that receives a vast annual snowfall over insane terrain and has a full-service resort at the base. It’s not much of a surprise that it is considered one of the best ski resorts in the world. There’s a lot to be said about Whistler, but it holds a special place in our hearts—we even spent a season living in Creekside Village.

Whistler is two hours from Vancouver along the Sea To Sky Highway. Its fame and excellent facilities bring in two million guests a year! However, its most significant negative is its crowds and lines, which can be brutal. This is especially true on powder days when locals come out in force and compete for the best lines.

Those locals include pros and experts because of the excellent terrain, making competition fierce for first tracks on the best lines. The two mountains are so big and have so much variety that it would take years to explore all they offer. The quality of the runs, parks, and expert terrain is impressive. There is something for everyone, and even the experts rave about Whistler Blackcomb.

The village has everything visitors could desire when you’re off the mountain. It has many accommodation options, the apres-ski scene is vibrant, spas are abundant, activities are not limited to skiing, and there is no shortage of shops and Whistler restaurants. So, even if you’re not a huge skier, there are plenty of things to do in Whistler in the winter.

Of course, all of this comes with a very high price tag. Along with Jackson Hole or Aspen, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more expensive ski resort in North America. If you plan to spend more than a few days riding at Whistler, buying an Epic Pass is best. Lift ticket prices are astronomical!

---

Revelstoke Mountain Resort

At a place like Revelstoke, it’s common to see someone tear down the mountain and huck a backflip off a cat track under the Stoke Chair. The skiers and boarders on this mountain can rip. Over the years, Revelstoke has become a mecca for die-hard skiers and boarders.

Many heli-ski operations call the Revelstoke home; the mountain receives enormous amounts of snow, and the backcountry ski routes are the stuff of legends. If you’ve watched a ski movie in the last decade, there’s definitely been a segment that included some shots from Revelstoke.

Revelstoke has a reputation that proceeds itself for outstanding freeride terrain, tree skiing, and legendary powder. We spent an entire season there and never ever got bored. To this day, Revelstoke remains our favorite ski resort in the world. It’s where we first learned to drop cliff bands and get very out of our comfort zone.

With only 93 marked runs and enormous terrain, it’s a mountain where you must find your own line. To top it all off, Revelstoke gets over 12 meters of fresh powder a year. Chances are that many visitors will have an epic powder day on a trip to the resort.

Revelstoke has one big downside. Despite being called Revelstoke Mountain Resort, it’s not a good resort. The terrain is primarily ungroomed and not ideal for beginners or intermediate riders. Most of its “green” runs are essentially just cat tracks.

It also lacks the technical steep lines you’ll find at Lake Louise, Kicking Horse, or Whistler. True experts may be disappointed with its lack of technical chutes and in-bounds steeps. For expert skiers and riders, the North Bowl is rather tame, but it does enjoy huge amounts of wind loading, which leads to deep snow. That said, there are still very tough lines to be found with creativity.

Revelstoke Mountain Resort boasts the highest vertical in North America, but it’s really a technicality, as the ski at the bottom of the mountain is often variable. This town also lacks resort infrastructure that would complete a holiday package like in Whistler or Banff. Revelstoke is far from the prettiest Canadian ski town, and while there are a handful of hotels, cabins, and restaurants, it still leaves a lot to be desired.

That’s why we love Revy, but those looking for a full ski vacation with the family you can get, like in the Alps, Whistler, or Colorado, may be disappointed. It’s not a complete holiday package for the family but a destination for experts and advanced riders to check off the list.

---

Mont Tremblant

Mont Tremblant is an excellent Canadian ski resort, especially considering its location on the East Coast. While the annual snowfall and terrain won’t blow away expert skiers, it has plenty to offer the vast majority. They have a picturesque ski village, excellent facilities, and a respectable amount of vertical.

The summit offers breathtaking views over rolling hills in the Laurentians. The resort’s pistes spread out from the summit, and there are many possibilities for all ski and snowboard abilities. Mont Tremblant has a decent park, a few steep runs, glades, and plenty of beginner terrain.

Mont Tremblant is a sizeable resort with 96 beginner, intermediate, and advanced runs. Its incredible snowmaking and grooming abilities are considered some of the best in North America, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s considered one of the best ski resorts on the East Coast.

Above all else, Mont-Tremblant offers exceptional Quebec charm in a sea of maple trees. People are just darn friendly here, and the resort offers the best holiday on the East Coast. There are many family-friendly winter activities to enjoy in the area and plenty of maple syrup to go around!

It’s worth noting that this is an East Coast resort, so obviously, ski quality and terrain are nothing like those in the West. It’s the best on the East Coast, but for some, that’s not saying much.

---

Banff Sunshine Village

Banff Sunshine is a mountain that offers something to everyone, from professionals to beginners. You can easily find yourself smack dab in freeride terrain that would be considered out-of-bounds in other resorts or cruising down a mellow green to the Trappers Pub. Jagged peaks loom high above alpine trees, and the views of untouched alpine are unparalleled.

When you first arrive in the parking lot, the mountain does not look like much, as the base is a gondola station and one restaurant. To reach the actual resort base, guests must take a 15-minute gondola that delivers them into a sprawling resort that looks like it belongs in the Alps, not North America.

Sunshine Village has a central resort center with several restaurants, shops, and a hotel. It serves as an excellent meeting point for groups of varying riding abilities. Several lifts go out from the center to the mountains and ridges in the area. Most runs are relatively short since the resort base is high in elevation. However, there is a ton of variety in the terrain and something for every level of skier.

Don’t let the expert terrain deter you from visiting the resort, which also has a plethora of groomed beginner and intermediate runs. The resort has something for everyone, and the base area makes for a perfect central point to meet after skiing the surrounding peaks.

The downside to Banff Sunshine Village is the shorter runs, various flat sections connecting the mountain, and the weather. As the resort sits in the alpine, there are many days with very flat light and cloud coverage. On a frigid day when the wind blows, it can be bone-chillingly cold.

Similar to Lake Louise, Sunshine Village lacks on-mountain accommodation. However, it is 20 minutes closer to the town of Banff and has one mountain lodge that makes for an extraordinary experience. The resort claims the “best snow in Canada,” and it’s true that the cold temperatures in Banff National Park preserve the snow well, but it can get icy and windswept. Also, the snow is no different than anywhere else in Canada when conditions are right.

---

Sun Peaks Resort

Sun Peaks is a favorite ski resort of many Canadian Families as the resort is good at everything. It is a charming village with variety, good service, great value, and a decent ski hill that is easy to navigate. As one of the best places to visit in BC, it has some great activities, such as dog sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.

The ski resort trails are well laid out and easy to navigate. Almost all runs lead back to the base village, making it nearly impossible to get lost, especially compared to resorts like Whistler Blackcomb, Revelstoke, or Lake Louise.

The resort doesn’t serve as a mecca for ski bums, but that doesn’t mean the ski runs aren’t notable. It has several challenging pistes, bowls, glades, and an excellent terrain park with plenty to offer advanced riders/skiers. It’s a great resort for groups of various ability levels.

It’s a friendly full-service ski resort and the second largest in Canada, smaller than the monstrous Whistler-Blackcomb, but great for families and those looking for a full-on ski vacation. Sun Peaks also has some of the best snow ghost trees in Canada!

---

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

British Columbia is well known for its legendary ski resorts, and Kicking Horse consistently makes the list of best ski resorts in Canada. The Kicking Horse Ski Area was only heli-skiing for years, but with the addition of a massive gondola, everyone was exposed to a world of steep terrain.

It is no beginner’s mountain with crazy double black diamond chutes and bowls. Over half the runs on the mountain are either rated as black or double black, and it’s well known for being an advanced and expert rider’s mountain. You’ll want to look for another resort if you’re a beginner or intermediate. What makes the mountain even better is its location on the Powder Highway, known for getting epic snow dumps and legendary “Champagne Powder.”

The big downside to Kicking Horse? There’s one gondola and just a few chairlifts to access a huge terrain area. This means there’s often a long line on powder days, and your ability to do laps and laps on end is limited. Instead, you’ll tire yourself out, riding from top to bottom of the resort to return to the gondy at the base.

The terrain is so epic that it is the Freeride World Tour’s only North American stop. In the competition, the world’s best freeriders throw down some of the biggest and most creative lines to be crowned the top skier or snowboarder.

Golden is similar to Revelstoke in that it is still a working town, not a full-service resort. The vibe around town is very low-key, and the locals are in no hurry to become like Banff or Whistler. It’s still a town surrounded by mountains and has some lovely spots to enjoy a meal or stay.

---

Whitewater

Just an hour away from Rossland is Whitewater Ski Resort near Nelson. Whitewater is similar to Red Resort because it is small, quiet, and gets tons of powder. When you go to Whitewater, it’s like stepping back in time. The lifts are old-school, guests are primarily locals, and facilities are limited.

However, that’s all a part of its charm, as you’ll be grinning ear-to-ear from the face shots. It feels like a resort that belongs in Japan rather than North America. Averaging 12 meters of snow annually, Whitewater is a favorite Canadian Ski Resort. Tree skiing is excellent here, and the locals are known to rip. This makes sense with how much skiing you can do with no lift lines.

Whitewater isn’t as big as neighboring Red Mountain or Revelstoke and offers less terrain. But what it lacks is the terrain it makes up for in snowfall. The best part is that Nelson is a fantastic ski town known for its laid-back culture. Nelson has plenty of restaurants, bars, and excellent shops.

Whitewater is known for being weird, and we mean that in the best way possible. The fortunate few who ski here hope it never changes. You won’t catch these guys on mega passes like the Ikon, Epic, or Mountain Collective.

---

Fernie Alpine Resort

Numerous sites and magazines, including National Geographic, have named Fernie one of the best ski towns in the world. It’s historically a mining town and was voted the “Best Little Town in B.C.” for a good reason. It is more than just a charming town here; the ski is legendary.

This resort in the Canadian Rockies is known for drowning in piles of snow. Powder days are common at Fernie, with an average of nearly 9m of snow or about 29 ft a year. This falls on a wealth of terrain that spans over 2,504 acres, including five large bowls, ridges, and meadows. Exploring all the mountain has to offer would take a season at least, with countless options for new lines. The one saying you’ll hear a lot in Fernie is “steep and deep.”

The downside of Fernie is its very fickle weather and relatively short season compared to other resorts in the area. In the middle of February, we’ve ridden across puddles of water and worn trash bags to stop the old lifts from dripping oil on our ski jackets. This is because the resort sits in a “rainforest” with heavy amounts of precipitation, either heavy rain or heavy snow.

That being said, like many of our favorite ski resorts in B.C., Fernie feels like stepping back in time, and it remains one of our ski resorts in Canada. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that they shot the cult classic “Hot Tub Time Machine” at the resort.

---

RED Mountain Resort

Red Resort on the aptly named Powder Highway gets around 750cm of snow a season and is well known for its surprisingly challenging terrain. When the snow starts to fall, it often dumps, making for epic powder days and tree skiing. The resort lies a short drive outside of Rossland, which happens to be one of the most charming little towns in B.C.

Days there can be a bit quiet, and there aren’t a wealth of restaurants or hotels, but the ski more than makes up for it. The ski at Red Mountain is impressive, with a wide variety of terrain that is often deceptively steep. It’s big, too, with 3,850 acres of skiable terrain that fans out across three mountains—Red, Granite, and Grey.

Each mountain can offer riders and skiers something different, but all have a nice mix of terrain. Red Mountain may be the easiest to ski but it does have some steep tree skiing. Granite offers the greatest and most intriguing terrains that skew towards advanced-level skiers. While Grey Mountain has excellent groomed runs and steep powder drops. Honestly, there’s not a ton of beginner/intermediate terrain.

Red Mountain is known for its tree skiing, and there is lots of it. Red typically gets quite a lot of powder, though expect heavy B.C. coastal snow much of the time. It also has a long history as one of the oldest ski hills in North America, dating back to the creation of the Red Mountain Ski Club in the first decade of the 1900s!

That age means the lifts need some serious upgrading. They are painfully slow, especially the Motherload chair, which gets you up Granite Mountain and to all the best terrain. That means on an epic day, you won’t be able to lap the mountain as much as you might want, but the slow chairs keep the powder lasting longer.

Due to its location in B.C., you’ll hardly see many crowds at Red. It’s a local mountain; even on a powder day, you’ll have a run to yourself.

---

Silver Star Ski Resort

Silver Star near Kelowna is a hit with families similar to Sun Peaks – it’s good for everything. It’s a family-friendly resort that feels approachable but offers invigorating skiing that even experienced skiers will enjoy. It may not be the spot to huck it off a cliff, but it’s perfect for ripping down some groomers with friends and family.

The resort village is cute, with colorful buildings and an excellent selection of restaurants, shops, and accommodation options. It’s a manufactured resort, but it’s a great vibe, and with all of the activities, it’s easy to see why so many love Silver Star Resort.

---

Panorama Mountain Resort

Panorama is a hidden secret in the Purcell Mountain range on the Powder Highway. Many opt for other full-service resorts in Canada and the U.S. When it comes to ski holidays, people think in the hive mind – as they all flock to the same resorts. Panorama is a quiet mountain tucked away in the Purcells with excellent terrain and an impressive vertical drop. It’s a modern resort with decent lift infrastructure and an excellent selection of holiday rentals at the base.

It’s a great family resort with beautifully groomed runs ranging from beginner to intermediate. Advanced skiers will largely be confined to mogul runs unless they’re ready for big ski terrain. As Panorama Resort operates on a former heli-ski area, it has some extreme terrain, such as the Extreme Dream Zone, a long ridge with alpine and steep tree skiing. There is also the Tayton Bowl, which can be accessed by snowcat when the conditions are good.

Panorama’s largest issue lies with its unfortunate location, as the mountain receives a lot of sunshine and moderate snowfall. The average season will see a healthy blanket of snow, but it’s often firm and icy from the sun. We’ve never been fortunate enough to visit Panorama in ideal conditions, but on a powder day, we have no doubt it would be a blast. We find none of the headaches of a busy resort at Panorama, as only the two small towns of Invermere and Radium Hot Springs are nearby.

---

Powder King

If you’re after powder, you can’t beat the aptly named Powder King. The resort in the middle of nowhere B.C. receives the most snow of any ski resort in Canada. It’s tough to consider Powder King a resort as it has very limited facilities and only one chairlift.

However, with 492″ of snow a season, you’ll want to break out a snorkel to get through the deep tree skiing here. Due to its remote location, okay terrain, and limited facilities, there is not much in terms of crowds. It’s not hard to understand why, as it only appeals to a select die-hard powder hound who’s already skied other B.C. ski resorts.

Skiers and riders often need to traverse for various runs because there is only one slow chairlift. As you go back and forth across the mountain to reach new runs, this can be arduous. Of course, the good news is that you’ll get plenty of fresh powder runs.

---

Castle Mountain

Castle Mountain is considered a hidden gem amongst Alberta locals and a favorite with Calgarians. While most will head to Banff for Lake Louise and Sunshine, those in the know will head to Castle Mountain. It’s a decent-sized resort with 79 trails, 8 bowls, and 3,592 acres of skiable terrain.

However, much of the terrain is only accessible with the resort’s in-bounds cat-skiing operation. The runs also skew towards advanced and expert levels, making it a little limited for beginners and intermediates. This is especially true if the notorious winds pick up and stop the top lift.

The resort has excellent terrain variety with long runs, tree skiing, chutes, cliff bands, and a park. It’s a balanced mountain, even if it skews toward the more advanced rider. Castle Mountain is an incredible gem as it has decent snow, a variety of terrain, and quality service.

---

Marmot Basin

Marmot Basin is a beautiful resort in Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies. Compared to the Banff resorts, it is far quieter. The ski resort is less than a 30-minute drive away from the town of Jasper. Which has to be one of the best mountain towns in Canada.

The resort isn’t huge at 1,720 acres, but in that skiable terrain, it packs a lot of punch and amazing views of Jasper National Park. However, it still has 91 named runs on four mountain faces and 3,000 vertical feet of drop. Compared to resorts out East, it would be substantial.

Marmot Basin has a vertical drop of 914 meters, with most of the resort above the treeline. There’s some good off-piste riding for advanced riders, and if you get lucky and hit this Canada ski resort on a powder day mid-week, you’ll be doing powder turns all day. There’s something for everyone here with alpine bowls, tight tree runs, glades, moguls, and of course, groomers. There are even a few cliff features for expert riders.

The only downside is Marmot Basin doesn’t get that much powder, with an average of fewer than 5 meters in a season. Still, the quality is excellent, and like other resorts in the Rockies, the snow sticks around thanks to the cold temperatures. As the snowfall is a little limited and the resort is not huge, it’s better suited as an addition to a trip to the Rockies or Jasper National Park.

---

Kimberley Alpine Resort

Here’s one you won’t find on many lists of the best Canadian ski resorts, but we promise this little resort has a lot going for it! Kimberley is a great little resort because it is unassuming. Unlike Fernie, Kicking Horse, or Panorama, there are no massive bowls, famed double blacks, or white knuckle glades to scare your ski pants off. Instead, it is a magical, simple, and quiet mountain perfect for ripping a groomer or letting your kids have fun without fearing they’ll fall off a cliff.

If you like gladed runs, you’ll love Kimberley. The tree-lined runs off the Black Forest are a real treat. It was arguably our quietest time on pistes as we never saw another skier or snowboarder in our path. If you’re looking for our favorite run on the mountain, it would be Vortex. It’s a tree-lined run in the Black Forest area with a natural half-pipe perfect for snowboarders and skiers.

---

Nakiska Ski Area

Nakiska Ski Area was our first introduction to the Canadian Rockies before moving here, and we are happy we made the stop. Many people skip over Nakiska for its more significant and intimidating Lake Louise and Banff Sunshine counterparts. While the surrounding region of Kananaskis may not be as world-renowned as Banff, it is stunning and has less tourism. To get to Nakiska, you will most likely start in Calgary, only an hour’s drive away.

The drive into Kananaskis Country instantly makes you feel small, as the Canadian Rockies make you forget you were just in a city. Nakiska Ski Area was built for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. It’s not a massive resort but is well known as the local mountain for Calgary families.

There really isn’t anything all that impressive about the resort, but they have some excellent groomed runs that are empty mid-week. It’s common to get a scene like the one above on a regular Tuesday. Nearby the resort is a fantastic Kananaskis Hotel, the Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, which also is home to the Nordic Spa.

---

Mt Norquay

Mt Norquay is the most digestible of resorts in Banff and the least imposing for beginners/intermediates. It’s only a 10-minute drive from Banff, making it a great option to get some quick runs. The resort has been operating since 1926 and offers several activities, including snowboarding and skiing. It’s also the only mountain in the area that offers night skiing. While it’s a “SkiBig3” member, it’s not so big, and the ski is sub-par for Western Canada.

Mt. Norquay’s shortcomings lie in the lack of snowfall and the resort’s orientation, which leads to poor snow conditions. If you plan to ski at Mt. Norquay, come expecting ice and hard-packed snow. The steepest runs also develop massive moguls that can get pretty firm—no fun on a snowboard.

Of course, if you’re used to skiing on the East Coast, Mt. Norquay can seem pretty impressive. There are some steep black runs and excellent groomers. They also have a pretty sweet little rail park, suitable for a nighttime park sesh. Norquay also has fantastic views over Banff, the Bow Valley, and Mt. Rundle.

On a powder day, the resort is super close to town, and you won’t compete against powder-hungry locals who head to Lake Louise and Sunshine Village—of course, you’ll miss out on the vastly superior resorts.

---

When is the Best Time to Ski in Canada?

I recommend visiting these Canadian ski resorts between January and March for the best conditions. January has epic powder days, but it can also be brutally cold. Banff Sunshine, Whistler, and Lake Louise operate until early May!

---

What is the Best Way to Get to the Ski Resorts in Canada?

Like the United States, the most efficient and best way to get around Canada is by car. If you are an American citizen residing near the border, perhaps you can take a road trip from the States.

---

---