Canada is renowned for its snowy peaks and abundance of thrilling winter sports. It’s the perfect place to take a ski trip during the winter months. Here, you can make the most of the endless fresh pistes or take an adventure in the backcountry. Canada ski resorts have an incredible amount to offer.
So whether you’re just starting out, or you’re an expert skier, there’s plenty of fun to be had. If you find yourself looking for things to do in British Columbia, Alberta, or other snowboarding hotspots, add these slopes to your list. Pack a pair of warm ski gloves and waterproofs; there’s a piste in Canada waiting for you.
Best Ski Resorts in Canada
By far the best place to go skiing in Canada is at a ski resort. Luckily for us snow-lovers, there are plenty of these to choose from. Whether you’re looking for luxury, or simply a place to rest your head before heading out to tackle the slopes, there’s a place that’s perfect for you.
Whistler Canada Skiing Resort (Whistler Blackcomb)
Known to many as having the best ski areas in Canada, this resort provides more than just an average skiing experience. It’s the largest ski resort in North America, providing skiers a choice of two mountains. This means you can make use of almost never-ending pistes, as well as riding through the backcountry without leaving the safety of the resort.
The resort caters to skiers of all levels, from beginners to well-versed shredders. Luckily for those who can’t travel during the winter months, the Horstman Glacier provides year-round skiing opportunities.
There’s a peak to peak gondola that spans an impressive 3 kilometers. Not only does this ski lift serve a practical purpose, but it also provides unmatched views over the mountains as well as the ski runs.
Located just a 2-hour drive from Vancouver, this is surely the best skiing resort Canada has to offer.
Sunshine Village Ski Resort
Sunshine Village Ski Resort is located not far from Banff Town and within the Banff National Park. The adventure begins from the moment you hop out of your car, as a gondola lifts you from the parking lot to the base of the slopes.
At Sunshine Village Resort you can indulge yourself with runs above the treeline while enjoying stunning views of the Rocky Mountains. The pistes are geared towards skiers with an intermediate level of experience. Although the resort caters to all, over 50 percent of the ski runs are for mid-level skiers, so there’s far more to choose from if you fit into this category.
The resort offers ski-in ski-out accommodation options, although many guests prefer to stay in the nearby town of Banff and simply drive to the resort each day.
Revelstoke Mountain Resort
The Revelstoke Mountain Resort is located a mere two and a half hours drive from the city of Kelowna. It’s a great resort for those visiting Canada in the offseason because of its great location. Being situated so high up on the mountain, it receives a higher number of powder days than many of the other resorts.
The lack of crowds at this wonderful ski resort makes it a great place to learn. There’s a great mix of ski bowls and tree runs, as well as beginner areas for those just starting out on their skiing journey.
There are wonderfully affordable accommodation options for all budgets. This is not a high-end luxury ski resort, so it’s far easier on the pocket. If you’re not into the glitz and glam and simply want to hit the slopes and ski, this is a great place for skiing in Canada.
SilverStar Mountain Resort
Located in the Okanagan Valley, just a short drive from Kelowna, this resort is the perfect place for groups of friends and sports-lovers to stay. Although the resort caters to all skill levels, the majority of the ski runs are aimed at expert level skiers.
One of the best things about SilverStar is the great quality of powder that it provides. It experiences frequent snowfalls and generally contains dry powder, which is ideal for skiing. It also usually has good visibility, all things an experienced skier greatly appreciates.
The resort offers great hotels and condos, which are a very popular choice of accommodation. However, if you’d prefer to stay in Kelowna, the resort is just a short drive away.
Red Mountain Resort
This resort is a little more out of the way than many of the others in this post. But it offers a great skiing opportunity for those with more experience. If you take to the slopes without bailing on a regular basis, then this one’s for you.
The resort is located near Rossland and is the perfect place to go if you’d like to escape the crowds and experience great powder. It is spread over two mountains offering a mix of terrains.
Although the resort is geared toward experienced skiers, in 2013 it expanded to include a wide variety of intermediate slopes too. The old school town in which the resort is located offers affordable accommodation options that are often used by the skiers at Red Mountain Resort.
Lake Louise Ski Resort
Lake Louise is one of Canada’s best-known ski resorts. It’s located right in the heart of the Rocky Mountains and takes less than an hour to get to from Banff. One of the things this resort is well-liked for is its incredible views of the Bow Valley.
Lake Louise Ski Resort is the perfect place for a family trip as it caters to all ski levels in great abundance. Its groomed runs, alpine bowls, steeps, and chutes accommodate every type of skier.
The resort doesn’t offer accommodation, but they do offer amenities such as restaurants serving a great variety of dishes. If you’re going to be visiting Lake Louise Ski Resort it’s advised that you either stay in the town of Lake Louise or in Banff.
Tip: Pack your ski or snowboard backpack for the day with all your essentials.
Sun Peaks Ski Resort
Sun Peaks is not a very popular resort. In fact, many avid skiers know nothing about it. But it is the second-largest skiing resort in Canada. It has an incredible amount of terrain spread over three mountains and offers something for everyone.
You can find everything from expert-level ski runs right down to beginner slopes But it does focus more on beginner and intermediate skiers than on experts. The resort offers everything you could possibly need, from hotels and condos to ski-in ski-out accommodation options.
There are also plenty of restaurants and other amenities on the property. However, if you’d prefer to stay in the town of Kamloops, that’s also an option. Although, you would have to make a 45-minute commute to the resort every day.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
The Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is one of the less popular resorts in Canada and is situated a 3-hour drive from Calgary. The resort offers everything from beginner to expert runs, but its bragging point is its killer hike-to expert runs.
Skiers can either stay at the resort, or at Golden, located a 15-minute drive away. Either way, families or solo-skiers are in for an absolute treat at this hidden gem. With 4133 feet of vertical, expert terrain, you simply can’t go wrong at this resort, no matter your level of skiing expertise.
Fernie Alpine Resort
Fernie Alpine Resort offers a wide range of terrains, from wonderful bowls to open glades and groomed runs. It’s perfect for any skill level as it offers great pistes for beginners, intermediates, and experts.
There’s a small village at the base of the resort with restaurants and hotels. But most people prefer to stay in the town of Fernie, not far away. This is because there’s a far better variety of accommodation options in the town, and the restaurant choices are out of this world. There’s also a skiing town vibe and atmosphere, which you completely miss out on by staying at the resort.
Mont Tremblant Ski Resort
Mont Tremblant Ski Resort is conveniently located just 1.5 hours from Montreal and just 2 hours from Ottawa. The resort allows you to ski on four different mountain faces which provide a wide mix of terrains.
This is the perfect place to locate yourself if you’ve got money to blow, as the village at the base of the mountain provides a wide range of luxurious things to do. Apart from luxury accommodation, the village offers high-end shopping, as well as fine dining restaurants to rival the world’s best snowboarding resorts.
With slopes that accommodate all levels of ski-enthusiasts, this is a great resort for a luxury family vacation or an extravagant friends’ trip.
Top Ski Resorts in Canada – Which One Will You Choose?
Ski resorts in Canada come in all shapes and sizes and suit a multitude of needs. Whether you’re traveling with your family, taking a friends’ trip, or going skiing for a romantic getaway, you’ll have a fantastic time in Canada.
So book a holiday at one of these fantastic resorts – you won’t regret it. In fact, you’ll leave with a whole host of memories you wouldn’t have imagined possible.
