The best skiing in Canada is in the mountains of British Columbia and Alberta. The snow-covered peaks of the Rocky Mountains and the Coast Mountains are home to world-class ski resorts that attract skiers and boarders from around the world, and smaller resorts frequented primarily by locals.
Whistler Blackcomb, just a two-hour drive from Vancouver, is one of the top ski resorts in the world, offering a first-class experience from the slopes to the hotels, restaurants, and shops.
Ski resorts in Canada will continue to have rules in place for the upcoming ski season. These may include online-only lift ticket purchases, mask wearing in lift lines and indoors, and physical distancing protocols. Be sure to check the website of your resort prior to your visit to avoid disappointment.
Plan your winter escape with our list of the best ski resorts in Canada.
1. Whistler Blackcomb
Whistler Blackcomb, owned by Vail Resorts, is Canada’s premier ski resort with world-class skiing and facilities. The combined terrain of these two mountains makes it the largest ski resort in North America. Whistler Blackcomb’s ideal position in the mountains just back from the ocean ensures a steady supply of snow. Each season, the resort receives on average 35.5 feet of snow. At the base of Whistler and Blackcomb is the enchanting Whistler Village.
You don’t even need to ski to enjoy a trip to Whistler, but if you do, you’ll find seemingly unlimited terrain that can accommodate any level of skier, from first timers to extreme skiers. The resort has five terrain parks with over 150 features, 90 rails, and 40-plus jumps. Skiers will rejoice as they blast down beautiful wide-open bowls on Whistler Mountain, and cruise incredible groomed runs all over both mountains. On Blackcomb, the Horstman Glacier provides year-round skiing.
2. Lake Louise Ski Resort
Lake Louise, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, and less than an hour from the town of Banff, is one of Canada’s most well-known resorts. From the slopes, majestic views stretch out over the Bow Valley and surrounding mountains and beyond to the palatial Fairmont .
This is a mountain for all skiers, from the die-hard extreme skiers to families coming here to learn the sport. With 4,200 acres of skiable terrain and an average snowfall of 15 feet, the resort offers a mix of alpine bowls, steeps, chutes, and plenty of groomed runs.
The skiing at Lake Louise continues to get better. Last season the new Summit chairlift opened up the West Bowl area. This new area is 480 acres in size, and the runs are for intermediate to advanced level. The Summit lift replaced the much reviled Poma surface lift. For 2021/22 Lake Louise has installed another new lift: the Juniper Quad chair. This new lift will primarily benefit beginner skiers and boarders.
3. Sunshine Village Ski and Snowboard Resort
Located in Banff National Park, not far from the town of Banff, Sunshine Village is heavenly on a sunny day. A gondola uploads skiers from the parking lot to the village at the base of the runs. Lifts from here take you to runs above the tree line, where wide-open bowls filled with 23 feet of snow each season, offer incredible views over the rugged peaks of the Rocky Mountains.
The mountain is skewed towards intermediate skiers, with more than 50 percent of the runs falling into this category. Experts will find an impressive selection of extreme and advanced terrain, particularly on Goat’s Eye Mountain. About 20 percent of the resort is beginner oriented. This is a great hill for intermediate skiers who want to challenge themselves and move to the next level.
Ski-in, ski-out accommodation options are available at Sunshine Village, but many visitors choose to stay 20 minutes away in nearby Banff, where there is a fine selection of hotels, restaurants, shops, and a lively après-ski scene.
4. Big White Ski Resort
Big White is known for awesome powder days, wide-open views, an abundance of intermediate runs, as well as a good mix of beginner and expert terrain. This is a wonderful family resort, with plenty of convenient accommodation options, including ski-in, ski-out lodging.
The mountain offers 16 lifts, including a gondola, and more than 2,700 acres of terrain, 39 acres of which is lit at night. Views from the slopes out over the surrounding countryside are incredible. Off the ski hill, you’ll have your choice of tubing, snowmobiling, dogsledding, and ice climbing. Big White receives, on average, 26 feet of snow each season.
New improvements continue for the 2021/22 ski season and include the completion of the big, beautiful central reservations office. The new building will allow for seamless check-in and checkout of guests staying on the hill. Eight new cabins on Lara’s Gondola will bump capacity up by 50 percent. The installation of a new Magic Carpet lift will make things easier for beginner skiers and boarders in the learning area.
5. Revelstoke Mountain Resort
Located in the interior of British Columbia, about a 2.5-hour drive from the city of Kelowna, Revelstoke is a little more difficult to get to than some resorts but well worth the effort. The mountain sees a high number of powder days; has few crowds; and offers excellent terrain, from open bowls to tree runs and beginner areas. You can generally be assured of good conditions here; the resort receives an average of 30 feet of snow each season.
The resort has recently installed a new lift called the Stella Chair. This opens up new terrain and makes getting around the mountain easier. Add to this improvement reasonably priced accommodation options in the town of Revelstoke; ski-in, ski-out facilities at the mountain; and fabulous scenery, and it’s hard to beat this resort.
6. Sun Peaks Ski Resort
Sun Peaks is Canada’s second largest ski area, after Whistler but is still largely unknown outside of Canada and even one of the lesser-known resorts within Canada. Given the amount of terrain, spread over three mountains, it’s not surprising this resort offers a little something for everyone, with steeps, cruisers, and tree skiing. And, although you can find a wide variety of runs, Sun Peaks is particularly focused on beginner and intermediate skiing, making it a great choice for families.
Snow conditions here tend to be quite consistent, with an average of 18 feet of snow falling each season. Access to all that snow just got a bit easier with the installation of the new Crystal chairlift. This will increase the resort’s uphill capacity by a whopping 20 percent.
7. SilverStar Mountain Resort
SilverStar Mountain Resort is a family focused resort with a charming village at the base of the slopes. Buildings in the village are painted in bright colors and are all designed around a similar concept.The mountain offers a varied terrain that caters to all levels of ability. It has slightly less beginner terrain than many of the other major resorts in British Columbia, and more expert terrain. Snow quality is one of the resort’s many bragging points, with frequent snowfalls of dry powder contributing to an average seasonal total of 23 feet.
8. Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
Lesser-known on an international scale, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, outside of Golden, BC, is a three-hour drive from the city of Calgary, and is frequented by both families and hardcore skiers. The mountain has 4,133 feet of vertical, an average of 24 feet of snow each season, incredible expert terrain, steeps, and great hike-to powder runs. The mountain is north facing and as a result, good snow conditions tend to endure. Three bowls drain down into more gentle terrain, where you’ll find intermediate and beginner runs.
9. Red Mountain Resort
This out-of-the-way ski resort in the interior of British Columbia has long been a favorite with advanced and expert skiers and known particularly for its awesome tree skiing. Located near Rossland, Red Mountain takes a little more time and planning to access, but the reward is uncrowded runs, a friendly town with old-school charm, and reasonable prices. Each season, Red receives 25 feet of snow, and when it dumps, this is the place to come to find great powder days.
While Red Mountain is skewed towards advanced skiers and boarders, it does offer plenty of runs for beginners and intermediate skiers. The resort, spread over two mountains, boasts a total of 4,200 acres of terrain.