The holiday season is still far from over and both the skiing fanatics and families that are a bit late on catching up with the holiday trip are just planning and packing to head to catch the last few good weeks at the skiing resorts. It does not need an expert to figure out that since summer will arrive soon, it is better to find skiing destinations that are closer to the North Pole.

This pretty much means that the famous skiing resorts north of the US border in Canada are a hot favorite. And with the country fast growing as a top notch skiing destination, it is no longer hard to find great quality resorts, fantastic skiing grounds and great family holiday trips. So how about heading up-north to find some sizzling snowfields …

Banff

Image by kylewlane

The Banff and Lake Louise area comprises of arguably one of the top skiing areas and facilities not just in Canada, but also on the planet. The exciting courses in the area offer five bowls with a vertical drop of more than 3,280 ft. Obviously, the less adventurous and technically blessed skiers can ski around the Sunshine Village, which offers vast plain areas for you to practice. The powdery snow, its grand tradition as a skiing destination and world class facilities make Banff a complete delight for those who like to move on snow.

Whistler

There are many skiers that consider the enormous fall and the vast snowfields that greet them at Whistler as the very best in the North American continent. The two mountains here have the biggest vertical drop, with more than 4,921 ft of skiing on both mountains and a full 984 ft more than Jackson Hole (the highest in the US).

Images by globalreset (1+2)

This makes Whistler a complete delight for those who seek the mad rush of pulling off the biggest stunts on the grandest stage of them all. While the location gets plenty of snow making it great for skiers, its low altitude at places means the village at the bottom of the slopes is often drenched in rain. If you are a skier, this is not really something you would be too happy about.

Apex

Image by VancityAlly

More than $ 10 million have been spent in the recent past to convert this finely endowed place into a happening skiing resort in Canada. The whole resort is desperately trying to go the ‘old west’ way with its theme parks and even skiing trails that are being named in a very ‘Clint Eastwood-style’, but that by no means takes away from the appeal of Apex. Apex has 52 trails on its two mountain faces with almost half of them of intermediate grade, 10 per cent novice of standard grade and about a third of them in the advanced category. Skiing at an altitude of 7000 feet has a thrill of its own!

Tremblant

Images by olly_o and Joe Shlabotnik

Tremblant is popular not just because of its great skiing resorts, cool teaching classes it offers for beginners and its wonderful skiing fields, but it also is one of the most accessible skiing resorts in North America. The site offers a unique chance to not just improve your skiing skills, but also gives you ample space to try out all the new tricks that you learned while at the fun school.

Big White

Nestled in the heart of the Monashees, Big White is the highest ski resort in British Columbia. At an altitude of over 5000 feet it offers more than 1,000 skiable acres, which are divided between groomed slopes, bowls and glades. The high altitude slopes, simple intermediate plains and plenty of powdery snow throughout the season keeps these slopes fresh and challenging all the time.

The area is not yet top notch when it comes to truckloads of facilities, but the budding hub, offers plenty of space and wide open skiing courses, making it a must for those who love privacy and skiing together.

Images by trixnbooze & hamedog

Red Mountain

Deep and steep, that is how the locals wish to refer to the famous slopes of Red Mountain. The resort is incredibly popular among the locals for its only four lifts serving the 30 trails on its two peaks. This is all about having fun in the expert way, with more than half the area being classified and graded as expert terrain.

Sporting some of the best powdery cruising trails in North America and home to several skiing champions, this is all about going world-class with your skiing skills. If you are not at that level, at least you can watch and take notes!

Images by ateabutnote and tomRune

Jasper

Image by simonkay

Not too far away from the more illustrious and famous Banff, the skiing slopes of Jasper National Park are for those who wish to have a more relaxed, yet equally exciting holiday on the slopes filled with snow. The entire resort has a very small town feel to it and that might make many visitors feel right at home. Nestled safely away from the hustle and bustle, you could just fall in love with jasper by the time your trip is done.

Panorama

The name of the place is pretty apt considering the slopes it has to offer and the snow that it has in stores for its skiers. The fact that this is a place renowned for heli-skiing implies that there are loads of powdery snow on these slopes.

The vertical drop – 4265 feet, is an imposing challenge to the best of skiers. With skiing from a helicopter now becoming quite a sport and gaining popularity, a trip to Panorama will surely not leave you disappointed.

Images by kylewlane (1+2)

Silver Star

Located in the Okanagan Valley and on the edge of the famous Monashee Mountains, Silver Star is the second largest ski area in British Columbia. With more than 23 trails for various skill levels the uniqueness of the resort lies in its old-age charm and the way it manages to transport you into the era of the ‘retro’.

The bright shades all around, colorful atmosphere and friendly charm bring back the swinging 70’s. The trails have very cute names too; like Lone Star Milky Way, Constellation and Big Dipper. Great and easy, running along with plenty of hospitality Silver Star is a wonderful destination for any skier.

Images by richardvignola, gailjohnson (1+2)

Marble Mountain

Image by tomcochrane

This may not be as famous in terms of big time skiing slopes like many of the other heavyweights on the list, but Marble Mountain has a unique advantage that nature has blessed upon it and no other skiing area can match it in this regard. The region has the highest snowfall in eastern North America at over 200 feet annually. This makes the slopes of Marble Mountain a delight for anyone who seriously loves skiing. Widely believed to be the best skiing spot in Eastern Canada, these are snow-filled slopes that are making it big time at a fast pace.

There are plenty who believe that the continent of North America has little to offer in terms of fun in its northern half and those people could not be more wrong. Canada has some of the best skiing slopes on the planet and their proximity and easy access make them all the more special. So next time you plan a holiday trip, try keeping in mind that there is plenty on offer north of the US border!

Popularity: 1% [?]