Backcountry
Industry News
Planning a holiday to a Canadian ski resort but don’t want to wait in crazy lift lines, dodge people on the slopes and want to avoid excessive prices? I hear you! This article looks at some of the best kept secret ski resorts in Canada that offer some great terrain, excellent atmosphere with fewer crowds and often at cheaper rates.
1. White Hills Ski Resort
Bluebird day at White Hills Ski Resort Image: White Hills Ski Resort
White Hills Ski Resort is an east coast resort located in Clarenville, Newfoundland and Labrador that operates as a not-for-profit organisation and as such is not able to open every day of the season. However when it does open it offers about 50 – 60% of groomed runs leaving the remaining terrain ready for fresh tracks. The resort is extremely weather dependent with opening normally around boxing day in December and closing day is typically the last weekend in April.
2. Crabbe Mountain
Located in Central Hainesville, New Brunswick, Crabbe Mountain is known as a snowmobile, snow bikes, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, and snowboarding destination. The resort is open from mid-December with the closing date in early April. and averages over 9 feet of snow. This resort is highly recommended as one of the east coasts premiere resorts.
3. Calabogie Peaks
Calabogie Peaks is a boutique resort in Calabogie, Ontario which is highly recommended to those who love great atmosphere and natural beauty. Out of all the public resorts in Ontario, Calabogie gives its guests the opportunity to experience the highest vertical drop. This resort in eastern Ontario provides its guest with beautiful overnight accommodation, numerous activities including skiing, snowboarding, racing, snowshoeing, ice skating and ice fishing.
4. Lakeridge Ski Resort
Located in Uxbridge, Ontario Lakeridge Resort lies in the scenic Oak Ridge Moraine and is home to a wide variety of trails to choose from. It is only a short distance from Toronto so is ideal for day trips as well as longer stays. If your a fan of poutine then this is definitely the resort for you as they are home to some of the best poutine going. It offers a great variety of terrain suiting beginners to expert skiers and snowboarders.
5. Holiday Mountain
Holiday Mountain in La Rivière, Manitoba is the only resort in Manitoba that offers on-site accommodation. Not only do they have amazing skiing and snowboarding but they also offer an all-season zip line. This ski and fun park has a range of trails for beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders to enjoy. It also has a tube park on offer for some great family fun.
The following resorts are also worth exploring;
6. Castle Mountain, Westcastle Valley, Alberta
7. Canyon Ski Resort, Westcastle Valley, Alberta
8. Shames Mountain, Terrace, British Columbia
Why not try something new and go explore one of these resorts this coming 2017/18 season? You will be pleasantly surprised with the terrain on offer, great scenery, pleasant atmosphere, shorter lift lines and possibly even lower prices.
Yup, Castle is the hidden gem. Skiing real fall line skiing and good pow pow
Castle Castle Castle all the way! Those in the know have been reaping the rewards for years, but it is definitely getting more known and frequented by the Calgary crowd, although still most regional skiers still prefers the crowds, rain, and mellower runs in Fernie 😉 Every time a “big name” resort buys a new fancy chairlift, Castle snags up their old one and expands. It’s easily one of the top 5 hills in the country.
Shames is also incredible, but strictly for touring access and remote enough it won’t be busy for a long time (multiple decades).
Powder King should earn a mention. Although many have heard of it, very few have visited due to it’s remote location. Great snow on most years, not busy, but unfortunately fairly bland terrain.
How was Massif du Sud missed out East? or Valinouet?
CASTLE MOUNTAIN IS THE REAL DEAL! THE CHUTES ARE 2300′ OF PURE VERT. SKIED CHUTE LAPS FROM OPEN TO CLOSE JANUARY WEEKEND THIS PAST SEASON AFTER LONG CONTINUOUS COLD SPELL AND AMPLE COVERAGE AND LITERALLY SAW 2 OTHERS ON THE NUMEROUS NAMED RUNS. DRIFTER, SHERIFF. WOULD LOVE TO CATCH ON A FRESH SNOW DAY BUT WILL TAKE SMOOTH STEEP CHALKY TOP TO BOTTOM RUNS. HELI SKIING WITHOUT THE HELI. $35/DAY. MOST OF THE CHUTES ARE NO FALL ZONES. TAKE A LOOK AT THE TRAIL MAP. CASTLE LOCATION FAIRLY REMOTE BUT EASY DRIVE FROM CALGARY (NO MOUNTAIN PASS) AND SOMEWHAT CLOSE TO FERNIE. NO HURRY CASTLE WILL STAY THE WAY IT IS FOREVER AND THE PIZZA GREAT!