Industry News
Nakiska Ski Area in Alberta, Canada, announced yesterday that it will open for the season with a preview weekend on 4-5th November 2023. The opening will make it one of the first resorts in Canada to open for the 2023-24 winter season.
“⛷ Breaking News 🏂
We will open for our first preview weekend this Saturday & Sunday
With recent snowfall and colder temperatures, our team has been busy making snow and getting the mountain ready, our first preview weekend will have intermediate/expert terrain only.
Information about lifts and runs that will be open as well as preview weekend tickets prices and how to purchase will be available shortly, we just couldn’t wait to get the good news out ❄️❄️”
– Nakiska announcement
The resort has seen 25cm (10″) of fresh snow in the last week, and snowmakers have been hard at work all week, adding to nature’s bounty.
Just 45 minutes from Calgary, Nakiska Ski Area typically opens earlier than nearby resorts (Norquay, Sunshine Village, Lake Louise) for race teams to prepare for the season. The host of the 1988 Olympics, Nakiska was designed specifically as a training and race center. Featuring mostly groomed runs across four chairlifts, Nakiska is a hotspot for ski racers in the Bow Valley area.
“The day we’ve all been waiting for is just around the corner! Things are cooling down at Nakiska and our team have been hard at work getting the hill ready to welcome you all for our preview weekend, with some help from mother nature. The snowgods and our snow machines have blessed with a decent preseason dump and gave us a helping hand in building up our snowpack – it looks like the snowdances are paying off!
Start dusting off your ski gear and get ready for another big season. Stay tuned for more updates shortly!”
– Nakiska Ski Area
Details for opening  weekend at Nakiska, November 4 & 5:
Lifts:
- Olympic (upload and download) 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM with last upload 2:00 PM
- Gold Chair: 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Food and Beverage:
- Mid Mountain – full service 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Lodge will be open until all people have downloaded
- Daylodge Slopeside – extended service 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Ticketing:
- 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM
- Guest Services – 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Retail – 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Skiing and riding will be on the upper mountain only, with up and downloading the Olympic Chair to and from mid-mountain.
Intermediate and expert terrain only
- Groomed Runs:Â – Upper Mapmaker, Middle Mapmaker, Mid Mountain, Olympic Easy Way, Amphitheatre, Morley Flats, Gold Road.
- Natural Snow Terrain: – Upper, Middle, Lower, and New Glades, Walking Buffalo – Early season conditions, natural hazards exist
- Big Bear Run is TBD; it will be a last-minute call
Pricing: will be confirmed shortly.
