North America is home to some of the best ski destinations in the world. Canada hosts a huge majority of these destinations. The average amount of snowfall in Canada can range from 15 inches to 102 inches.
This makes Canada an ideal ski destination because unlike many ski destinations in the more southern region of North America, Canadian ski resorts very seldom use artificial snow. Let’s check out Canada’s top 3 ski destinations:
Banff National Park, Alberta
Banff National Park is the oldest national park in Canada, established in 1885. The highest peak ranges at nearly 12,000 feet! The park accumulates over 3.5 million visitors per year. The park receives about 92 inches of snow in the higher altitudes of the Rocky Mountains. One of the aspects that make this an ideal ski destination is the temperatures.
The average lowest temperature is 5 degrees Fahrenheit, but it typically stays closer to 23 degrees, which is much warmer than other ski destinations. There are more attractions in Banff National Park than any other park in Canada.
For those in your clan that opt out of skiing or snowboarding, there are golf courses, resorts, and wilderness reservations. If you’re looking to mix it up, they have some great snowshoeing trails here. Just be sure to bring your own snowshoes, they have a very limited selection. If you don’t yet have a pair, you can read about some good snowshoes at Outside Pursuits.
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Jasper National Park, Alberta
Jasper National Park is the largest national park in Canada, spanning over 4,000 square miles. This national park is a beautiful ski destination. This location lands a spot in our number two slot because of its thousand-foot drops that professional and expert skiers enjoy riding.
Jasper has nearly 2.1 million visitors per year, making it a much less-traveled ski destination, which works to the advantage of those seeking a perfect ski destination. If those you’re traveling with decide to take a day off the slopes, you can check out the icefields, glaciers, hot springs, lakes, and waterfalls!
This is a perfect trip for the whole group. If you have never tried cross-country skiing, don’t miss it. They have some great trails here but you will have to bring your own XC skis, they don’t rent them here unfortunately.
Stoneham Mountain, Quebec
Stoneham Mountain is located near Quebec City, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Stoneham is home of the Snowboard world cup finals, so if it’s a good enough location for the best snowboarders in the world, it’s good enough to make our top list of ski destinations. The total area amounts to 263 square miles.
Snowfall is typically in the range of 150 inches per year, making it one of the highest accumulated snowfall areas in populated-Canada. The highest point is nearly 2,000 feet. There are around 800 acres of skiable areas.
This location is a perfect ski destination if you enjoy skiing coupled with city life. Travel from skiing on Stoneham to the city is a 27-minute drive with normal traffic. So, you can ski in the day and enjoy city life at night! You get the best of both worlds.
There are hundreds of ski and snowboarding destinations all across Canada. But these three have top qualities that you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in all of Canada. If you choose one of these areas to go skiing or snowboarding, you will not be disappointed.