My Ranking of Alberta’s Main Ski Resorts
Taking a ski vacation is no small investment in modern days. For this reason it is important to maximize your value when choosing where to spend your next ski vacation. Luckily, Alberta has several options which all offer different experiences.
#5: Nakiska
Nakiska is a family friendly resort located about an hour and a half away from Calgary. Its close proximity to Calgary makes it a great option for day trips. With lift tickets costing $150 per day, it is a little on the more expensive side. There is a good range of runs for different difficulty levels, however expert skiers won’t find the expert terrain terribly challenging.
#4: Norquay
One of Norquay’s biggest strengths is its proximity to Banff. It is very convenient for people staying in Banff to visit Mount Norquay. Norquay is the smallest on this list by far, having only 190 acres of skiable terrain. Despite this, the expert runs are decent, but the hill lacks the vertical that the resorts higher up on this list have. This is the only resort on the list to offer night skiing, which can be a great way to spend an evening. Norquay has a great base lodge and typically has very little lift lines.
#3: Marmot Basin
Marmot Basin is a great hill! The resort offers something for every skill level. Marmot is typically not too busy, except on long weekends and weekends with heavy snowfall. During the week, some off piste areas can remain untracked for days on end which makes it easy to find hidden powder stashes. Both the base and mid lodges offer lots of seating and decent food and beverage options. Marmot has 4 parking lots situated along the side of a run which makes getting to and from your car a breeze. The conditions can be dicey if it is a weak snowfall year, but when the conditions are good Marmot is a great resort to visit.
#2: Sunshine Village
Sunshine Village boasts 3300 acres of skiable terrain and it all varies in difficulty. On average, Sunshine can get around 30 feet of snow which tops this list. This means there’s usually at least decent conditions pretty consistently. It also typically has the longest season of resorts on this list, staying open until the May long weekend. Sunshine has lots of parking, and its lodges have plenty of seating room. The food is overpriced, but packing your own lunch is easy. Snowboarders might not enjoy the amount of flat traverse areas, but the resort makes up for it with some great bowls and tree skiing.
#1: Lake Louise
At the top of the best resorts in Alberta is Lake Louise. It is the largest of the resorts on this list, with 4200 acres of skiable terrain at the time of this post. While it is very beginner friendly, Lake Louise offers the most expert terrain out of any resort on this list. Great views, bowls, chutes, glades, groomers, Lake Louise has it all. It is a bit of a drive from Edmonton or Calgary, but the drive is well worth the visit to Lake Louise.
Alberta is a great place to book your next ski vacation. When booking, remember to consider what your goals are for your trip. Jasper might be your preferred choice to avoid crowds, and still get an excellent resort and mountain town experience. Banff might be the better option if you wish to visit multiple resorts within a close proximity to one another. Whatever you choose, remember to ski hard and have fun!