Alpine Skiing in Canada

When most people think of skiing in North America, they think about Colorado, Utah, or the Sierra Nevadas. Few people ever mention the stellar skiing available in Canada. While not nearly as famed or well regarded as their American counterparts, Canadian ski resorts usually receive just as much if not more snow than the American resorts farther south. Most Canadian resorts also have very comparable terrain and vertical drop. One of the main reasons for why Canadian resorts don't get as much attention or respect amongst skiers globally is that, many of them aren't nearly as well developed or equipped with the features and amenities that are available at American resorts. Many of the Canadian ski resorts, with the exception being Whistler Blackcomb resort, lack a well developed base area or an attractive ski town close by. Due to the lack of additional attributes associated with desirable resorts such as nightlife, fine dining, and shopping, many people view Canadian resorts as a less appealing option in comparison to American resorts. But, there are indeed some very attractive qualities to Canadian resorts, the main one being the abundant snowfall that usually lasts later into the spring. The resorts of Whistler Blackcomb and Revelstoke annually average over 600 inches of snow, some of the highest yearly snowfall totals in North America. The snow quality and consistency at Canadian resorts is also usually lighter and fluffier for a longer duration of the ski season. This makes for more plentiful powder days that are deeper and longer lasting. People in the ski community know that serious ski bums and powder hounds go to mountains like Revelstoke for the unparalleled powder and challenging terrain. Another quality of Canadian resorts that really appeals to the most passionate skiers is the extensive, largely untracked backcountry terrain. There are so many options and available lines to ski in the Canadian backcountry that the opportunities are limitless. The best aspect of the Canadian backcountry is that it is highly accessible by both helicopter and ski skinning. At any of the Canadian resorts you can skin out of the in bounds terrain and into the backcountry from the summit of the mountain. This ease of access into the backcountry is not available at all American resorts like it is in Canada.