SUNSHINE VILLAGE’S SPRING FLING
With season running into May, there’s a lot of skiing time still to come at Banff resort, writes Danny Austin
If there’s one thing we can all agree on — and there’s got to be something — it’s that spring skiing is the best. That’s something they clearly buy into at Sunshine Village, and with a spring season that lasts all the way until May 21, there might not be a spring skiing pass that offers as much value as the one they sell at the Banff resort. Passes are on sale now and get skiers and snowboarders on the mountain from March 17 until the end of the season, and they go for only $466 for adults. There should be powder right up until the season’s very last day, too, as the 12 cm of new snow that fell in the past week at Sunshine brought the season total to 652 cm. www.skibanff.com @SunshineVillage
LAKE LOUISE
This weekend at Lake Louise, kids have the chance to show that they can rip up some of Western Canada’s gnarliest terrain in the North Face Jr. Big Mountain Challenge, which is part of the North American Junior Freeski Tour and gives kids from the ages of seven to 19 the chance to prove what they’re made of on a variety of different venues around the resort. Lake Louise has also been enjoying the snowiest February it’s had on record, and the 7 cm of new snow that blessed the resort in the last week has brought the season total up to 566 cm. www.skilouise.com @SkiLouise
NORQUAY
Let’s keep this simple: Toonie Day is next week! That’s right, for only two dollars — donations to a local charity are encouraged — guests can spend a full day ripping up the slopes at the Banff resort. The next big Toonie Day goes March 7, so circle that day on your calendar. There’s been 8 cm of new snow in the past week, and the season total is now sitting at 364 cm.
COP
The Olympics might be over, but they’re still very much in the Olympic spirit over at Canada’s Olympic Park. Right now, the folks at WinSport are offering an awesome deal celebrating the 1988 Winter Olympics that were hosted in Calgary that includes a three-hour family ski ticket and a visit to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame that includes savings of 20 per cent when they’re packaged together. www.winsport.ca
NAKISKA
At Nakiska, they understand that sometimes it’s a lot more fun for women to get out on the ski hill and just have a day with the girls. That’s why they’ve organized ladies days throughout the season that include transportation from Calgary to Nakiska, a lift pass, guided instruction as well as a gourmet lunch and some pampering. There are a couple of more opportunities to get in on the ladies day action before the end of the season, as they’ve got days organized for March 7, 15 and potentially March 21, as well. The Kananaskis resort didn’t get any new snow in the past week but has been blessed by 253 cm so far this season. www.skinakiska.com @SkiNakiska
KICKING HORSE
A month ago, the good folks in Golden, B.C., were playing host to the world’s best big mountain skiers on the Freeride World Tour. Now, they’re getting ready to go big again, as from March 7-11, Kicking Horse will be hosting the Helly Hansen Wrangle the Shoot event, which doubles as a two-star and four-star qualifier for the FWT. The event will see top skiers and snowboarders rip down incredibly steep and challenging terrain and is always one of the biggest weekend’s on Kicking Horse’s calendar. The resort’s been getting consistent snowfall for months now, and the season total now sits at 816 cm after 12 cm fell in the past week. www.kickinghorseresort.com @KickingHorseMtn
MARMOT BASIN
For skiers who head into the backcountry, going uphill is no big deal. It’s rare, though, that the world serves up opportunities to show just how polished those skills have got. On March 17, though, Marmot Basin is giving skiers the chance to show off their mountaineering skills with Marmot’s Revenge, a ‘skimo’ race designed to test out the mountaineering skills of even the most seasoned alpine experts. The Jasper, B.C., resort saw 3 cm of new snow fall in the last four days and has been hit by 345 cm so far this winter. www.skimarmot.com @MarmotBasin
KIMBERLEY
Kimberley is one of those resorts where you check the events calendar and realize that there’s pretty much always something going on. This weekend, for example, the B.C. resort has night skiing, open mic nights at the famous Stemwinder bar and will be hosting alpine skiing regional qualifiers for the Special Olympics. It’s a busy place, and it’s made even better by the fact that there’s a whole lot of snow, as the season total now sits at 506 cm after 5 cm of new powder fell on the mountain in the past week. www.skikimberley.com @SkiKimberley
FERNIE
While the last week hasn’t seen a ton of powder at many resorts in Western Canada, Fernie has been a notable exception. The B.C. resort has been getting dumped on with powder again and again, and with 70 cm falling over the past seven days the season total now sits at an astonishing 926 cm. If you’re going to go into the backcountry, you’ve got to be smart about it. That’s really quite simple, but for anyone wondering how they can make sure they’re fully educated on the risks of the backcountry and how to stay as safe as possible, Fernie is holding two-day Backcountry Basics courses throughout the season, with the next course scheduled for March 10-11.