When one thinks of great skiing destinations, places like Colorado and Switzerland pop to mind. If you are looking for a skiing vacation that is out of the mainstream with fewer other skiers, however, you can choose Canadian ski resorts as an alternative to the crowded and expensive popular choices. Why should you consider heading to Alberta and British Columbia if you want a weekend (or more) on great powder?
Get Both Quantity And Quality
A lot of snow is no guarantee to a skier if it is too wet or too dry; just-perfect snow is not much solace if there is only a thin bit on the ground. The great advantage that Canada has when it comes to skiing is that there is both a lot of snow and a lot of great snow. The Rockies reach up to the sky and block the passage of wet air, meaning that it clumps and becomes cold, so that the Rockies gain a huge snowfall during the wintertime. The snow that falls is sometimes called champagne powder due to the light, fluffy nature of the powder that comes down. A ski resort like Mount St Louis will typically receive over a thousand centimeters of snowfall in the course of a year. Some ski resorts can only get half that much and have to pump in artificial snow to compensate.
Quality Time to Yourself
The number of Canadian resorts and the relatively low number of skiers is great news for anyone who wants to try their hand on the slopes of the Rockies. There are times when you get off a ski lift and find that you have the entire track all to yourself or sharing it with only a few people. Imagine not having to wait in line for the lifts, for the starts, and at the end of the tracks. Get out into the mountains and take in the scenery and the slopes without needing to avoid others or wait your turn.
The Beauty of the Slopes
Travelers frequently say that there are few places in the world with a natural beauty that compares to the Canadian Rockies. The open sky stretches out and over horizons in every direction, while the craggy peaks launch into the air, decked out in trees and boulders. Ski alongside a frozen lake or go down a course with pines that rise up a dozen meters into the air. You may even see the wildlife near the trails.
Challenging Terrain
If you are tired of a straight incline, Canada has the courses for you. Between twists and turns and race tracks, there is everything from small bumps to huge rises. You can go any part of the mountains that you can reach on your skis, with no off-limits and no need to stay within the lines. Choose where you want to go up and where you want to go down, through a packed forest or next to the fall line where the snow ends and the mountain rises.
