Five Best Places for New Skiers in the Canadian Rockies

One of the best ways to experience the stunning peaks of the Canadian Rockies is on the slopes. Alberta offers some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world. Luckily, you don't have to be an expert to enjoy it. The province's top ski resorts welcome all levels, whether you're sticking to the bunny hill or tackling a black diamond. Below are some of the programs offered to new skiers at Alberta's top ski resorts.

Bonus: Alberta has one of the longest ski seasons in North America, with excellent skiing conditions through April.

Banff National Park

Canada's first national park is home to SkiBig3 – Lake Louise Ski Resort, Sunshine Village and Mount Norquay. The best part is you can ski or snowboard at all three resorts with one pass. They all provide rental equipment, and you can even have the  same ski instructor join you at each resort. Local hotels often partner together on vacation packages and transportation for guests.

Lake Louise Ski Resort

The largest ski resort in Banff National Park, Lake Louise Ski Resort offers 160 runs across 420 acres of skiable terrain. This includes a learning area located just off the resort's base. Hitting the learning area first is an easy way to develop your skills. Once you've got your confidence, head up one of the chairlifts to the larger, more challenging runs. Speaking of chairlifts, you won't find one in the learning area. Instead, surface carpets pull skiers and boarders uphill. Highly qualified, friendly instructors are available for private and group lessons for children and adults. And there's always knowledgeable attendants in the learning area to lend a hand.

Sunshine Village

The Ski School at Sunshine Village has world-class instructors who'll get you on your way in no time. There's lessons for kids, teens and adults offered in a group or one-on-one setting. What's great about lessons is your instructor can recommend which of the resort's 120 runs are best suited to your level. Even better? You can maximize your time on the slopes, thanks to Sunshine Mountain Lodge. This is the only ski-in, ski-out hotel in Banff National Park. Loft-style rooms and family suites provide a comfortable base for you to take a break whenever you like.

Mount Norquay

Situated closest to the town of Banff, Mount Norquay is a convenient and easily accessible resort. Sporting one of Canada's largest and longest-running Snow School programs, lessons are available for anyone three years and older. Here, you don't have to stop skiing when the sun goes down. Mount Norquay hosts night skiing on Friday and Saturday evenings. Night skiing is a whole new way to enjoy the sport and soak up the remarkable scenery.

Jasper National Park

Marmot Basin

Located in Jasper National Park, Marmot Basin has Canada's highest base elevation at 1,698 m (5,570 ft). The resort offers plenty of options for new skiers and boarders, including 90 runs of varying difficulty. Take a private half-day, full-day, two or three-hour lesson or go for group instruction. Kids' day camps ensure the entire family enjoys the slopes.

Southern Alberta

Castle Mountain Ski Resort

A hidden gem along the Powder Highway, Castle Mountain Resort is one of the lesser crowded resorts in the Canadian Rockies. Castle is located in southeast Alberta, about 245 km (152 mi) from Calgary. It's equipped with a beginners' area near the base of the mountain. Castle's green runs offer wide, well-groomed terrain. Private and group lessons are available for adults and kids starting at 18-months old.

Know before you go

The best way to access these ski resorts is to fly into Calgary or Edmonton International Airports. You can then rent a vehicle to drive to your preferred ski resort. The Big 3 are within two hours of Calgary, while Marmot Basin is just over four hours from Edmonton. Castle Mountain Ski Resort is approximately two-and-a-half hours from Calgary.

The weather in the Canadian Rockies can change quickly. Layers are key. Start with good base layers made of merino wool and build up. Consider wearing a mid-layer like a fleece jacket, topped by a waterproof winter jacket and waterproof ski pants. Warm socks, waterproof gloves or mitts, a neck warmer, goggles, knit hat and helmet complete your look.