TourCanada - Skiing Fun!

Tour Canada
[Alberta Ski Areas] Ski Alberta

Some Great Scenery and Skiing in Alberta

The Rocky Mountains have long beckoned adventuresome people from around the world. Many visitors have said just the view of towering glacier packed peaks is more than sufficient to justify a journey to these magnificent mountains. The Canadian Rockies stretch from the northwest to southeast some 515 kilometers (320 miles) dividing Canada's two western most provinces, British Columbia and Alberta. People have spent a lifetime in this region and still have not satisfied a compelling passion for this unsurpassed scenery. So spectacular that as early as 1885, large tracts of the Rocky Mountain wilderness were set aside as protected national parks. With the building of the CPR in the late 19th century, guided tours and mountain climbing became very popular, especially with European mountaineers. And dry powder snow is another trademark of these Rockies!

Besides Banff National Park, the cornerstone of Canada's mountain park system, there are two more national parks to the west, Kootenay and Yoho, while to the north is Jasper National Park with the quaint town of Jasper offering services to visitors. These parks are truly year round playgrounds but in the winter, light dry powder snow is a magnetic attraction for skiers around the world. Marmot Basin is just south of Jasper and if you continue southeast through the Columbia Ice Fields about 230 kilometers (144 miles), you will encounter another world famous resort, Lake Louise. Also in Banff National Park are two more well known Alberta ski resorts, Sunshine Village and Mount Norquay. Head east on Highway 1 and you will reach the turn-off to Alberta's newest ski resort, built for the 1988 winter olympics. It is the Nakiska Resort on Mount Allan in Kananaskis country! There are other ski resorts in Alberta but for world class skiing quality, these five resorts offer it all!

Your comments are welcome at dhaaheim at telus dot net