WinSport – Canada Olympic Park
Driving distance from Calgary: Located on the western city limits
This is a great spot for beginners and experts alike, with great learn-to-ski and snowboard programs, not to mention an impressive terrain park with a competition-level half-pipe that frequently hosts athletes on the world-wide circuits. You can also try out the Servus Tube Park — catch a ride up the hill on the magic carpet, slide down one of the tubing lanes at high speeds, then head back up to do it all again.
Nakiska Mountain Resort
Driving distance from Calgary: 83 km
There are some great groomer runs to be had at this Kananaskis Country resort. Less than an hour’s drive from the western edge of the city, it’s a popular spot for beginners to learn the ropes and hone their technique, with enough harder runs to keep the seasoned skier or snowboarder happy. This resort hosted the alpine events for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. Plus, the tube park is a big hit with kids of all ages.
Norquay
Driving distance from Calgary: 112 km
It may be the smallest of the three resorts within Banff National Park, but Norquay is still blessed with steep and challenging terrain. It’s located minutes from the Banff townsite and even offers a discounted “last hour” lift ticket option for those who just want to do a couple of runs at the end of the day.
Sunshine Village
Driving distance from Calgary: 135 km
Sunshine’s ace-in-the-hole is its elevation. Accessed by a gondola, the resort hub is located at 7,200 feet, meaning you can count on good snow quality, even late into the season. The resort’s other ace is the Sunshine Mountain Lodge, the only ski-in, ski-out mountain top hotel in Banff National Park. Once the daytime bustle clears out and the gondolas stop running, the lodge becomes a remote mountain hideaway – albeit one with fireside dining and chalet-chic rooms with jetted tubs. Hotel guests have the advantage of being first on the slopes in the morning, plus get to appreciate the atmosphere of the mountains at night.
Lake Louise Ski Resort
Driving distance from Calgary: 184 km
The biggest of the three ski resorts in Banff National Park, this spot features 164 runs over 4,200 acres and four separate mountain faces. The resort also has its First Tracks program, in which skiers and snowboarders are paired with a guide to ride the mountain before the lifts open for the day. Even if you’re well familiar with Lake Louise’s terrain, the guides have invaluable up-to-date knowledge about where to find untracked pockets of powder and other delightful features that are best enjoyed without anyone else around.
Castle Mountain Resort
Driving distance from Calgary: 255 km
This resort in the South Canadian Rockies is known for its laid-back vibe and its ultra-light “blower” snow (the kind that flies up around your face when you slice through it). In addition to runs accessed by the resort’s six chairlifts, Castle also operates Powder Stagecoach cat skiing (backcountry skiing and snowboarding in terrain accessed via snow cat), which includes fully guided runs, meals and après-ski beverages throughout the day and avalanche safety gear.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
Driving distance from Calgary: 270 km
Located in Golden, B.C., Kicking Horse has long been a favourite resort of advanced riders, which makes it an ideal venue for the Freeride World Tour. The resort is also home to Eagle’s Eye, the highest restaurant anywhere in Canada, sitting at an elevation of 7,700 feet.
Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
Driving distance from Calgary: 298 km
Fairmont Hot Springs Resort offers 14 runs to choose from on your next skiing or snowboarding trip. Of course, the area is probably best known for its world-class natural hot springs, making it a great destination for those who are interested in an end-of-day soak after racking up some runs.
Fernie Alpine Resort
Driving distance from Calgary: 303 km
Fernie is a favourite of Calgary snowhounds for its impressive terrain spread, deep snowfalls and authentic ski-town culture in the Alpine Resort Base Area. The resort boasts everything from great beginner green runs, to the infamous Polar Peak — an incredibly challenging, not-for-the-faint-of-heart alpine bowl with 16 double black diamond runs, six triple black diamond runs and no other easy way down. Fernie also has a network of fat biking and Nordic skiing trails connecting to Mount Fernie Provincial Park.
Panorama Mountain Village
Driving distance from Calgary: 311 km
Calgary skiers and snowboarders love Panorama for its on-hill accommodations and amenities and impressive vertical rise. Panorama Village itself is located at the bottom of the hill, so skiing in and out of your accommodation is a luxury that you don’t get at many other resorts.
Kimberley Alpine Resort
Driving distance from Calgary: 412 km
It’s a bit of a drive from Calgary, but this resort is a great choice for a weekend getaway thanks to the fantastic powder of the Purcell Mountain range, the laid-back ski-town vibes and hillside accommodations. Kimberley also has fat bikes in its rental fleet, with biking trails at the neighbouring Trickle Creek Golf Course (guided and self-guided options are available). Bring your skates to enjoy a few laps on the on-site skating rink, too.
Revelstoke Mountain Resort
Driving distance from Calgary: 413 km
Revelstoke’s snow falls are legendary – if you’re travelling by car, you should always plan for the very real possibility of spending a couple extra days on account of being snowed in. Of course, bad driving usually means good skiing. Revelstoke gets an average of 34 feet of snow annually, so there’s plenty of powder to be shredded. In the 2023-24 season, Revelstoke upgraded its Learning Zone with a longer carpet lift that relies less on snowmaking machines. It also gained a new Mountain Sports School facility, located on the mountain for year-round lessons and programs.
Marmot Basin
Driving distance from Calgary: 418 km
It’s a bit of a trek to Jasper from Calgary in the wintertime – the Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper is a beautiful drive, but definitely one that should only be attempted with caution by seasoned winter drivers. That said, the resort at the end of the line is worth it. This season, Marmot Basin added a new chairlift, the Knob Quad, giving better access to the Marmot Cirque, the hill’s newest terrain added in March 2022.
[Note: This story was updated on March 28, 2024.]