The Top 5 Powder Resorts in Canada

Powder is what we are all looking for and the deeper it is the more fun there is to be had! Here’s our top five powder resorts in Canada, based on:

• Who gets the most snow
• Who has the most fresh lines (i.e. the least people)

No. 5 KICKING HORSE

Kicking Horse is fast gaining an international reputation as a steep and deep classic resort. By this we mean the terrain is challenging and the snowfall is fantastic, giving you the best of both worlds. You can either stay up at the resort or in the nearby town of Golden. This old mining town offers a frontier style experience that may not be to everyone’s taste. Having said this there are some good bars and restaurants to choose from but the selection is not that big.

The snowfall in Kicking Horse is excellent with 665cm falling this season alone. Being colder than other powder meccas, Kicking Horse is renowned for having good quality, light, dry snow.

In addition to this the resort is still growing in popularity so lift queues aren’t often long and the runs will be pretty much empty. At the weekends the Calgary crowds tend to dominate so aim to visit during the week and you won’t have to share the plunder!

Summary: Well worth a visit for any expert skiers or snowboarders - great steeps, good average snowfall, not too busy, lift system needs expanding soon.

No. 4 WHISTLER / BLACKCOMB

Whistler continually wins the accolades, namely the top resort in North America and deservedly so. It has the most extensive, fast operating and efficient lift service of any resort allowing you to reach all the corners of this vast resort. The customer service is fantastic, tissues to blow your nose at every lift station; people carrying free hot chocolate on their backs to hand out when it gets very cold and hosts to guide you around the mountain, also offered for free. There is a great selection of bars, restaurants and clubs for those looking to enjoy some après ski.

As for the snowfall, this season Whistler had a whopping 1018cm! So why is this great resort only at number four?

Whistler has almost become a victim of its own success and as such attracts huge numbers of visitors every season. The weekends and public holidays can see very long lift lines and if it has just snowed then you could be in for a long wait too. For this reason Whistler falls down slightly on our second criteria. Despite having a huge amount of terrain you will always be competing with a large number of people for those fresh lines.

Summary: Amazing resort, great service, tons of snow but, you have to compete a bit too much for the fresh lines.

No. 3 REDMOUNTAIN

Red Mountain is one of those hidden gems of a resort. Anyone who has been will tell you it is some of the best skiing or snowboarding they have ever done. There are two cone shaped mountains, Granite and Red, that both offer 360° worth of lines. You can literally take any line on the mountain, a truly unique offering. Additionally, as there is practically no one else on the hill you will feel like you have your own private resort! You can stay in purpose built condos on the hill or in the town of Rossland about five minutes away, a lovely ski town with a very relaxed vibe.

The snowfall topped 700cm this season and with a short season this amount is even more impressive.

Crucially, your chances of finding fresh lines at Red are very high. There are never very many people on the hill, even on a powder day, so the snow lasts longer and there is more for you and your friends to enjoy.

Summary: On the right day, being at Red is like experiencing lift accessed heli-skiing - empty runs, no lift queues, lots of snow, plenty of fresh lines.

No. 2 WHITEWATER

This little known resort is located near the colourful, cultural town of Nelson in British Columbia. It has something for everyone, from steeps, deeps, chutes, bowls, glades, groomed cruisers and gentle rollers. It has built its reputation on deep snow, non existent lift queues and big hospitality. Plus, the food in the Whitewater ski lodge is so delicious there’s even a famous Whitewater recipe book!

The town of Nelson is 12 kilometres from Whitewater and is a fun quirky little town nestled on the shores of the stunning Kootenay Lake. Nelson has some great heritage buildings (350 to be exact) which along with the numerous music shops, museums and galleries give the town a unique cultural feel. It’s truly one of those places that people find hard to leave.

As for the snowfall well it averages a massive 1200cm a season!

With this much snow you would think it would be a packed resort however, you will rarely find a lift queue and if you see more than a handful of people on the slopes it will be a surprise. All this means the powder lasts longer and you get more fresh lines. The only downside is the small and quite old lift system makes it harder to access all the fantastic terrain, however Whitewater is as much renowned for its backcountry access as it is the resort so if you’ve got the knowledge you can enjoy endless lines outside the resort boundary.

Summary: A true hidden gem - tons of snow, nobody there, down to earth friendly locals, great town.

No. 1 FERNIE

Fernie is located in the southern most point of British Columbia and has gained a reputation for being an amazing powder destination. The terrain in Fernie is fantastic with five large alpine bowls to explore and steep tree runs to play in. You can ski or ride pretty much anywhere within the boundary of the resort making it perfect for those who love big mountain skiing or riding.

The town itself offers something for everyone with a wide selection of restaurants; bars; cultural offerings and a very friendly atmosphere. If you are coming for a holiday or looking to do a season then Fernie will not disappoint.

The snowfall is the real reason people come though, with over 1120cm of snow this season it was hard to beat. There were over 40 powder days in a season running from December to April making it one of the highest snowfalls in any resort anywhere!

And the key factor in making it number one is there’s no one to fight for the snow with. Even on a powder day you will only have to line up for a maximum of five minutes! Fernie’s fantastic snowfall, amazing terrain, empty runs and a great town make it our number one powder resort in Canada.

Summary: Our choice for the top powder resort in Canada!

Who would you choose?