 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi guys, I'm thinking of booking for Canada for 2015, we've always been to Europe - France, Austria and most recently Switzerland. We love Murren, Wengen & Grindelwald but just feel we should do Canada before we're too old lol!
So........which resort? We have no idea how long the flight will take or where it goes to so any suggestions there would help!
I'm not too good on a bus transfer so nothing more than 90mins from the airport.
The other couple that travel with us don't like getting on ski busses so a resort that is directly slope side or very close would be good too!
We are thinking maybe march so it won't be too cold, what's your thoughts on this? And also thinking 10 nights to take into account the distance.
Would you book via tour operator or maybe independant? Happy to do either.
Look forward to your thoughts.
Thank you
Suzy
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've been to panorama/Banff/lake Louise but these all have 2hour plus transfers from the airport so maybe not suitable for you.
Panorama is a purpose built place with ski to door at some accommodation. Banff/LL has bus transfers to the slopes so again not what you are looking for.
My next trip to canada is going to be to whistler - this could be an option for you? Though not sure what the transfer times are.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thanks for your reply. I did a quick search through the forum once I'd posted the questions and found a couple of things out. Mostly that someone had posted about a web site called ski big3! The cost is remarkably cheaper than tour operators so I'll be giving that some thought! The other is that a hire car is an option so cutting down the transfer and possible shuttle busses.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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If you don't mind internal flights after your transatlantic one you could try Big White or Silver Star (into Kelowna) - both within about an our from the airport and fully ski-in, ski-out. Or Sun Peaks (into Kamloops).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Im off this April to Banff, heading to lake Louise and sunshine. You can stay on the mountain at sunshine though I think its pretty quiet. We looked at ski big 3 but also American classics and Canadian affair for TOs, good prices from all three. We booked with american classics in the end, due to helpfulness of staff and good prices. We fly to Calgary then 2hr transfer to Banff. We can't wait to visit Canada for the first time. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It's about two and a half hours from Vancouver to Whistler on a good weather day, maybe a bit more if you're in a bus. Google the coach service for the actual times.
Flying to Kamloops is fun, but unreliable in weather and that's a much longer transfer in my book. It's about four hours drive from Vancouver in good weather to Kamloops, another half an hour or so up to the resort. Kelowna is similar. If you're taking those flights, typically you'll not manage it in one day, so you may need an overnight at the first airport you get to.
It depends what you want - snow and other things are very different across the place.
Flights are 8/9 hours. Jet lag is the main hassle.
I would never book with a tour operator - I don't like being herded - but if you do, then obviously you can do that here too. The smart money's on hiring a car and then driving to where the snow is - if you were out here now, that would give you the best snow.
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I have skied both Banff and Whistler in the past 5 years, and would chose Whistler.
Banff Pros: Great town, great restaurants, cheaper compared to Whistler, 3 ski areas all pretty close (Mt Norquay=5 mins bus journey time, Sunshine=10 mins, Lake Louise=45mins - all quicker by car, but you have to pay parking etc. Note. buses are free (inc with lift pass)), beautiful ski areas - Sunshine is very sunny! with great snow. Also, fairly short transfer from Calgary (about 2 hours via a very pretty highway).
Banff Cons: Three ski areas all need vehicles to get to. You can stay in Lake Louise (totally stunning btw), but the town is quite small and limited in choices). You can stay in the Sunshine resort, but there are only one or two pretty expensive hotels and little to no nightlife. Each ski area, while excellent, not anywhere near as big as the two Whistler mountains combined.
Whistler Pros: Two huge mountains both accessible from town centre, amazing amounts of snow and tons of powder to ski in (so many huge bowls of powder to play in!), car-free town with lots of restaurant/bar choices, Easy transfer from Vancouver (2 hours), most accommodation within walking distance of lifts.
Whistler Cons: Purpose-built town, that while pretty, can feel a little manufactured/toytown-like, long flight, expensive (compared to Banff).
For our 2013 trip to Whislter, we used skisafari.com, who were excellent (we stayed in the Delta self-catering). We went for 14 nights, stayed 10 in Whistler and 4 in Vancouver at the end (they recommended L'Hermitage, which was fantastic). It is a long flight, so 10+ nights is recommended. Vancouver is a lovely city to visit for a few days or more.
Either way, the Canadians are really lovely, friendly and accommodating people who go out of their way to make skiing a joy. For the record, we are going to Val Thorens in Jan 2014, and we love the French too (!).
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If you're heading to Canada you will have to accept longer transfers than 90mins but it will be well worth it. I've skied a few places there during a season long tour of NA back in 09/10 (not the best for snow, sadly) but would definitely encourage 10 days and of East or West, would go to Whistler (visited 2006). Ok, it can feel a bit touristy, and it is, but get up high and there's some great skiing to be had. You can come a cropper with fog, rain lower down and poor vis but hey ho.
Enjoyed Lake Louise vs. Sunshine if you go with Banff but you'll need a car or book somewhere that will take you up to the hill. With Whistler, it should be a stroll.
I'll PM you a link to the blog I kept of our adventure for an informal review of the places we did in Canada, which cover most of them on a West to East drive. Hopefully this may give some sense of what they are like vs each other.
As others have said, Canadians are all lovely so you can't really go far wrong.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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philwig, with ski independence or frontier ski you don't get herded. .they book everything as you wish then send tickets. Ive never seen a rep and no idea uf anyone on the plane or at the resort was with the same TO...so a convenient way of doing it DIY at a cheaper price - I always negotiate a deal.
As for kamloops and kelowna - done it in one day no problem. Thw issue here is the planes are so small you might not get skis till the next day..they hand out hire vouchers like smarties.
For the OP I'd recommebd Panorama or Big White. We are Off to sun peaks in feb.
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There's quite a bias here towards the West (I've only been to Jasper, Banff/Big3 and Nakiska so what do I know?) - would one of the more Easterly areas be attractive? I would expect a shorter flight and if going around Montreal you may get a shorter transfer as well.
If you can, I would suggest going for 2 weeks and take a day or two off the skiing to go and do something different - in/around Banff, for instance, you can skate on the river, go dog-sledding, visit a sled-dog kennel, go to an ice hockey match (local, or NHL if you are prepared to make the trip to Calgary), there's a couple of museums, the hot springs; in the East you could be around nationally/internationally important historic sites as well.
One thing though - after our trip to Jasper, which was a 'once in a lifetime' trip, we've been to the Banff area 5 times (last time we stayed in Canmore), and I am already being nagged to go again in 2015. The whole experience is great.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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philwig, SWMBO and I looking at doing a trip next season, probably 10 days at Revelstoke and a couple at Banff on the way back. Just wondering how the cost of car rental(£250 or so)/petrol/parking would compare with transfer buses to and from resorts, daily bus to the hill. Also do I recall there being some kind of tax for driving through national parks which I need to think about? I think transfers are around £80 to £100pp per journey, so I'm banking on £600-£650 for the trip.
If the money is not too far different I would probably go with the bus to be honest, from previous trips I've not been fresh enough after the transatlantic flight to drive for 4-6 hours in a foreign country in a strange ar on snowy roads.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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rogg,
You need a park pass. Its around $19 a day I recall or around $110 ish (I think) for an annual pass for car and occupants. The drive from Calgary to Banff is mostly easy but occasionally can be horrendus and I agree could be tough after a 9 hr flight.
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rogg, How are you planning on getting to Revvy, if skiing there first ? If going to Banff first then Revvy, then back to Banff you could get transfers to Banff and back from Calgary, then hire the vehicle in Banff for the drive. Petrol is certainly cheaper than over here and we found free parking everywhere. You do need a park pass as gryphea, says, but good value really and goes to the upkeep of the parks - annual one is the way to go.
If your flight gets in early enough, dependant on weather the drive is ok - decent road all the way to Banff. Drove a lovely route around BC and Albeta a few years ago, luckily without any serious road conditions for 15 days and plenty of powder all the way 
Sorry for thread hijack.
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You know it makes sense.
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Bones, gryphea, thanks. Going to Revvy first, either by car or bus, I'm pretty sure you can get a straight transfer by bus, but it's long which is why I wasn't too keen initially on car hire.
And yes, sorry about the thread highjack.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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rogg, Where are you flying into to get a bus transfer to Revvy ? Its at least a 5 hour drive from Calgary airport I would think (but you lose an hour due to time change), from memory. Kamloops is the nearest possible a couple hours, and Kelowna is about 3+ hours IIRC.
Revelstoke is good, but if no fresh snow 10 days would be a long time there - hope you like trees and glades and they dont have any double blacks there 
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Poster: A snowHead
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suzysue2, Another vote for Banff from me although admittedly thats the only Canadian resort I've been to. We were recommended it over Whistler by a Canadian friend though, due to Whistlers manufactured nature (in his opinion). We skied Sunshine, Lake Louise and Norquay but would skip Norquay if we went again and take the hour or so drive out to Kicking Horse. Sunshine and the Lake were excellent resorts.
We found it cheapest to book our flights/hotel through expedia and booked lift passes/ski hire through liftopia.
rogg, I would recommend hiring a car if going to Banff. We did it last January, IIRC hiring a small 4x4 cost us about £300 for a week. Having the freedom of a car is well worth the cost compared to airport transfers/ski busses IMO. I drove after the flight from LHR to Calgary and found it very easy once out of the city (our flight was from LHR was delayed for a few hours due to snow and we ended up having to find our way out of Calgary in the dark during rush hour which was a little difficult). The annual park pass will work out cheapest if you are there for around week and cost about £60 IIRC. Plus, if you have a non skiing day and the weather is ok the drive up the Icefields Parkway is spectacular.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Just for price info too.. I have used a tour operator twice now to go to Canada and the last trip cost us £1600 in total for the both of us (to Banff).
This included:
10 nights accommodation
Flights
Transfer
3 days of ski lessons (which equated to 3 full days of private lessons for me and my hubby because we went when it was quiet in January)
9 days tri area lift pass
9 days VIP equipment hire
I'd be totally looking to get out there again if I didn't have a wee un now that I'd have to bring (erm not after the 4 hour flight experience in summer) or leave with granny.
The Canadian people are so nice. The skiing is good too. Enjoy!! 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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suzysue2,
March in Canada is ideal: temperatures aren't as bone-chilling as in January (in Quebec or Alberta, anyway: the BC resorts don't get so cold, and Whistler is mild by comparison), but you're unikely to find anywhere with a transfer time of 90 minutes (mid-BC even longer, or an extra flight) - airports are always on the wrong sides of cities, and you end up either crawling through the middle or snarled up in rush-hour traffic (thanks to the timing of flight arrivals).
Flight times are about 9 to 9.5 hours (for Calgary or Vancouver, which cover the Western areas - which is where you should be thinking of if you want something a bit different from the European experience). You can transit through Heathrow (BA, AC) or Amsterdam (KLM)
Banff/Lake Louise/Sunshine all require a ski bus (unless you want to isolate yourself at Sunshine "village") - but the bus trip from Banff to Lake Louise (about 40 minutes) is worth the ride just for the scenery.
From your list of preferences, Whistler will tick most of the boxes (except transfer time: although if there are 4 of you, I'd recommend getting a taxi from Vancouver to Whistler, which will mean less waiting about at the airport while the bus driver tries to locate missing travellers - last year, one of the passengers got hooked for a random check by the customs inspectors who spent about 45 minutes searching his bags - the cost split for a taxi transfer will make it just as economica as the bus, if not more so. I've used Whistler Taxi in the past. The same argument will apply to the Calgary-Banff transfer).
Whistler and the BC resorts (Panorama, Big White, Sun Peaks, Silver Star) you can stay slopeside, or pretty near.
I used to TO, but these days prefer DIY for personal convenience . For accommodation, I recommend Allura Direct for condos, lift ticket purchase (early booking = discounts) etc.
Go for 10 days minimum: 14 is better!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks guys, I've just emailed ski safari, checked out skibig3 and re reading recommendations etc.
looking at 10-12 days and seriously thinking of adding Niagra falls to end as well.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hi suzy. I used to be against shuttle buses etc before skiing in canada. However iam now a convert as tree lined runs , stunning scenery and powder to die for far outweigh the concerns! It probably wont suit yourself as it is a 4hr drive from galgary - but- marmot basin in jasper is well worth a look. Plenty of off piste, open bowls, groomed runs and also ungroomed runs (not off piste). Small town feel, lovely dining, cinema bars etc. Did my instructor training here, and this hill is what u make of it. The ski school there has some of the best instructors canada has to offer. Im hopefully going this feb again and am hoping to combine marmot with banff/l louise and sunshine - could be an option for yourself. Note also icefield drive is pretty spectacular!. I have a friend at silverstar also. As someone mentioned, it is ski in ski out. Again a nice resort. Whistler doesnt get as many sunshine days as other resorts, so just be aware of that with regards to your preferences. Hope that helps - john.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I havent been to Whistler (except in the summer) but
I love staying in Banff despite the non stop hockey highlights killing apres ski conversation in the bars.
If there are four of you then its pretty reasonable to share a 4wd car from "Canadian Affair".
also if you can go Wednesday or Saturdays Air Transat get you there as cheap is you can get.
I'm staying at Bearpaw-lodge.com for a couple of weeks starting 15th so "I'm made up".
We're going to ski Kicking Horse mostly, then get in a trip to Lake Louise, Sunshine and I rather like Norquay too.
If the roads are good I've been promised a trip to Revelstoke too!
To top it all I've also been promised to take a day off from the grind and go skidooing out in the backwoods for some ice fishing.
As you can imagine I'm chuffed as nuts.
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Yeah, the best riding in Whistler is as it falls - you need to ride it before it gets rained on. So not for everyone, although everyone is there.
| johnlancashire@btconnect wrote: |
| ... marmot basin in jasper is well worth a look. Plenty of off piste, open bowls, groomed runs and also ungroomed runs (not off piste). Small town feel, lovely dining, cinema bars etc. |
Indeed, but you'd not want to have been there last week. I'm not sure if they got the last few dumps or not, but unless you're extremely self-contained, you may not want to be in a small town Canadian place with no snow. Just my view, but it can be a bit basic. Unless you like no-boarding towed behind a pickup truck of course...
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We love Banff - the bus journey to both Lake Louise and Sunshine is very scenic and the buses are great so that doesnt really put us off -it feels very convenient as you don't really have to walk very far anywhere. But the thing that puts us of is the cost
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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v1cky24, Which tour operator gave such a good deal?? Did you have to fly from Gatwick/Heathrow? i would really love to go to Banff again but I can never really get anything of a reasonable price.
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Scottc, it was 2011 when I went last and it was an Inghams trip. The trip I took to panorama was with Inghams too and was very reasonable.
We flew from Manchester but I looked this year and they seem to have scrapped the flight 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Try recently expanded Red mountain...Rossland is lovely and only a 5 min drive from the slopes but you can stay slope side if you want. I much prefer it to Whistler as it is far more "real". Best way to get there is fly to spokane via chicago and then drive up, its about 2 hours.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Lake Louise=45mins - all quicker by car, but you have to pay parking etc
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How much and whats the etc?
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| suzysue2 wrote: |
Thanks guys, I've just emailed ski safari, checked out skibig3 and re reading recommendations etc.
looking at 10-12 days and seriously thinking of adding Niagra falls to end as well. |
Niagara Falls is not near anywhere you would want to ski. Tremblant [north of Montreal] would be the closest and that is a 7 or 8 hour drive... which is about the same amount of time it would you take to get to Montreal airport, fly to Buffalo or Toronto, and drive to NF.
Having said that, NF is beautiful in the cold weather. The mist freezes and makes fantastic ice sculptures on pretty well everything within a hundred metres of the Falls. NF as a town, though, is a 'hole'. So if you do go, just keep looking at the Falls and do not look over your shoulder at the grim town itself. [bias declared: I spent the first 20 years of my life living fewer than ten miles from the Falls]
There is skiing within an hour or so of the Falls in upstate New York, but these days I would not usually cross the street to get to it, much less cross an ocean. Places like Holiday Valley or Kissing Bridge [there are others]. It is the first place I ever wore skis, and coming from an ice hockey background, I just assumed skiing was supposed to be like ice skating, but on a slope.
There is also skiing a couple hours north of Toronto [Collingwood, Blue Mountain] but it has the same issue as upstate New York.
Go west...
greg
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You know it makes sense.
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hobbiteater,
No charge for parking at LL
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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hobbiteater,
...but plus car rental, gas and you'll need a National Park pass.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Acacia, gryphea, thanks
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FAQ
