Which resort in Alberta / Eastern BC?

A snowHead

I've got a great deal to fly with BA to Calgary next winter for a family of 5 (kids will be aged 8-11) so now I have to choose a resort. We all like our runs to be steepish, bumpy and powdery (who doesn't!) but glades, rocks and cliffs are probably a bit too extreme for the younger lads.

I guess my obvious choices are Kicking Horse and Fernie, but I haven't ruled out Banff / Lake Louise, Kimberly or Panorama (wonderful resort but we went there last year). Is anyone familiar enough with these places to help me make a comparison? I know I can read WTSS, but there's something rather special about a personal recommendation from a fellow snowHead

A snowHead

I've been to all those places (save kimberley) on a two week road trip.

Panorama is a true resort, it's one little village owned and run by the compnay at the end of a road quite some way from the nearest village. the terrain as far as I recall was mostly blues, with taynton bowl having just opened to provide more of a chalenge (it was formerly heli-skiing territory).

Kicking horse had just undergone a massive expansion. It's mostly a diamond shaped resoprt - one massive gondola goes all the way up and the runs spread out from there then converge back towards the base. there's a green run (the road in summer) zig zagging down, the most of the runs heading straight down are black.

Banff anfd Lake Louise are covered in quite a bit of detail elsewehere, which leaves just fernie.

Fernie's the one we went back to. Prior to that I'd never been back to a resort. Thi s year I revisited whistler but that was only becasue a friend was doing a season. For me to go back , a resort has to be stunning. You can fiund my thoughts on Fernie in the resport feedback thread. I'd recommend it for you.

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Banff gives you easy access (10 mins) to Mt Norquay, a small area with a good variety of runs, including some steep and bumpy, but it is small. The main area is Sunshine (20 mins), which has a bit of everything, including what you're looking for, especially on Goat's Eye, but inevitably a lot of other stuff. LL is about 30/40 mins away, and has a bit of everything, including the Back Bowls which should suit you. Kicking Horse is perfectly doable as a day trip (1 hour?).

The advantage of Banff over LL, Kicking Horse (which I haven't visited) and Panorama is that it's a proper town (by Canadian standards) with loads of bars, restaurants, shops and a good choice of accomodation. I love the place; it's in a fantastic location and has a great atmos, and the skiing has suited us very well. The downside is that you have to jump in the car (or bus) to ski, but that's not really a problem as the roads are empty and good.

From what I've read, Kicking Horse sounds the obvious choice for you for skiing, but there doesn't seem to be much else there, if that's important.

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KH or Fernie would be my choices.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I agree with everything Richmond has said about Banff. Its a lovely town and with 3 great ski areas within easy reach all covered by the one lift pass there is plenty of variety. And for a break from skiing go dog sledding up in Canmore. Breathtaking scenery and the dogs are great.

I had a great holiday there and will hopefully be back one day.

Val Very Happy

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Be realistic about your ability - did you regularly ski Taynton Bowl at Panorama? If not Fernie probably isn't the best choice ASthe cream of the skiing there is in trees and steeps and accessed by long traverses. Plenty of intermediates can have a good time but there aren't a huge number of runs. I reckon I could comfortable ski most of the groomers in a morning. Kimberley good for cruising but quite small, KH great terrain but can be disappointing in poor snow. Sunshine and LL are actually in my opinion the best "punter" resorts.

To throw something into the mix why not roadtrip between a few places - most Canadians probably wouldn't stay in one place for a week and having freed yourself from package contraints why not enjoy the flexibility?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Val, the dogsledding at Canmore was the best thing I've done on a skiing holiday that wasn't skiing. It was amazing!!! Very Happy

After all it is free

I've heard Silverstar is worth a visit and the Big White is good for beginners and families (i.e. not very hardcore).

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From what I've read, KH sounds pretty unremittingly tough. There is a report on here somewhere about it.

I've skied the runs you've skied in Panorama, but only a bit in the Taynton Bowl, and I've found Sunshine, LL and Norquay provided plenty of challenge. I reckon Banff might suit you; there are some tough runs at all 3 areas close by (Sunshine, Norquay, LL), and you could have a good look at KH for a day or two. You could easily do both, Banff and KH; lots of TOs offer split hols, or organise it yourself.

There's plenty of runs that bump up pretty well at Fernie - Kangaroo & Wallaby turn huge. There's a run down under Boom chair that is pretty challenging too. Tamer bumps on runs like the Bear. Take a look at the lift map & select the blues to see what your skiable runs realistically are - lots of the blacks are more challenging than full width groomers.

On the other hand you can stay slopeside, the town has a good pool, going to the hockey is fun.

KH I wouldn't really know for intermediates. I still think Sunshine and Lake Lousie have the best variety of terrain for families

You know it makes sense.

KH is massively tough... I've skiied everything at LL, found Sunshine a little too "staid" and yet by lunchtime at KH my thighs were begging for mercy. It's ALL steep, bumps the size of minis but with sharp sides, even the d*mned green runs are sometimes only a foot wide with enormous rocks in them! This is NOT a resort for the faint-hearted!

For a family resort I'd have to go for LL, no slopeside accommodation but Lake Louise Inn is a nice family hotel and the bus picks you up at the lobby and takes you up to the slopes (5 minutes)... you could always stuff all the gloves, goggles etc. in a sports bag until you're up at the lodge.

From what I remember only 2/3 steep groomed blacks at KH, everything else unpisted however LL has some excellent "flat" steeps, namely Ptarmigan, Eagle Flight, Mens & Women's downhill, Steep & Flat for example.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

From a family point of view, I found Banff an excellent place to stay, as there was plenty to do in the evenings. You can go dog-sledding too. There's plenty of bumps at LL and on Goats eye at Sunshine. When we skied LL one run had bumps the size of picnic tables (my words). My hubby and kids were in front of me, and as a rather short lady, I couldn't see over the top of them.

A snowHead

After living in Banff for the last 12 months I can recommend anywhere and I mean anywhere but there. After 8 seasons in the French Alps I was more than a little shocked and dissapointed. The biggest snowfall of the season amounted to a massive 30 cm the ski areas are small and they advertise amazing high speed quads which are just bog standard and in Sunshine's case tatty 4 man chairlifts. On the plus side Banff itself is not actually a ski resort so there is endless amounts of alternitive activities to keep everyone happy and people are very polite. If you can ski or snowboard to a reasonable standad and you like european ski resorts you will be dissapointed if you head to Banff. Bring on the pushy French lift ques, i have missed you.

A snowHead

london1977,

If you've done 8 seasons in the Alps I'd hope you're hardly looking for the same thing as the original poster. I'm also surprised that you didn't enjoy the area - delerium dive and some of the chutes are LL are pretty challenging though other resorts in BC & Alberta do offer more potential for rockstars.

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london1977, you had a bad experience then, there was over a meter fell on two nights when we were there. I agree on the lifts, but at least there's not many drags. I would go back to banff, but I hated the artificialness (!!) of Whistler .

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london1977, each to his own. I have pretty well thought out reasons for not wanting to ski in the kind of typical large European resort that you seem to be suggesting.

Big resorts are a problem with kids. In a small place, I can let my older two lads (currently 9 and 10) ski off on their own and be absolutely confident that they won't get lost; there's no danger of me being stuck on the wrong side of the resort when ski school finishes; and the kids can safely potter around the resort on their own in the evening. I could never give my children that kind of freedom in a place like Tignes, wonderful though it might be in other ways.

On my own I'm happy to fight to get to the front of pushy European 'queues', but these are a problem for families as you're continually anxious about your kids getting lost or squashed. And after a few near misses with speeding skiers in years gone by, I'm not prepared to risk my children's lives on the overcrowded home runs in the European mega-resorts. Call me overprotective, but it's the way I feel.

I could probably tick most of my boxes in a small European resort, but I particularly go to North America for the quality of the childrens' teaching programs. For kids, it makes a huge difference having an instructor who shares their first language and culture, and my experience of European instruction has been patchy. There are, of course, many excellent European instructors; the difference in Canada and the USA is that it seems almost impossible to find a bad instructor.

Based on my experiences so far, I'll keep going to North America until my children grow older or my wallet runs out.

Thanks for the advice, folks. Keep it coming - I still haven't decided what to do.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Jonny Jones,

If the kids pottering around resort at night is a big thing then Banff probably isn't the best as its a big and busy town. Fernie slopeside probably meets that spec but to be honest its dead at night for adults. I happen to be very fond of Fernie but in my view its definitely best to stay in town & keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't rain.

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I totaly understand with kids North America is a good place(apart from the flights). Banff does offer alot but yes its a busy town with cars everywhere, not really safe for kids wandering about. The on the slopes resorts such as Panaroma have great wide cruising runs which are great for kids but the ski village is small and offering little. Big white is an option again good slopes for kids a bit limited but ok for a week and a small safe on mountain village with a couple of bars and restaurants.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

london1977, there's plenty of places with grounds that the kids could play in though, like Douglas Fir resort. Jonny Jones, if you ever fancy Europe again, check out Serre Chevalier, particularly Monetier-les-Bains, as it is much less crowded there than the Tarentaise. There's a good English ski school too.

After all it is free

I wouldn't particularly recommend LL for a family; it's a lovely place, but there's not a huge amount going on after the skiing finishes for the day. If you want even a modest choice of shops, restaurants and bars, LL isn't the place to stay. Great place to ski, though, and a great place to stay for a quiet life, and you should visit the LL Station for a drink or dinner.

I'm surprised at some of london1977's comments on Banff, although obviously a season's experience is not to be overlooked lightly. Perhaps by western Canadian standards Banff is a busy town, but it isn't by European standards. There are roads to cross, with cars on them, but that's not a huge problem as far as I'm concerned; the place has more than it's fair share of controlled crossings and Canadian drivers have never struck me as especially dangerous. It's actually a very easy and pleasant town to walk around. Finding a table in a restaurant is much, much easier than in a Euro resort especially during UK school hol times. It is definitely a small N.American town, not a European ski resort, but, hey, we're in N.America. I've found it a very charming place to stay, and the kids love it. Snowfall is usually very good, although I hear that the last couple of years have been disappointing. The lack of queues and the standard of and attitude to tuition is a huge plus if you have a family (this applies to everywhere I've skied in Canada, although the ski school at Sunshine is the best I've come across). My experience of Banff is about 10 weeks over 6 years (1999 - 2004), at Easter hols, and a couple of other shorter visits out of school hol times; I'd recommend it to a family like yours anytime.

london1977's comments had me confused too as I'd heard from some Calgary locals that last season was one of the best in the past decade. There was some great coverage late in the season. Apparently next year's Warren Millaer flick will intro with some local kids laying down some new lines at Castle Mountain (south Alberta) in Apri.l

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I skiied LL & Sunshine this year and both were pretty good for coverage... some rocks up high in LL but when you know the resort as well as I do you can avoid them. Smile

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Thanks for all the advice, guys - I'm definitely listening.

I'm not bothered how quiet a place is in the evenings, as most nights we'll eat in our own hotel or within a couple of hundred yards of it; that way, the kids can make their own way back to their rooms while we chill out for 30 minutes before the bed time rush. And I really do want slopeside accommodation - with kids, it's difficult to put a price on the convenience of being able to nip back to the room for a forgotten asthma pump or a replacement pair of gloves. I'm familiar with the town of Banff, although I've never skied there, and it doesn't seem to fit the type of holiday we want - it's too big and too busy.

After that, it's all about skiing and tuition quality. We don't need a huge ski area, as the kids like to repeat the same runs until they've explored every hidden jump or secret diversion through the trees. And we do need some reasonably tough skiing - my oldest lad's lessons rarely seem to drop below double-black standard and the younger kids are already comfortable with single diamonds.

Putting these things together, I thought KH or Fernie might fit the bill. But, listening to fatbob, I'm a little concerned that the skiing might be too tough. I'm warming to staying slopeside at LL or, possibly, yielding to the nagging from my offspring and returning to Panorama.

Does this sound like a decent plan? And, Helen Beaumont, I'm quite certain I'll return to Europe before too many seasons have passed. I'll definitely research Serre Chevalier when the time comes.

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hi Johnny, there is actually no slopeside accommodation at Louise, it's a 5 minute bus ride away. There is however slopeside accommodation at Sunshine, although that is one and one only hotel so perhaps a little limited for a family... more ideal for honeymooners?

Jonny Jones, if you want real slopeside accommodation, how about Silver Star or Big White? I had a week at Big White last year and better powder I've never seen. Really enjoyed the skiing and the resort (which is pretty quiet nightlife wise). Our hotel was right at the bottom of a piste in the centre of the village, you could sit and have a meal in the restaurant and watch the night skiers come flying down of an evening. Big White is more intermediate than advanced skiing though there are some double blacks there. There's a lot of glade skiing and a nice bowl over in the Gem lake area, where the runs are steeper.

The nearby resort of Silver Star is more difficult, sounds more like what you are after and is equally slopeside. Okanagan is a fan of Silver Star, and Big White, and goes most years - try PMing her for more info.

You know it makes sense.

Jonny Jones, as you know, Banff and LL won't give you slopeside accomodation. The hotels in LL are 10 mins (max) by car from the lifts. As you also know, there is a hotel at the ski base at Sunshine which is ski in ski out, the Sunshine Inn. If you really don't want anything in the way of nightlife apart from dinner and a couple of beers, it would be fine, but I'd go stir crazy after a couple of nights. We kept meaning to try it but never did (inertia and the fact that we'd paid for our accomodation in Banff); it looks comfortable, the food is good (I've eaten there at lunch time), and there's toboganning and so on after the lifts shut. If you want to ski elsewhere, you have to ski or lift down to the parking lot first, which would be a pain. A week there and a week somewhere else might be fun.

The only ski in ski out accom in Canada I've been to is Panorama, which you know all about. I enjoyed the skiing there, but I wasn't greatly impressed with the other facilities, but then I don't like resorts without a town.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Hmmm. I misunderstood an earlier remark about Sunshine / LL; one hotel does sound a bit toooo quiet.

Summarising, you've advised me that:
- Banff and LL have no slopeside accommodation but will be fantastic when the kids don't need so much nannying
- KH and Fernie have awesome skiing but might be best in a couple of years time when the younger kids ski more aggressively
- Silver Star and Big White have promise but are a long way from Calgary - perhaps I should investigate connecting flights
- Nobody seems to know Kimberly

It sounds like we might be going back to Panorama this year; I'm happy with that, as our trip there last year was probably the best we've ever had. And I'm looking forward to the kids being old enough for us to try some of the other resorts in future years.

Fantastic Very Happy

A snowHead

Jonny Jones, without wishing to labour the point, LL is very, very quiet, and I suspect that in a year or two, your kids will find it too quiet. Our visits to Banff have all been with kids, aged from 4 or 5 to about 16, and the place has been a great hit with all of them. I'd be perfectly happy to let my 12 y.o. kids wander about Banff on their own, indeed they did so last time we were there, when they were 10. It's not an easy place to get lost in, and everyone appears to be friendly and helpful (including the paedophiles, which is nice). If you do lose them (unintentionally), there are 3 impressive sweet shops to which they will inevitably return, sooner rather than later, like moths to a lamp.

A snowHead

We have toured round eastern bc for the last 4 years. had a great time at most resorts (Except Jasper 2 years ago when a river was running down the piste in march). i certainly would not recommend you to either Kicking Horse or Fernie unless you you are a really aggressive boarder or skier. Both resorts are geared up to extreme stuff. Also the weather can be pretty grim at both with Fernie often being closed due to avalanche danger.

Early this year we spent 3 weeks in Kimberley, town is small but we stayed on the hill. 2good bars 3 restaurants and night skiing at the weekend. There is a free shuttle bus into town and no lift queues! Believe it or not there is quite a lot of skiing there if you are prepared to find it. Most people seem to stay on the main face. easter is steep, quiiet but can become moguled . Plenty of good offpiste and 2 terrain parks tro keep the kids happy.

We are going back in Feb and staying at a new luxury catered chalet that has just been built about 150yards from the main lift. day trips to LL and Fernie are easy. Both about 1 1/2 hours drive.

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canon, what time of year did you go? I've fancied Kimberley, but have been worried that at Easter (school age kids) it would be past its best.

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Jonny Jones,

KH is not totally unremittingly tough but it is very limited if you don't like steep runs. However, you do and you're also OK with bumps and powder so you'd be fine. Provided you stay off the ridges you'll avoid any rocks or cliffs. You can get all the way down from the gondola on easy runs and the main bowl is big and benign (but after the bowl very limited no. of runs) after you get off the path to it i.e. as long as you're not coming off either of the ridges. You'd probably be OK off Stairway To Heaven too, if you came down the path. Otherwise it's steep and mogulled. Good for small queues away from the weekends. Based on your likes there's no reason not to go there. You can also get accommodation at the drop of a hat.

I'm not sure you'd want to spend a week there but if you did a road trip it's worth 2-4 days. You could eaily combine it with Panorama (1.5 - 2 hours away)

LL is probably the best all round ski area and it's certainly the largest but there is virtually nothing there apart from ski (and the trip from Banff is about an hour and after a couple of trips it really drags !). It's got some very steep runs to but there's lot's of more benign stuff. Is busy though.

Sunshine is OK but there are quite a number of irritating flat bits where you end up having to skate (about 20 mins from Banff).

The local ski area to Banff (Norquay) is 5mins, very small and worth a day max.

Banff itself is a great place to stay. Cheap accommodation and lot's of it, loads of restaurants and bars etc.

It was raining at Fernie when I went so I canned it and went back to KH. Looked steep though.

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Not been to Kicking Horse myself, but heard from a pro I know that it's not good if the snow low down is poor because it only has the gondola to get to the top with no mid-station so you have to ski right to the bottom (through the bad snow) to get back up again.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Nickski, I've heard several people say that they found rain at Fernie and that's a bit off-putting. What time of year were you there? We're going mid February, and I've always assumed the rain would be restricted to early or late season. Is my assumption right?

Apart from the rain, you've got me reconsidering KH. Decisions, decisions... snowHead

After all it is free

Jonny Jones,

I was in Fernie around the first week in March 2003, I believe rain is not unusual in Fernie but then if it's cold it would be snow. Mid-Feb you would have to be unlucky to get significant rain up the mtn. Last year Fernie had phenomenal snow dumps but then the rain would come along and spoilt it.

For most of your criteria KH is perfect:

Jonny Jones,

I wouldn't recommend KH if you're taking kids. The skiing options are very limited for anyone who isn't prepared for some seriously challenging steeps: it's great if you're a hard-charging expert, or even a gung-ho wannabe, but otherwise I wouldn't recommend it. Yes, you CAN get right down from the top to the bottom on easy runs, but it's a mega-boring cat-track for most of the way. Additionally, there is virtually nothing to do off the hill. (Your kids will be too young to appreciate the strippers in the local bars). It certainly isn't somewhere to stay for any length of time on a family holiday.

Banff is probably your best bet: the bussing to and fro can be a bit of a drag, but the buses are well organised and comfortable, and there's a load of off-slope activity. I'm a serial fan of Banff, and have never had a bad time there. It's also the shortest distance from Calgary of any of the resorts that have been suggested (about 1.5 hr: Panorama and Kimberley are about 3hr, Fernie 2.5 and KH probably about 3.5). Also, the ski school programmes for kids (and adults!) are great.

Rain at Fernie can strike at any time. The weather systems get funneled up the valley and dump everything on the Lizard range. That's why they get some seriously deep powder. I'd have thought that the chances of getting snow rather than rain in Feb were reasonably good, but you pays your money and you keeps your fingers crossed....

Personally, I find Kimberley a bit dull, but if you're a fan of cod-Bavarian and giant cuckoo-clocks, well it's your choice. - You can also get day trips to Fernie, which is covered on the same lift ticket.

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The best suggestion I have is to number your priorities. I think given everything you've said & if you don't want to go back to Panorama, Fernie slopeside could still be the best bet for you. You might not get the best Fernie has to offer but there are still groomers and shallow pitch trees in places for the kids to mess around in. Going to the hockey is fun & you can go into town a couple of nights for variety on the eating out front.

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