Winter may be a dark and gloomy season, but there are always some things you can do to brighten up your days. One fun way to spend winter is to literally break some snow and ice in the best Calgary ski resorts.
We say “Calgary ski resorts”, but in reality, there aren’t actually a lot of ski resorts in the city, except for golf courses offering cross country skiing in the winter. So, whenever we mention the best Calgary ski resorts, we actually mean ski resorts around Calgary.
Either way, they’re close enough that most Calgarians head to them when they want to hit the slopes. Now, get your bags packed and your schedules freed because we’re here to tell you of the nearest and best Calgary ski resorts perfect for your cold, winter days.
Table of Contents
1. Winsport
| BEST FOR | Proximity to Calgary |
| PRODUCTS | Winter Sports, Dining and Catering, Rental Venues |
| WEBSITE | http://www.winsport.ca/ |
| ADDRESS | 88 Canada Olympic Rd SW, Calgary, AB T3B 5R5 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | Phone: (403) 247-5452 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday–Sunday, 9:00am–2:00pm |
If you’re looking for the best Calgary ski resorts but don’t want a long drive, just go to Winsport. This ski resort located on Calgary’s western side even has training centres.
The best thing is, you can enjoy their facilities at a discounted price with their seasonal passes. You can even hold events in Winsport using their rental spaces and catering services.
Winsport is also a non-profit organization that only wants to give what’s best for Calgarians. Thus, you can avail of their affordable winter sports classes for all ages — even three-year-olds can join as long as there’s guardian consent and supervision.
Highlights
- Proximity to the city
- Family-friendly amenities
- Sports lessons
- Winter season pass
Customer Reviews
Read these reviews to know what customers loved about Winsport.
“did Preschool ski lessons for the kid, great fun, instructors are nice and friendly renting and signing in was quick and easy”—Lisa Moy
“Great place for family fun skiing and snowboarding. I’ve been coming here on and off for over 20 years, and now my kids are here learning how to ski. The main lodge, including guest services to check in for lessons, or buy lift tickets can get very busy during peak hours. The same goes for the parking lot after 10:30 on the weekends.”—Mike Cheong
2. Nakiska Ski Area
| BEST FOR | Family-Friendly Slopes |
| PRODUCTS | Winter Sports, Resort Amenities |
| WEBSITE | https://www.skinakiska.com/ |
| ADDRESS | 2 Mt Allan Dr, Kananaskis, AB T0L 2H0 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | Phone: (403) 591-7777
E-mail: [email protected] |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday–Sunday, 09:00am–4:00pm |
Among the best Calgary ski resorts, Nakiska Ski Area has the earliest winter. As early as November, you can already enjoy your favourite winter sports in their snowy terrain, thanks to their snowmaking systems.
If you’re still a ski beginner, you can enjoy Nakiska snow sports lessons that are good for all ages. The resort has dining and lodging amenities and a rental and repair shop for broken sports gear.
Nakiska also has family-focused winter activities such as snow tubing that’ll give you more playtime without being interrupted by avid skiers. You can even book a reservation earlier and have the same high-quality experience for a discounted price.
Highlights
- Guaranteed snow from snowmaking systems
- Winter sports lessons
- Sports gear rentals and repairs
- Activities and amenities for all ages
Customer Reviews
What makes Nakiska unique is how family-friendly their facilities and skiing slopes are. Read these reviews to know more about Nakiska’s services.
“Fun place to visit really family orientated. They have some really cool add on packages for the season pass and it’s very affordable. I have a family season pass for myself and the other 5 people in my family. Praying for more snow tho so we can explore more of the mountain”—Matt Brewer
“My favourite ski hill to date. I first learned how to ski on this mountain years ago, and it’s definitely my go to. The short drive from Calgary, paired with nice runs and friendly staff all make for a great experience. It’s the perfect hill for beginners and people wanting to work on their technical skill. Easy green runs, fun blue runs and adequately challenging black runs, so it’s truly for all skill levels”—Maren Walker
3. Banff Sunshine Village Ski
| BEST FOR | Accessibility |
| PRODUCTS | Winter Sports |
| WEBSITE | https://www.skibanff.com/ |
| ADDRESS | 1 Sunshine Access Road, Banff, AB T1L 1J5 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | Phone: (403) 705-4000 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday–Sunday, 9:00am–4:00pm |
Banff Sunshine Village is located at the heart of the Rockies and the Continental Divide. So, every single bit of snow falling on the mountains from November to late May is used here.
They have acres and acres of snow with varied slopes, from smooth runs for beginners to their famous off-spite Delirium Dive. The best thing is that you can enjoy these amenities for discounted prices because they have various special passes.
But what really makes Banff Sunshine Village outshine the other best Calgary ski resorts is its wheelchair-accessible gondolas and ski lessons for differently-abled people. They are also the only resort in Canada with heated chairlifts.
Highlights
- Snow from November to May
- Seasonal and corporate passes
- Wide skiing area
- Wheelchair accessible chairlifts and ski equipment
Customer Reviews
Here are the customer reviews speaking highly of Banff Sunshine’s wide terrain and enjoyable runs.
“Today was really amazing, we were able to start riding really early and didn’t have to rush. The hills were absolutely amazing and stunning, there was a lot of powder that was really fun to ride on. We went all over the hill hitting most of the runs and they were all great. It wasn’t too busy except for the heated chairlift. Hope to have a great week :)”—Kseniya Miller-Gruntovskaya
“I love this ski hill. It’s huge which means there isn’t very much traffic and plenty of options. They have everything from easy greens to extremely difficult double black diamonds and everything in between. The hill is far more enjoyable if you can explore the hill so I would reccomend new skiers to practice at a local hill.”—Reese Dougall
4. Lake Louise Ski Resort
| BEST FOR | Worldwide Acclaim |
| PRODUCTS | Winter Sports, Resort Amenities |
| WEBSITE | https://www.skilouise.com/ |
| ADDRESS | 1 Whitehorn Rd, Lake Louise, AB T0L 1E0 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | Phone: (403) 522-3555
E-mail: [email protected] |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday–Sunday, 8:00am–5:00pm |
Lake Louise may be farther away from Calgary than some of the other options here, but it truly is one of the best places for skiing. They also offer classes to beginners and rentals of sports gear.
You can enjoy their various dining options, and you can even rent their venues for special occasions such as weddings. They even have seasonal passes for those who want to ski in the winter or hike in the summer.
Lake Louise is not just one of the best Calgary ski resorts with these amenities and features, but among the best in the world… as their World Ski Award shows.
Highlights
- Seasonal passes
- Various dining options and venue rentals
- World-renowned ski resort
Customer Reviews
Here are the reviews revealing how Lake Louise has become a famous name among ski enthusiasts.
“Rated one of the top ski resorts in Canada for a reason (MANY reasons) The views are beyond stunning. The food and drink options plentiful. The skiing is amazing. There are runs for everyone. I have never had a bad ski day at Lake Louise. You can take anyone there for a great day out and they will love it. Love the gondola and all the lifts are nice and obviously well maintained. It’s truly a paradise of great views and great skiing”—Bobbi Brown
“If you know how to make the best of it, you will find the tickets worth it. I didn’t do much as I reached there late (without proper gear). The peak, where the cable car takes you is super-high. A lot of routes to ski down or snowboard down!! Safety is taken care of. They put soft spongy thing in front of pillars/trees where there is a chance for people to crash!! Food and other services are good too!!”—Shubham Patil
5. Mount Norquay
| BEST FOR | Night Skiing |
| PRODUCTS | Winter Sports, Resort Amenities |
| WEBSITE | https://banffnorquay.com/ |
| ADDRESS | #2 Mt Norquay Rd, Banff, AB T1L 1B4 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | Phone: (403) 762-4421 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday–Sunday, 8:00am–5:00pm |
Dating back to 1926, Mount Norquay remains the oldest ski resort that offers the best runs and best skiing and snowboarding classes. They are also the only ones providing a night skiing experience for customers who want to try something new.
Mount Norquay also offers various dining options to cater to every craving you may have and refuel you before you head back to the mountains.
They also offer passes for both summer and winter for the full Mount Norquay experience. You can even reserve the whole hill for your private events.
Highlights
- Hill rental
- Night skiing and winter sports classes
- Oldest ski resort
- Various dining options with home-made recipe
Customer Reviews
Here are the reviews to help you know what to expect if you decide to visit Mount Norquay soon.
“The ski hill’s coaching team is fantastic. Both of my kids like their coaches and I personally find their patience and warm nature extraordinary. The lodge is cozy. The bar is nice. Cell phone service is at times intermittent. The menu in the cafeteria is OK for a ski hill but I would love cheaper and healthier food options. This is a really good family ski hill. The family season pass is reasonable. The lessons are the best in the bow valley, if not the Canadian rockies”—Claude Faerden
“The night skiing was fun! It was our first time skiing late like this. The only issue was that we expected more runs to be open. Great service in rental shop. And super friendly staff.”—Johanus Haidner
Now, you know where you can enjoy your favourite winter sports with the best Calgary ski resorts. So, just book a reservation early on and pack your bags for a new wonderful experience.
But before anything else, make sure to call the best snow removal services in Calgary to clear up your driveway! Otherwise, you may not even be able to leave the house to travel to your chosen resort!
