Kaprun, Austria – Like a growing number of Brits, I’d been traveling to the other side of the pond for my annual fix of the white stuff recently, but decided I needed another holiday, this time a bit closer to home. I’d planned to go with my sister and her friends to Kaprun in the … Continue reading Kaprun-Kitzsteinhorn
Banff (AB), Canada – Go ahead. Tell your friends that you’re going skiing in western Canada. What will you hear? "Oh, so is this your first trip to Whistler?" Be more specific. Tell them you’ll be skiing in the Banff area. "Yeah, I hear Lake Louise has beautiful views." Then tell them all … Continue reading Sunshine Village: A Slice of the Alps in Alberta
Panorama (BC), Canada – There might be prettier vistas than the ones we had of Invermere, the 20+mile-long valley lake, nestled between the Rockies and the Purcells, the one Panorama’s literature calls “charming.” Perhaps lakeside splendor was just down the road, around a bend; or perhaps we were jaded. Several hours before, we’d been clamboring … Continue reading Panorama: Intrawest’s Other B.C. Ski Giant
Large snow removal trucks sped across the Calgary International Airport tarmac as a number of reporters piled into a small twin-prop for a quick, 30-minute flight to Golden, British Columbia, home of Whitetooth Ski Hill. The story which held everyone’s attention was the unveiling of a $200-million undertaking: the Canadian Rockies’ first new ski resort … Continue reading Watch Out for the Kicking Horse!
Fernie (BC), Canada – Ever since Charlie Locke’s "Resorts of the Canadian Rockies" (RCR) purchased Fernie Snow Valley in June of 1997, rechristened it Fernie Alpine Resort and doubled the size of their lift-serviced terrain during the 1998/99 season, the southeastern British Columbia hill has been transformed overnight from a ski-bum secret into a darling … Continue reading Fernie: Growing Pains
Pincher Creek (AB), Canada – Pulling into the town of Pincher Creek, Alberta, one certainly doesn’t feel that they’ve arrived at a ski mountain. Situated 30 miles east of Castle Mountain Resort, though, the 600 or so beds contained in a number of motels constitute the closest lodging to the ski area. The town is … Continue reading Castle Mountain: The Best Ski Hill You’ve Never Heard Of
Magog (QC), Canada – We sat around the table chuckling arrogantly at the Mont Orford trail map. Triple black diamonds are the overzealous creations of a marketing department run amok, and we were certain that Orford’s were no exception. We prepared ourselves for a day of gentle corduroy cruising. Boosting our spirits was the steady, … Continue reading Mont Orford: A Rough-Cut Gem