Tag: British Columbia

An Overview Of The Best Ski Resorts In The West

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With winter on the way, lovers of snow and winter sports are excited about the upcoming new season. Every mountain getaway and the area surrounding the lodge or resort is busy with various winter activities you can enjoy. While there are many different places you can go to enjoy your winter wonderland, here are a few that are considered to be the best ski resorts in the West.

When people think of California, they often picture the sand and surf of the coastline, the vineyards of the Napa Valley, the glitz and glamour of Hollywood or the excitement of the famous amusement parks. However, there are some excellent California ski resorts and numerous places to pursue your favorite winter sports and activities.

Located on the Eastern slopes of Central California’s Nevada Mountain range, the Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort is considered by many to be one of the best ski resorts you can find in California. Mammoth almost always enjoys at least 150 inches of snowfall each season, but some years the actual snowfall reaches an amazing 250 inches, which is enough to keep the most enthusiastic skiers happy.

One of the reasons that Mammoth is among the best of them is that it boasts of the Hangman’s Hollow. This is known as the siren-of-the-steeps for experts skiers from around the world. In addition, Mammoth also has a full terrain that offers cross-country skiing and also, an Olympic-size half pipe.

The Mt. Shasta Resort is in the heart of another California area that is both well-known and very popular, making it another on the list of best ones in the West. The Mt. Shasta resort is located in the Siskiyou mountain range, which is near the northern border or California. Within the Mt.

Shasta national recreational area there are many activities available such as hiking, snowmobiling and a skiing area that even includes a bunny flat. After a long day on the slopes, the Black Bear Restaurant is well-known and highly recommended for delicious meal and in addition, they also offer delightful homemade pies for a well-earned dessert.

A bit farther north from Mt. Shasta is Oregon, which is filled with numerous slopes and top ones as well. Timberline Lodge is an historic chalet that sits right at the timber line of the majestic Mt.

Hood in the Cascade Range and which has long been hailed as one of the best resorts. Because Timberline Lodge sits higher than many mountain ski resorts, you will often find that you can ski all year round on the nearby Palmer Snowfield, which is near this great snowy retreat.

Continuing on the northward track, the mountain ones of British Columbia are easy to add to the list of best ski resorts in the West. Whistler is another famed area where you are also able to ski any time of the year with few rare exceptions.

In addition to the Whistler-Blackcomb area, the fabulous skiing and other winter sports, there is also incredible scenery. After dark, there is a lively night life in the area which you can enjoy after a long day of shredding the slopes.

These are just a few of the best ski resorts that you can find throughout Western United States and Western Canada. Ski vacations in the West are a popular way to get away from the daily grind of the work week. If you also happen to live in a western state, then most of these top ones are close enough to enjoy a weekend ski package, simply to feel rejuvenated for the coming week.

Discover more information about the best ski resorts from the west from Mike Selvon educational portal. We appreciate your feedback at our ski vacations family blog.

Canadian Ski Resorts Have Long Season, Great Value

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Canada is a beautiful country that also happens to be the host to numerous top ski destinations. Many of these resorts are easy to access and are only an hour or two driving distance from major airports.

Most of the top Canadian ski resorts also have some wonderful features which makes them a strong draw for a diverse range of skiers. Some of these features include renowned powder, various types of terrain, great verticals, stunning scenery, modern lifts and much more.

Most of the Canadian resorts enjoy a long ski season that starts in early November and extends through to June. However, the skiing resorts which are located in Whistler, British Columbia (just north of Vancouver, BC), have seen even longer seasons.

In the Whistler area, it is common for people to still be able to ski throughout the summer months. In addition, several of the top ones also utilize snow making equipment to ensure that mountain activities are available year-round.

The Fernie Alpine Resort promises to be one of the real up-and-coming Canadian ski resorts of the near future. While not widely known at this time, with each season their reputation grows and Fernie becomes more popular. Located in the gorgeous Kootenay Rockies, the resort is conveniently located and is only a three hour car ride away from Calgary, Alberta.

The Fernie Alpine Resort is known for the amazing powder snow that it boasts and because it is still unknown as one of the best Canadian ski resorts, you will rarely encounter crowded conditions on the slopes. This top one usually receives about 29 feet of snow per season, so even toward the end of the season there is plenty of white powder.

Fernie does offer some challenging blue and green runs to keep the experienced skier stimulated. There are also many skiing opportunities for beginners among the 107 designated trails at this resort.

Fernie Alpine Resort also offers what many of the other Canadian resorts do not; the ability to ski-in and ski-out of your accommodations. For many aficionados, the chance to go straight from the slopes to your door is the perfect scenario and a delightful benefit that helps to make this a perfect choice for a winter vacation. In addition to the ski-in convenience, Fernie is also family friendly with a childcare center that features this great sport schools for the little ones.

Another Canadian skiing destination worth checking out is the Big White Ski Resort, which is located in the Okanagan area of British Columbia. Big White is Canada’s largest resort that has been designed as a ski-in/ski-out winter retreat. Similar to the Fernie area, Big White is well-known for the “champagne powder” snow that it receives and for the unparalleled mountain top views of the pine tree packed valleys and slopes of the area.

Big White has the honor of being the highest situated winter village of all the Canadian lodges of this sport and receives over 25 feet of snow on an average basis. Big White Ski Resort also has an extensive Kid’s Center, which they claim is the ultimate playground for children. Ski Canada magazine recently rated this top one as the “Best Resort for Kids.”

The Sun Peaks and the Silver Star Ski Resort are two other top Canadian ski resorts that also need to be mentioned. They boast ski runs for various levels of experience and skill, both are easy to access and both also have a nice array of other activities for those who do not ski. In addition, all of these top ones in Canada offer an excellent value, especially because of the great exchange rates.

Discover more information about the canadian ski resorts from the west from Mike Selvon educational portal. We appreciate your feedback at our ski vacations family blog.