Winter Wonderland Canada
Downhill run at Lake Louise Ski Resort, in the heart of Banff National Park. Reuben Krabbe
Canada’s west is a winter dream of powder snow, wide-open spaces and moments of true quiet, the kind that make even seasoned alpine skiers fall in love all over again. Between Alberta and British Columbia, ski resorts unfold where winter still feels at home: dry, crisp cold, deep champagne powder and an unhurried Canadian serenity that makes every descent feel just a little more effortless.
Canada’s Snow, Different by Nature
In the Rocky Mountains, cold, dry polar air keeps snow crystals light and airy, preventing them from bonding intos into heavy, wet snow. The result is powder that feels like skiing on clouds, and even on the coldest days, the dryness of the air makes the low temperatures surprisingly easy to bear.
© Reuben Krabbe
© Travis Rousseau
Freedom on the Mountain
In many Canadian ski resorts, the experience doesn’t end at the piste markers. Skiing is permitted almost everywhere within the secured resort boundaries, opening up a sense of freedom that feels both expansive and natural. Tree skiing through open forests, wide bowls and playful terrain makes every run more intuitive, varied and deeply connected to the landscape, a contrast to the more tightly regulated feel of many classic Alpine resorts.
“In Canada’s ski resorts, you can ski almost anywhere within controlled boundaries — safely, freely and with a sense of playful ease.”
Whistler, Banff and the Hidden Gems
Whistler Blackcomb is widely regarded as the largest ski area in North America, renowned for its vast terrain, reliable snowfall and the iconic Peak 2 Peak gondola linking Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb. Around Banff and Lake Louise, set within a national park landscape, dramatic panoramas meet World Cup heritage and legendary mountain hotels. Meanwhile, destinations such as Revelstoke, Kicking Horse and Sun Peaks remain genuine insider tips, offering space, character and a refreshingly unhurried rhythm.
© Reuben Krabbe
© Bernhard Krieger
Heliskiing, Catskiing and Winter Off-Piste
Catskiing opens access to remote terrain via tracked snowcats, where first tracks in untouched powder are close to guaranteed. Heliskiing in British Columbia is considered the pinnacle of freeriding, delivering vast alpine faces and a sense of scale found almost nowhere else. Those seeking a quieter rhythm can experience Canada’s winter through dog sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing or ice climbing, often accompanied by moose, deer or soaring eagles in the stillness of the wilderness.
Further Reading: A Journey to Patagonia
If expansive landscapes and raw winter experiences spark your curiosity, the current Fall/Winter edition of Seazen offers another compelling perspective: a striking Patagonia story by Uli Maybach. Set far at the southern edge of the world, it explores glaciers, solitude and the quiet intensity of skiing in one of the planet’s most remote mountain regions.
