A guest post by Honeymoon Backpackers.
Canada is high on many ski/snowboarders’ bucket lists, as its home to some of the best places to snowboard in the world. Hard core skiiers/snowboarders froth of the terrain, dry power, deserted backcountry and epic views. The best places to snowboard in Canada tick all the boxes, with tons of challenging runs, huge mountains and fresh powder to carve up your own tracks. Whistler, Revelstoke, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Big White are some of the best places to snowboard in Canada!
Whistler/Blackcomb
You can’t deny that Whistler is one of the best places to snowboard in Canada. Whistler/Blackcomb hosted the 2010 winter Olympics, so if it’s good enough for the best athletes in the world it’d have to be pretty damn good. You can still get a picture in front of the Olympic rings and the first nation inuksuk up on the peak of the mountain, with incredible views of Whistler and the surrounding national park.
It’s a hard life snowboarding in Whistler; you actually have to choose what mountain to take on….* insert taco girl voice * ‘Why don’t we have both?’ Whistler/Blackcomb consists of two monstrous mountains with a peak-to-peak gondola connecting them. It’s the longest and highest lift in the world and even has a see through glass floor. The view from the slopes, gondola, ski lifts & restaurants are just incredible. You can even get a poutine from the top the peak, with the best view in town!
As for the slopes they’re suitable for all abilities, from the beginners on the bunny hill to the thrill seekers who like to go backcountry. Just stick to a run that suits your ability or check out the park and pipes if that’s your scene. It’s a given that the best places to snowboard in Canada also attracts a crowd, so avoid major holidays unless you like waiting in lift queues. The nightlife in Whistler is amazing; there is always a reason to drink and some kind of party happening. Make sure you check out Buffalo Bills; it goes off on a Wednesday. Moe Joes is also a wicked nightclub venue, if you’re keen to dance.
Looking out over the mountains in Whistler
Revelstoke
Revelstoke is definition of next level adventure with the option to go cat-skiing or heli-skiing. Hence why Revelstoke is one of the best places to snowboard in Canada. The Revelstoke ski resort is something to look out for, with massive transformations on the way, to become the best and biggest ski resorts in Canada. It’s not everywhere that you can get dropped off to the top of the mountain by a helicopter and snowboard backcountry down to the bottom. More than 45% of the runs are for intermediate snowboarders, with a couple of options for beginners to ease into it. Revelstoke’s longest run is a staggering 15.2km blue/green run, winding down from the top to the bottom of the mountain.
Powder at Revelstoke
Misty morning at Revelstoke
Banff/Sunshine
Banff’s ski resort, Sunshine Village, consists of 3 decently sized mountains! The location is just incredible, with the most amazing view of Banff National Park wherever your eyes wander. The slopes are located about 20 minutes from town, so there’s no ride-in-ride out access, which is a bit of a bummer.
View over Banff.
Banff’s Sunshine Village is one of best places to Snowboard in Canada, with really epic high-speed gondolas that have 90-degree sharp bends, giving you a fun ride up and down the mountain. The terrain is pretty large and quite diverse, however there’s a ton of flat spots which tend to get annoying when you’re snowboarding and don’t pick up enough speed. Any good ski resort gets packed on weekends, especially Banff as the highly populated city of Calgary isn’t too far by. The nightlife and parties in Banff go from 0-100 real quick. It starts off with a couple of casual beers with your mates at Bear’s Den Pub and ends at Aurora Nightclub the next morning.
Snowy trees in Banff.
Lake Louise
Lake Louise Ski Resort boasts one of the most spectacular views in Canada. It’s located in the heart of Canada’s rocky mountains surrounded by pristine nature with 4,200 acres of skiable wilderness. It’s got cruisey runs, gentle slopes, challenging terrain, glades and gullies, bowls, chutes, you name it! Lake Louise is without a doubt one of the best places to snowboard in Canada.
If you can’t decide between Lake Louise and Banff, get a tri-area lift ticket to test out all the slopes in the area. Banff is only 45 minuets away from Lake Louise, which is home to all the nightlife in the area. Lake Louise has nothing going for it, in regards to parties and nightlife.
Snowboarding Lake Louise
The ski lift at Lake Louise
Big White
Big White is located in the Okanagan Valley of BC and offers crowd free slopes with great terrain suiting all abilities. The best places to snowboard in Canada are ski-in ski-out, so you can quickly stop for lunch or a beer & head straight back out to the mountian. According to the official stats, the trails are 18% beginner, 22% advanced & 6% expert. It’s definitely one of the best places to snowboard in Canada for intermediates.
If you’re looking for freshly dumped double packed snow, then you’ve come to the right place. Big White gets an average snowfall of 7.4m, so there’s no need to be the first ones on the hills in the morning to enjoy the fresh powder. If you’re looking to party, it definitely isn’t at Big White. It’s more of a family friendly place, so the nightlife is pretty tame.
Jasper/Marmot
Beautiful scenery is the cherry on the ice-cream at Jasper’s Marmot Basin. It ticks all the boxes for snowboarders, with tons of power, hundreds of runs, challenging slopes, great free riding and next to no crowds. The ski resort is located just 20 minutes from the center of Jasper, with tons of shuttles running from town.
Jasper is one of my favorite places in the Rocky Mountains and one of the best places to snowboard in Canada. If you’re looking for nightlife, check out Ded Dog Bar & Grill or get your boogie on at 4peaks nightclub!
Reflection over a lake in Jasper National Park.
Canada is an amazing country, with kind, humble people and some of the most incredible places to snowboard in the world. The best places to ski and snowboard in Canada have the best conditions, biggest mountains, epic views and fresh powdered snow.
Even if you’re not a pro at snowboarding or skiing, there are still tons of options in The Great White North. Check out Whistler, Revelstoke, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Big White, as they’re the best places to ski and snowboard in Canada!
Have you guys ever been skiing or snowboarding? Where is your favorite place to ski and snowboard?? Comment below!
Thanks Honeymoon Backpackers!
– Sara + Pat
About Honeymoon Backpackers:
We’ve witnessed the northern lights in Canada, surfed with dolphins in Australia, swam with whale sharks in the Philippines, bathed with elephants in Thailand, sandboarded down a volcano in Nicaragua, bungee jumped 147m in Costa Rica, conquered the world’s highest tandem skydive in America, scuba-dived with turtles in The Caribbean, snowboarded Canada’s Rocky Mountains, frolicked among the bio-luminescent plankton in Cambodia, swam in Mexican Cenotes and found the Moken Sea Gypsies in Myanmar! We are Monique and Dylan Mac, aka the Honeymoon Backpackers! Check us out on Facebook and Instagram!
