Alberta has 6 Rocky Mountain ski resorts. The Castle Mountain Ski Resort is perhaps the least known of them all - but it's not the smallest! Tucked in the southwest corner of the province, it's a secluded powder haven that's quiet, uncrowded and perhaps one of Alberta's best kept skiing secret.
Most skiers head to the ski resorts of Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper to experience fine Alberta champagne powder. Situated 2.5 hours from Calgary, in the same snow-belt as Fernie, BC, the Castle Mountain Ski Resort is buried under 9 meters of snow annually.
Affiliated with the Lake Louise and Kicking Horse resorts, Castle Mountain is the quiet sibling of the trio.
Castle Mountain Ski Resort is located of the Crowsnest Pass, north of Waterton Lakes National Park and about an hour east of Fernie, BC. I was surprised by the size of the resort on my first visit. It was bigger than I had thought and found out later that it was actually one of the largest ski resorts in Canada.
Ok, the lifts were a bit slow and, in fact, one was a hand-me-down from Sunshine Village (the old Continental Divide Chair). The lift lines were short though. What really blew my mind was:
Prior to this ski-season, I was like most other Albertans (and international visitors) and didn't plan to head to this out-of-the way ski resort. I've been enlightened! Skiing & snowboarding in Canada doesn't get much better than this.
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Castle Mountain Resort is well worth a visit for skiiers and snowboarders. Find more things to discover in Alberta, including incredible scenery, great hikes and skiing adventures, and interesting roadside attractions.