How Our Ski Resorts Brought a Sense of Joy, Escape, and Community Spirit This Season It’s that time of year: when Albertans peel back the winter layers, slap on the sunscreen, and head into the soft-snow, warm-rays-on-the-face, bluebird-day, fun of spring ski season. It’s always a highlight of Alberta’s ski calendar, as skiers and snowboarders of all ages lap up the bright, sunny days and celebrate another awesome season. This year, as we make the most of the spring ski days, we think it’s also the perfect time to reflect on how our Province’s ski industry was able to keep us all skiing and snowboarding safely, despite it being a season like no other....

BUSTING THE SKI MYTH THAT SNOW SPORTS ARE RESERVED FOR THE WEALTHY THINK SKIING OR SNOWBOARDING IS OUT OF REACH? TOO EXPENSIVE? ONLY FOR THE RICH AND FAMOUS?...

NOT YET VISITED A SKI RESORT? DON’T SWEAT IT: HERE ARE 10 TOP TIPS FOR FIRST-TIMERS, FROM AN EXPERT So, you’ve heard about all the fun and thrills that comes from a visit to the ski hill and want to give it a go yourself.   You have the gear ready....

BEAT STRESS, KEEP FIT, AND GET YOUR NATURE FIX Right now, we’re all in need of a feel-good boost. And it’s no secret that getting our bodies moving is good for our health and gives us an instant mood lift. We all know that getting those weight-lifting routines in strengthens and tones our muscles....

Skiers and riders, heads up! Rest easy that you've got all your ski smarts this season (hint: it starts before you even hit the hill). Read all about our so-easy-anyone-can-remember-it "ski smart" guide; what it is, how it was created, and why you need it. ...

It’s the video I can’t stop watching. My husband had the camera rolling as our daughter zipped down the bunny hill at Snow Valley Ski Club. First, she sticks her tongue out as she gets up to speed, then she turns and grins right at the camera....

“Skiing and ski hills have been a part of my life ever since I can remember,” says avid skier Tanis Gamble. “My parents were always hitting the hill and by the age of 5 I had a pair of green "super sliders" and eventually graduated to a pair of wooden skis with bear claw bindings and leather buckle ski boots. ” Tanis began her ski journey at the Peace River Ski Hill, as she remembers heading up the tow rope between her parent’s legs, and enduring the ever annoying “rope burn....

Jill Bodkin grew up in Banff and learned to ski on the slopes of Mt. Norquay with her family who were well-known for their "Norquay Condo", a trailer they used to warm up in that they parked in the Norquay lot on ski days. For a brief period, she even taught ski lessons on the hill....

When Paul Quan moved from Medicine Hat to Calgary in 1962, his friends introduced him to skiing. Not your typical beginner’s story, Paul learned to ski at Bow Summit by ski touring his way up the mountain. What would be intimidating for most only encouraged Paul to stick with the sport....

Michelle and Bill, wife and husband, call Lake Louise their home. Michelle has worked at Lake Louise Ski Resort for almost 20 years and Bill owns a local mountain equipment rental shop in the village. It’s no wonder that they both pick Lake Louise Ski Resort as their home hill, but it’s not just for the proximity....

We have been incredibly lucky to have Gord Mackenzie working beside us for the last couple of years. He is a dedicated hard working volunteer for Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing (CADS) Edmonton. CADS Edmonton built a new clubhouse at our resort, and Gord has been instrumental in ensuring the completion of this facility....

Kelly Vanderbeek, Canadian Olympic Downhill Skier and World Cup Medalist considers Lake Louise Ski Resort her ski hill of choice. Taking her first glides strapped into skis on her hometown hill Kapuskasing, Ontario’s Remi Ski Hill, which has one single rope tow, and progressing to Kitchener, Ontario’s Chicopee Ski Club where she began racing on a hill that at the time seemed massive with its chairlift access, Kelly took her small hill roots and went on to ski on mountains around the world. “I had raced at Lake Louise for 20 years and it was a no-brainer to make it our home hill,” says Kelly....

Kiersten Vincett, is just one athlete out of many, who have put Valley Ski Hill on the map. Starting her ski career at the mere age of two and a half, she was whizzing down the hill in races by the time she was five. She progressed in the Nancy Greene River Valley Series until she was 10 and only went up from there....

Arne Peterson says he “still enjoys skiing” at the age of 92. He started skiing when he was about 10-years old on homemade skis in his homeland, Denmark. There was no ski lift, so he was pulled uphill by a horse....

Daniel Masur, was born and raised in Slave Lake, Alberta. For a large portion of his childhood, Daniel worked his way up to a very high level of hockey, but when it came down to the decision to take it all the way, he decided that his heart was truly on the ski hill, rather than on the ice. He had been skiing at Tawatinaw Valley for many years prior, so when he made the transition he used this hill as the training ground to join the local Freestyle Team....

Our shining star is a family. The Prazak family has been involved with Tawatinaw from day 1. Wesley Prazak was the first operator of the hill, along with Joe Moser....

Skiing is one of the many sports that is incredibly inclusive to those with disabilities, especially here at Valley Ski Hill. Car accident survivor, Hanna Chilson, was left in a wheelchair at a very young age, but she hasn’t let that stop her. She began on our hill and now skis with Rocky Mountain Adaptive and has her sights set on the National Paralympics Team....

Not only new to the ski hill, but new to Canada, Natalia Banket and Nafiseh Zamarrodi decided to hit the slopes with their very first ski lesson. They didn’t make it through the day without a few spills, which is to be expected, and even encouraged, but they most definitely had fun. See their #SnowProud moment and watch them as they fall in love with skiing at Nakiska....

Going the extra mile is what Canadian Ski Patrol Leader, Camille Ducharme is known for in the Northern region of Alberta. From helping new riders on the lift and showing them how they can seek help from the hill’s staff, to teaching students, young and old, how to be a collaborative team member, and always recognizing the efforts of her colleagues and fellow ski staff. She is humble, keen, and passionate about educating everyone on the hill and she does an incredible job of demonstrating to staff, fellow patrols, and the public what it means to belong to a small ski area....

Written by: Jeremy Derksen EDMONTON, AB - Boots click, people chatter as the enthusiasm grows for an evening of skiing at Edmonton Ski Club. Ticket lines, food lines and rental lines snake around the chalet. There’s a bustle of noise and movement everywhere....