From the First Time Seeing Snow to First Turns! One minute you’ve never seen snow before, and the next you’re strapping into a pair of skis and taking your first few turns at a ski resort in Alberta, Canada. Life is full of adventures and epic opportunities. That’s how Jaiminkumar Patel sees it, a first-timer and eager learner who moved …
Mama Goals: Back to the Slopes – and Snow School – to Prepare for Family Ski Days Living in a thriving ski community can have you feeling nostalgic about those childhood snow days at your hometown hill. Whether you’re missing the thrill, the turns or just spending some time outdoors during the long winters – this could be your sign …
When a Once-in-a-Lifetime Trip Kick-Starts a Lifelong Love of Snowboarding You could live in snowy Alberta your entire life and never even glance at a pair of skis or a snowboard, until you see the sport from a different perspective. Shirley Liang caught the bug for snowboarding when she left Canada and moved to Korea to teach and travel for …
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 …
“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.” …
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. “I loved it, the …
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. After the 1988 Calgary Olympics, where Paul had volunteered …
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 love the …
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. He spends his summers living down …
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 …
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 …
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. In 1950 he arrived in Canada and he moved to Worsley, Alberta in 1960 where he was employed within …
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 …
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. Irene Prazak, Wesley’s wife, ran the kitchen. At some point George Prazak and Perry Prazak (Wes’ sons) took over operation of the rental shop. Perry took over operations of the …
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 …
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 …
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 …