Open Resorts in Alberta!

It's still ski and board time at over 100 resorts across North America, here is the a few still going in Alberta.

Lake Louise Mountain Resort

Jasper's Marmot Basin

Banff Mount Norquay

Banff's Sunshine Village

Banff-Lake Louise First to Open in Canada!

Lake Louise, AB - Banff-Lake Louise is officially open for the season!
Skiers and snowboarders got first tracks today at The Lake Louise Ski Area. The Glacier Express Chair opened at 9am offering access to Wiwaxy, Bald Eagle and Easy Street.

Sunshine Village and Mt. Norquay will both be opening soon, adding to the great terrain available in Canada’s Protected Playground, Banff National Park.
The La Nina weather system is forecast to bring higher than average snowfall to Banff-Lake Louise throughout this winter. Epic conditions, plus 8,000 acres of terrain in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, means this is sure to be an amazing season.

Lake Louise Will Open This Friday Nov. 5th

Lake Louise, AB - The Lake Louise Ski Area is pleased to announce that it will be opening for daily operation beginning Friday, Nov. 5th, 2010.
Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the mountain operation’s snowmaking team, skiers and boarders will be able to score their first turns of the season beginning at 9 am Friday morning.
The Glacier Express Quad Chair will be in operation and the Wiwaxy run will provide 1,450 feet of vertical terrain. The Lodge of Ten Peaks, along with the ski school, rental, repair, and retail shop will all be open, as will the Season Pass and Louise Plus Card processing centres.
“This marks the 13 straight year that we’ve been able to open up for the season on, or before, Remembrance Day,” beams marketing director John Ross. “We have one of the best snowmaking systems in the world and that is why we will be the first ski area in Canada to open this winter. Nighttime temperatures in the mountain parks have been sufficiently cold enough to allow us to stockpile snow in the shady areas of the mountain and we look forward to pushing this snow down to the base area in the next few days.”
“We invite our customers to check out our progress in the next few days by monitoring our base area webcam (www.skilouise.com/conditions/mountain-cam.). Due to the warmer day-time temperatures, we didn’t want to spread this snow out too early, but you will certainly see huge changes in our base area snow coverage in the next day or two.”
With just one long run open for skiing and riding, the management of the Lake Louise Ski Area would like to remind our first customers of the season to “slow it down” and use common courtesy while skiing and riding.

The 2010-11 Louise Plus Card

Lake Louise, AB - Canada’s best loyalty ski card has is now better than ever! The Lake Louise Ski Area is thrilled to announce Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Castle Mountain Resort have partnered with this popular program for the 2010-2011 ski season.

ven with these exciting new additions, the new Louise PLUS Card will continue to provide incredible value. On sale for only $99, the Louise PLUS Card and will provide purchasers with their first two days of skiing / riding for free, with a subsequent lift ticket rate of just $50 for the remainder of the season. Free days are valid at both Lake Louise and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.

“The new Louise PLUS Card is absolutely the best deal in the Canadian Rockies,” confirms Lake Louise’s marketing director John Ross. “No other discount card offers a $50 lift ticket at three major, totally different ski resorts. Our customer feedback tells us that Albertans are increasingly looking for innovative, outstanding and affordable recreational opportunities close to home. This new Louise PLUS Card will provide exactly that.”

Opening November 5th!

Lake Louise, AB - Get ready skiers and riders, the Lake Louise Ski Area is preparing to open for the 2010-2011 season on Friday, November 5, 2010!
“Right now, everything is pointing to an excellent ski season at Lake Louise,” exults Marketing Director John Ross. “Based on our experience from previous years, the Lake Louise Ski Area should be open for skiing and riding in about a month’s time.”

One of the most positive prospects heading into this season is the almost unanimous opinion that “Old Man Winter” will be making a triumphant return to the Rocky Mountains as the sporadic weather phenomena known as “LA NINA” is currently establishing itself over the Pacific Ocean. La Nina years usually bring somewhat colder temperatures and much higher than average precipitation levels to Western Canada and Alberta. The Farmer’s Almanac, Environment Canada and the American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) are all currently predicting a typical “La Nina” winter.

Should “La Nina” take it’s time in arriving however, Lake Louise’s world class snowmaking system is also gearing up to start full production beginning at midnight on October 15 (temperatures permitting). Current water levels and flow rates on the Pipestone River, the source of the water for Lake Louise’s snowmaking system, are running high, which will allow all snow guns to operate at full capacity right from the start.

Travelling to Lake Louise for opening day will also be much safer and faster than ever before, as the twinning of the Trans Canada Highway between Castle Mountain and Lake Louise is almost complete. The construction crew is currently ahead of schedule, under budget, and remains confident that all four lanes of traffic will be ready to go before opening day on November 5.