Mt Norquay has 28 runs and enough lifts to get you up the mountain fast.  It is also quick to get to from downtown Banff.

For something different, Mt Norquay offers the unique opportunity to do night skiing and tubing on certain Friday’s and Wednesdays January through March (see Mt Norquay’s event calendar).  It looks like a good time.

The ski folks at Mt Norquay Ski Resort just put out a couple of fun videos on YouTube.  Check the videos out:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Check out Mt Norquay’s Facebook fan page too.  Lots of pictures in their photo album.

The article, entitled “Add This to the ‘Before You Die’ List: The Maligne Canyon Ice Walk” provides a synopsis of the experience of walking on a frozen river within a canyon and amongst frozen waterfalls.  But is it really worthy of a “Before you die” list?

Melanie argues that there’s no place like this in North America.   She goes on to say:

“It’s as if nature put on an ice carving show deep in a canyon with nothing but the foxes, elk and bighorn sheep to witness it. There are waterfalls of ice 30 feet high, icicles taller than I am, and caves walled by solid ice that drips bit by bit from rock overhangs.”

Seems like reason enough to me to add it to the list!  In fact, the Maligne Canyon Ice Walk is one of the winter activities on the Ultimate List of Jasper National Park Activities.

If you’re looking for something to do in the winter in the Canadian Rockies, a guided ice walk tour should be on your list.  Check out Melanie’s full article here – along with several photos of her ice walk experience.

After reading Melanie’s article, come back to JasperJournal.com to learn more about the Maligne Canyon Ice Walk and other Jasper National Park outdoor activities.

One of the added bonuses of visiting the park in the winter is the low price of hotels in Jasper National Park during the off-season and the opportunity to go skiing or snowboarding at Marmot Basin as part of your visit.

Related posts:

1. Photo of the Day: Johnston Canyon Trail in Banff National Park

The Canadian Rockies Express, the longest quad chairlift in the Canadian Rockies, opened for the 09/10 ski season.  Now you can experience it virtually through a 4 minute 29 seconds video taken from in a lift chair.  The fast motion video shows going up to the top and then back down again.  Normally it takes about 7 1/2 minutes to get to the top.

Riding the new lift looks like fun.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=43QVeG1rMrA

The ride travels 2,300 meters (1.5 mi). As shown on the latest Marmot Basin trail map, the new lift covers a lot of ground fast.

Happy skiing.

Marmot Basin has web cams hooked up around the ski area so that people like us, surfing on the web, can look and dream about visiting, skiing and snowboarding.

Take a look.

See what’s happening at Marmot Basin this very minute.  See the skiers and snowboarders and the weather conditions.  Wish you were there.

That’s what I’m doing.

Marmot Basin has 86 named trails for a variety of skill levels. Check out the trail map.

Jasper Marmot Basin Ski Trail Map

Learn more about skiing at Marmot Basin in Jasper National Park

Many skiers from far away fly into the nearest major airport in Edmonton, Alberta, and then drive the 4-5 hours to Jasper National Park.  That’s a long drive.

If you want to avoid driving a rental car in the snow, consider taking a bus.

Daily bus services run from Edmonton to Jasper in the winter.  SunDog Tours, MagicBus and Greyhound Bus can get you from Edmonton to Jasper National Park so you can go skiing without worrying about driving.

SunDog is in the $100-130 range each way per person from Edmonton to Jasper during ski season. MagicBus is similar but has several lift ticket and hotel package options.  Greyhound is around $100 roundtrip in winter, depending on options and dates.  Either way, you can take in the scenery and maybe even take a nap.

Once at your Jasper hotel, a free shuttle runs 3 times a day in winter to take you from the Jasper hotels to Marmot Basin.

If you do want a rental car in Jasper, the Jasper train station has car rental places in it and a few other places are in town.

There is a solution.  Marmot Basin offers a free shuttle to several Jasper hotels.

During ski season, Marmot Basin offers the shuttle 3 times a day from Sawridge Inn, Marmot Lodge, Tonquin Inn, Lobstick Lodge, Chateau Jasper, Jasper Inn, Amethyst Lodge, Astoria Hotel, Athabasca Hotel, Whistler’s Inn, Mount Robson Inn,  Maligne Lodge and Jasper Park Lodge.

The total trip will take from 25-50 minutes on the shuttle…time to relax before a day of skiing in Jasper National Park.  Ya, it is longer than driving yourself.  That’s the downside.  The upside is you can relax in the shuttle, take in the scenes and maybe meet a few people.

Before you book your hotel, check its website for specials.  Some of the hotels also have ski specials where a lift ticket is part of the package.  It might just save you some money.

View the latest shuttle schedule on Marmot Basin’s website.

Related posts:

1. Whistler’s Inn Jasper – Hotels in Jasper National Park

Some reviews would help.

I’ve compiled the good bits and pieces from a whole bunch of Marmot Basin reviews to give you a better idea.

“The snow is great – amazing is more like it. The people on the mountain and in the town are open, friendly, and real. That’s actually a very good word not only to describe Marmot Basin but Jasper as well, REAL. No bull, no hype, just real.” (via Yahoo Travel)

That “friendliness” is what I like about Jasper National Park versus other destinations around the world.

Lake Louise ski area in Banff draws the crowds, but visitors to Marmot Basin seem to be having a fine time as well.

“After skiing in seven counries on three continents, Marmot is still amongst my favorite resorts.” (KO via OutdoorReviews)

This person was so impressed by the scenery, the ability to spell correctly was lost.

“The Senery when you get to the Top of the Paradise Chair or T bar Is amazing and very Beatuiful. The Senery going up the Knob Chair is Spactacular.” (rysfamily via TripAdvisor)

Most of the comments about Marmot Basin conditions are favorable and some contain good advice.

“If you’re new to boarding looking for a friendly place to begin Marmot is it. You may get a little bored if your already good and you want to spend more than a couple of days there.” (Chris via OutdoorReview)

“Great resort!! Not as big as the other Alberta resorts but enough to keep you going for a few days.” (Ray via Snow-Forecast)

“There was tons of powder when we first arrived on the Saturday, by Sunday most of it was groomed but it was still a blast.” (monbon via TripAdvisor)

“I’ve only been to Marmot Basin a few times. Each time, I was greeted with pleasing powder, friendly faces, and excellent new runs to test my skills behind the board.” (Chad W via Yelp)

“This resort is my all time personal favorite! Not only are the runs always impeccably maintained they are also incredibly diverse in terrain and skill level. The staff go above and beyond to ensure you have an amazing time there no matter what area of the resort you are at.” (Kim via SkiSite)

“My husband went down the blues and blacks and they compared favourably to the European resorts which are very busy.” (londonfussytraveller via TripAdvisor)

“Like every other resort, snow is the key! When Marmot has good snow…the whole experience at Jasper is hard to beat.” (via TripAdvisor)

“Excellent snow but tends to get very icy and bumpy during dry spells.” (Nick via Outdoor Review)

If you are local, you can plan for the weather accordingly.  If you are flying in for 1 day expecting perfect snow, it may not happen.  Spending a week in Jasper in winter will increase your odds.

When thinking about skiing and snowboarding in the Canadian Rockies, also consider skiing at Lake Louise, Sunshine and Mt Norquay in Banff National Park.

What do you think about Marmot Basin?

Marmot Basin ski area has plenty of space for everyone on the slopes.  With a balanced mix of 86 named trails of easy, intermediate and advanced levels, skiers can warm up on the easy trails and then cut loose on the harder trails.

While not as well-known as skiing in Banff National Park nearby, skiers visiting Jasper National Park have a delightful way to get downhill on the snow while taking in stunning Canadian Rockies views – without waiting in long lift lines.

This is a view of Paradise (Trail #29) at Marmot Basin ski area in Jasper National Park.

The Marmot Basin trail map shows the trails and lifts.

Jasper Marmot Basin Ski Trail Map

December 2009 brought with it the addition of the Canadian Rockies Express, the longest quad chairlift in the Canadian Rockies. The 7.5 minute ride travels 2,300 meters (1.5 mi) and greatly increases the capacity of Marmot Basin.

Marmot Basin has the facilities one would expect: ski rentals, instruction, shops, and lots of dining options.  A coffee bar serves coffee and light fare if you need a pick-me-up and a snack.

After a meal, hop on the lift and head up the mountain. The view of the Canadian Rockies from the mountain makes you want to sing “I can see for miles and miles and miles and miiillllleeesss….oh, yaaahh” (which, if you need to hear right now, you can on YouTube here).

Don’t believe me?  Take at look at these views from atop Marmot Basin:

Now you just need to book a room, a flight, pack your suitcase and hope the snow gods dump plenty of good snow.

When trying to figure out where to ski in Banff National Park, there are 3 options. In Banff, 3 ski areas operate during the November to May ski season:

1. Lake Louise Ski Area
2. Sunshine Village Ski Area
3. Mt Norquay Ski Area

1. Lake Louise Ski Area

The legendary Lake Louise Ski Area is one of the biggest ski areas in North America. On a clear day, the surrounding Banff National Park scenery on its 4 mountain faces is so spectacular that a skier may have a hard time concentrating on skiing!

Lake Louise Skiing (via Webshots.com - click to view original)

(via Webshots - click to view original)

Lake Louise Ski Area is a place to find top-notch ski instruction. Think about it. If you are a ski instructor, where would you want to work most? Lake Louise is one of the biggest places around and draws top talent.

After a day skiing at the Lake Louise Ski Area, a good skier will need a recharge. Luckily, a day spent skiing can be rewarded with a meal at one of the restaurants. Recharge at the Sawyer’s Nook which serves 12 inch organic pizzas like the Grizzly (pepperoni, mushrooms, red & green peppers & mozzarella). That’s the way to recharge!

Lake Louise Summit (via Flickr by Soobee - click to view original)

Lake Louise Ski Area terrain

The Lake Louise Ski Area’s website boasts that the famous Banff ski area has “more terrain than can be skied in a week.” That’s a lot of terrain. More specifically, there are 139 named runs on 4200 skiable acres.

• Beginner: 25%
• Intermediate: 45%
• Advanced: 30%

Lake Louise Ski Area resources

• Ski Lake Louise website
• Lake Louise ski trail maps
• Web cam
• Recent photos – fun to look through

2. Sunshine Village Skiing in Banff

The Sunshine Village in Banff National Park has 12 lifts covering 3 mountains (Goat’s Eye, Standish and Lookout). Getting on top of the world is only 20 minutes from the town of Banff. The season runs from mid-November to the end of May – depending on the weather. The resort offers a variety of certified ski instruction options.

Continental Divide, Sunshine Village (via Webshots - click for original)

Sunshine Village, Alberta (via Webshots - click for original)

Sunshine Village terrain

Sunshine Village ski center in Banff has 107 named runs.

• 20% Beginner
• 55% Intermediate
• 25% Expert

Sunshine Ski Village resources

• See the Sunshine village website for the latest rates and hours.
• View live webcams of Sunshine Village here.
• Interactive Sunshine Village Ski Trail Map
• Follow Sunshine Village on Twitter. I do.
• Sunshine events – always lots going on

Sunshine Daylodge at Sunshine Ski Resort (via Webshots - click for original)

3. Skiing on Mt Norquay in Banff

Mt Norquay’s tagline is “Banff’s Best Family Resort” and is a mere 6 km from downtown Banff. For those who want to learn to ski or learn to be a better skier, Norquay offers certified ski instruction for all levels. Offering skiing, snowboarding and tubing means Mt Norquay is fun for everyone.

The season is a little shorter (early December to mid-April) than the other 2 Banff ski areas but Norquay can boast the only night time skiing (Fridays only 5:00pm to 10:00pm Jan 6th to March 31st) in the area. Skiing on Mt Norquay at night is a fun way to spend the evening if you just cannot get enough of it.

Night Skiiing at Norquay (via Webshots - click for original)

Mt Norquay terrain

Mt Norquay has a good mix of beginner, intermediate and advanced terrain, and even some expert terrain.

Norquay Ski Resort (via Webshots - click for original)

Mt Norquay resources

• The Mt Norquay website has the latest information on rates.
• Mt Norquay Ski Trail Map
• Mt Norquay Facebook page

Videos of Banff Skiing

There are several good homemade videos on YouTube showing Banff skiing. I like the ones with helmet and hand-held video cameras showing what it is really like going downhill and the real Banff skiing experience. These are such videos of skiing at the Banff ski centers:

Question: Where is the best place to ski in Banff National Park?

Answer: As can be seen from the videos, the answer to “where is the best place to ski in Banff National Park?” is an easy one. If you are in Banff and you are skiing, you are in the best place to ski. No matter you skill level, you can go to any of these places to have a great time. You just need to get there!

Here’s a round-up:

• Back in November, Micael takes some great photos of Athabasca Falls in Jasper National Park here before the snow covers the place.
• Dixie Gypsy writes about spending a November day in Jasper National Park here.
• Darren Bryan shares photos from a December visit to Jasper National Park here.  He visited an ice cover Maligne Canyon too here.
• Blogger Frenchlillies reports on a visit to the Columbia Icefield in Jasper as well as Lake Louise and other spots in Banff here.
• Jon B posts an cool panoramic photo of Patricia Lake here.
• Randy Santa Ana tried to drive to Jasper, but icy road conditions prevented it.  Too bad, but he was able to spend time in Banff, so the day was not ruined.  He shows an icy Banff lake here.
• Jessica Demello also had a tough time getting to Jasper because of the winter snow, but did manage to stay in Banff.  Read story here.

Related posts:

1. Make time for the Icefield Parkway during your Canadian Rockies vacation