Canada skiing holidays 2008
Go skiing in British Columbia (photo: Tourism BC / Randy Lincks)
If you are planning a longer skiing holiday and are willing to spend more on flights, one of the world's best places to ski is Canada.
On the country's west side, the states of Alberta and British Colombia are two key ski destinations, while Québec boasts the best ski terrain in eastern Canada.
British Colombia has some of the best skiing in the country, and has the added attraction of getting geared up for the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
When most people think about Canadian skiing holidays it is Whistler Blackcomb that comes to mind. The ski area is made up of two mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb, and offers a huge range of skiing and snowboarding runs, relatively easy access from Vancouver, great snow cover and a large variety of accommodation options - all features that has made Whistler one of the ultimate ski destinations.
Between them the mountains have a 1,600 metre vert, reach 2,284 metres at their highest, and have more than 200 runs and 33 lifts.
For the Olympics the ambitious resort will be installing a peak-to-peak gondola between Whistler and Blackcomb, set to be the highest and longest in the world.
Other resorts in British Colombia include more well-known names on the Canadian ski circuit, including Kicking Horse, Fernie, Big White and Red Mountain.
Another ski hotspot Banff, located in the state of Alberta, which is home to three resorts - Norquay, Lake Louise and Sunshine Village, sometimes called the big three. Combined the three resorts have a huge variety of ski runs available, around 250 in all, as well as 30 ski lifts. The tallest of the three peaks is Sunshine, which reaches 2,730 metres.
In eastern Canada, Mont Tremblant - in French-speaking Québec - has 94 runs with 13 lifts, to offer holidaymakers, as well as a far more European-style choice of food.
Away from Tremblant, another key destination is Québec City from which it is possible to reach the ski resorts of Stoneham Mountain (20 minutes away), Le Massif (an hour away) and Mont-Sainte-Anne (25 miles away).
For more information see the
Canada tourist board ski page.