Find Ski Discounts & Coupons
Photos by Henry Georgi
Banff
Lake Louise Mountain Resort
Mt. Norquay
Sunshine Village
They don't call it "Sunny Alberta" for nothing.
Canada's largest oil producing province is endowed with
rich underground resources and the spectacular peaks of
the Canadian Rockies, where sun drenched ski days are the
norm, not the exception.
A sleeping beauty of sorts, Alberta was awakened from its
sleeping epoch with the arrival of the Canadian Pacific
Railway in 1883. The first tourists were awed by the
stunning beauty, and silence of the undisturbed
wilderness. After gazing out the Pullman car windows at
the rugged, unforgiving landscape, they hardly could have
imagined that Calgary would host the world, during the
XV Winter Olympic Games, 105 years later.
Click on a category or activity to the left to view a list of Free printable coupons. Call individual businesses to receive discounts or print coupons and bring them to Alberta Canada for big savings!
As the province's agricultural industry grew, farmers and
ranchers found themselves with time on their hands during
the long winter months. For recreation, outdoor winter
sports like curling, skating, tobogganing and of course,
skiing became favorite pastimes.
The Banff region first attracted skiers in the days
leading up to World War I, but ski resort development
didn't actively begin until 1930. It was after the Second
World War, that the province came into its own as a
destination for skiers.
Today, Alberta has seven impressive, destination ski
resorts: Banff, Fortress Mountain, Lake Louise Mountain Resort, Marmot
Basin, Mystic Ridge/Norquay, Nakiska and Sunshine Village.
And don't forget about their six heli-skiing operators!
For some, a trip to Alberta is not complete unless it
includes a side trip to the West Edmonton Mall--the world's
largest shopping and entertainment complex with a wave
pool, triple-loop roller coaster, shark tank, ice rink,
trained dolphins and an indoor beach.
Alberta is easy to get to. Simply fly into Calgary or
Edmonton and rent a car, or take scheduled shuttle bus
service to the ski resorts. And yes, it's still possible
to take a sleeper train--just like those first tourists--
right into downtown Jasper. If you have the time, the
VIA Rail journey from Vancouver in the west or Montreal
in the east, is an unforgettable experience.
*Written by: Paul
McMorris - a contributing editor for Skiing Magazine.
