Canada is blessed with numerous places to snowboard and ski, some more or less challenging than others. Snowboarders come here from all over the world to try out these slopes and have a load of fun too! With a wealth of incredible peaks to choose from in Canada, it’s the right place to be for winter sports freaks.
Apart from traditional snowboarding, backcountry snowboarding is also greatly enjoyed here. So, if you too get all your thrills from this sport, don’t forget to get into your backcountry snowboarding boots before arriving on the mighty slopes of Revelstoke.
Your bucket list of snowboarding destinations in Canada
Read on to find which seven slopes in Canada give hard-core snowboarders an opportunity to go snowboarding down challenging slopes or even gentle ones. The panoramic views from the mountains here give you a wonderful bonus.
#1. Whistler/Blackcomb, BC
This snowboarding site is a combination of the two mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb. Together, they form the largest ski destination in North America. Look closer, and you’ll find that these two mountains are connected by the longest and tallest lift in the world. Whistler/Blackcomb is the best ever for snowboarders of all levels, making it the ideal venue for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
It has more than 200 marked runs, 16 alpine bowls, 37 lifts, and three glaciers, giving both novice snowboarders and experts unlimited opportunities to enjoy themselves on the slopes here. A quarter of the runs here are meant for beginners, so if you’re a novice, you’ll find it extremely encouraging to snowboard here.
Besides, the views here of the Fitzsimmons coastal mountain range and the Olympic rings are amazing and not to be missed. Down in the village, you can choose from a variety of dining options.
#2. Banff
Set in the middle of Banff National Park you’ll find three of the world’s best ski resorts—Sunshine Village, Mt. Norquay, and Lake Louise. At Banff, you can ski on a total of 8,000 acres of terrain on just one three-area lift ticket.
If you’re an experienced snowboarder, you’re going to love the many bowls, chutes, steeps and terrains that you can explore. And, if you’re yet a novice, you can snowboard on miles of blue and green runs and get your thrills there.
It’s proud to have one of North America’s longest skiing session lasting from November to May. Here, whatever your skill level, you can get the driest and fluffiest powder possible. Its challenging terrains make it the most wanted slopes to be on. Many snowboarders do, at times, stop to click some of the breathtaking mountain views here.
For all that it has to offer, it has been named a United Nations World Heritage Site.
#3. Revelstoke
Revelstoke is the destination for expert snowboarders who can opt for heli-skiing or cat-skiing. This is the perfect destination for backcountry snowboarding, so if you mean to snowboard here, you’d have to bring the good snowboards of your possession.
The small town of Revelstoke is surrounded by majestic mountains where people from all over the world come to snowboard. About half the runs here are meant for intermediate snowboarders, with beginners easing into the sport using a few options.
This is one of Canada’s largest snowboarding destinations. It is perfect for intermediate and advanced snowboarders, what with its steeps, long runs, glades and tremendous amounts of snow. This mountain is large and majestic with a huge vertical drop and some of the finest mountain terrains in North America.
It’s one gondola, and two chairlifts are, but all that can bring you onto its 3,121 acres of skiing territory, but you can easily explore its couloirs, steep chutes and pillows. For snowboarders who know their sport, this one is the place to come to. And, you can also opt for cat-skiing or heli-skiing.
#4. Lake Louise
About a 40 minutes’ drive from Banff, Lake Louise’s green runs can be enjoyed from each ski lift. It is located bang in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, has admirable views and has skiable terrain of 4,200 acres and is one of Canada’s best places to snowboard.
These are some of the finest slopes to snowboard on, due largely to the large and high-speed gondolas with 90 degree sharp bends, which add to the fun of snowboarding. It has a large and diverse terrain.
Named the “Best Ski Resort in Canada” by the World Ski Awards, this is an unforgettable snowboarding destination in Canada. It is home to snowboarders of all ability levels, it affords a panoramic view of the stupendous and highly dense Banff National Park, apart from the spectacular hotels such as the Fairmont Chateau.
#5. Fernie
If you’re a novice at this sport, Fernie’s slopes beckon you. In fact, they’re just right for you, what with about one-third of their runs being green. Situated in British Columbia, these mountain slopes are barely three to four hours away from Canada’s No. 3 largest city, Calgary in Alberta and about three hours away from Kalispell, Montana.
For die-hard snowboarders, there’s a cult status attached to Fernie. Better-known as Powder Paradise, Fernie Alpine Resort receives about 30 feet of snow on its extremely steep slopes. It has 142 named runs, five alpine bowls, and 10 lifts. The nearby village has a handful of restaurants, though Fernie town has many chic restaurants, bars, and breweries you’d love to hang out at.
#6. Mount Tremblant
Nestling in the Laurentian Mountains is Mount Tremblant, barely 130 km from Montreal. An award-winning ski resort, Mount Tremblant has diverse terrain, beautiful viewings of Lac Tremblant and perfect grooming.
The snowy slopes weave their own magic on snowboarders, but once they reach the village, its cobblestoned look, vibrant and colorful architecture endear people to it.
#7. Big White
Okanagan Valley, BC, is where the Big White snowboarding destination is located. Its huge, spacious slopes offer enough room for everyone, and its impressive terrain suits snowboarders of all levels, including beginners.
At Big White, 18% of the trails are devoted to beginners, while 22% are for advanced snowboarders and six percent for expert snowboarders. If you’ve just started out into snowboarding or skiing, this is a really good winter sports destination to be learning on.
While the slopes here aren’t as steep as Banff or Revelstoke, you can perfect your sport here and get a lot of confidence in practicing to get perfect turns at a good speed.
Conclusion
Canada has all that it needs to be word-perfect in snowboarding destinations. Whatever your ability level may be, you can get all the thrills you want from the gentlest slopes to the steepest. And you won’t be jostling your way up and down the slopes because they are so huge that they can accommodate many more people than come here.