Frontier Ski information on the latest developments at resorts across Canada
Banff and Lake Louise
At Sunshine the 35 years old Strawberry triple chair is being replaced a new Doppelmayr quad chairlift originally used in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games in time for the new season. Lake Louise is introducing boarder-cross and skier-cross facilities.
Mt. Norquay is celebrating its 85th anniversary. The area was established in 1926, with the first ski lodge built in 1928. Rope tows followed in 1942 and history was soon made when the mountain installed the area’s first chair lift in 1948, one of the first in Canada. Banff town sees the opening of their first micro-brewery. The Banff Avenue Brewing Co. will be making their own beer that will be enhanced with the glacier-fed waters of Banff-Lake Louise. Brewery tours will also be available.
Big White
Big White has implemented rotating “Family/Seniors Skiing and Snowboarding Zones” for the 2010/2011 winter season. Three runs will be selected each day and these runs will have signage, gated entry and additional slope patrols to ensure that speed and slow skiing and riding are monitored, allowing more senior guests as well as families with small children to explore more than just the green runs on the mountain and at a slower pace. The resort has a new activity this year, with a 60 ft. Ice climbing tower. The terrain park is also being enhanced with new features.
Fernie
Terrain improvements are the order of the day in Fernie, with brush cutting and glading opened up and improving lines. One of two new cats at the resort is a Winch Cat, enabling grooming of some steeper trails.
Jasper
With the new Canadian Rockies Express high speed quad chairlift opening last year and a new terrain park too, Jasper continues to enhance its skiing and boarding.
Kicking Horse
Kicking Horse is opening a fourth Alpine Bowl, Super Bowl, in time for its 10 year celebrations this winter. The superb alpine terrain of the bowl offers more than 15 new advanced and expert chutes, with the entire bowl will having an off-piste feel within a controlled inbounds environment. Access is via a new ski traverse trail from the top of the Golden Eagle Express Gondola, with a ski out at the top of the existing Terminator run.
Kimberley
The Kimberley Conference & Athletic Training Centre is due for completion. As well as being a conference venue the centre offers fitness and athlete training facilities. Enhancements in the Black Forest glades are noted as being the largest glading project currently underway in Canada.
Panorama
The resort of Panorama is under new ownership and is seeing investment in a variety of services and facilities. The Night-Skiing terrain is trebling in size for this season, with a 1,200 feet vertical lit. The gladed skiing
terrain is also being extended and the new terrain park includes a skier-cross course. Enhancements off the slopes include the opening of an Italian restaurant.
Revelstoke
The base area of the resort continues to improve with phase two of the impressive Nelsen Lodge open for the 2010-11 season, incorporating a wine bar. There are also improved services at the top of the Revelation Gondola including new restroom facilities. Expansion of groomed terrain (within existing acreage) and brushing, glading and terrain improvements continue too.
Silver Star
The resort is opening a new two-acre beginners’ terrain park in the Silver Woods section in 2010/11 as well as a new snow-cross course, catering to riders of every level. The resort is also placing some rail and boxes close to the village for ‘After Hours’ hike up use.
Sun Peaks
Improvements are being made to grooming and snow-making facilities at the resort.
Tremblant
A new restaurant, called Smoke’s Poutinerie, opened this summer, specialized in the typical Quebecers dish, the famous Poutine! Poutine is chips mixed with gravy and cheese curds and is extremely moreish! On the slopes there are enhancements to snowmaking and grooming.
Whistler
Many of improvements and enhancements made for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games can be fully enjoyed by visitors in 2010/11, including bob-sleigh riding on the Olympic track. Visitors can also take to the trails, at Creekside, that hosted the Olympic Downhill skiing courses, or visit the spectacular Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. Several restaurants have enhanced their dining options at across the resort and there are improvements at a number of hotels. The resort also now boasts a Dog spa! This year has also seen the launch of the Fitzsimmons Creek Hydro Project that produces enough energy to match the total annual energy consumption at Whistler Blackcomb – the equivalent of powering the ski resort’s winter and summer operations including 38 lifts, 17 restaurants, 269 snow cannons and countless other buildings and services.
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