The Cross Canada Ski Trip of a Lifetime

March 2019 stands out as one of the most exhilarating months of my life. Fresh out of university while working my first new grad job, I had managed to stash away enough savings for the no-frills ski adventure I had always dreamed of. My journey began in Ottawa, from where I flew to Yellowknife with stops in Winnipeg and Edmonton. Arriving at Yellowknife at midnight, my buddies Piers and Cody awaited me.

The thermometer showed -50°C (plus wind chill) when I got out of the airport. Instead of heading straight to Piers’s warm abode, the duo believed that introducing me to the woods of Yellowknife was the right initiation. My newly-acquired Eddie Bauer winter boots, despite being paired with wool socks, were no match for the biting cold of Great Slave Lake. Piers, seasoned by his years in Yellowknife, laughed it off and promised a toasty campfire was coming up.

With the fire crackling and warmth returning to my feet, we sat back, enjoyed a few drinks, and marveled at the beauty of the northern lights, all while mapping out the grand adventure that lay ahead.

Given our time crunch and budget constraints, we planned a three-day ski escapade in the Rockies followed by a seven-day drive through iconic Canadian cities and towns en route to Ottawa. Here is a list of places we stopped:

• Yellowknife, YK
• Fort Providence, YK
• Edmonton, AB
• Jasper Provincial Park, AB
• Banff Provincial Park, AB
• Calgary, AB
• Regina, SK
• Winnipeg, MB
• Barrie, ON
• Ottawa, ON

Our expedition started with a picturesque drive from Yellowknife to Fort Providence, ending in a night at the welcoming Snowshoe Inn. The next morning we braved the snow-laden roads to Edmonton, dodging stranded cars and experiencing a few hair-raising moments. In Edmonton, we explored the West Edmonton Mall and rejuvenated with a well-deserved sleep before the skiing chapter began.

Marmot Basin greeted us with pristine skies and an abundance of powder. With its impressive elevation and vertical drops, this mountain slapped. The Canadian Rockies showcased their beauty with perfect skiing conditions, both on and off the groomed paths.

Fueled by adrenaline from our day, we journeyed to Banff, our next skiing stop. From high alpine bowls to tree runs, groomers, and park trails, Banff was also a winter wonderland. It became clear that we’d need many more trips to truly drink in all that Alberta’s slopes offered.

The Rockies and the ice highway remained our trip’s pinnacle moments. Unfortunately, the stretch between Calgary and Ottawa did not come close. The plains had some charm, but with life beckoning us we didn’t feel the need to take our time here. For one leg of the trip we drove from Winnipeg to Barrie in a whopping 20 hours.

Reflecting on this journey, it was an adventure I can’t wait to relive. Next time, though, I might expedite the middle stretch of Canada, as its plains paled in comparison to the exhilarating beauty of the rest.

Thanks for having a read through this story and feel free to follow me on Instagram @theslopeadvisor for more of my skiing content.