The Best Freeride Ski Resorts In Canada
Looking for the ultimate freeride ski trip in Canada? Nothing is more important on a ski trip then to pick the right resort for the terrain that you like to ride (and perhaps to nail your timing with the weather).
How we chose the best canadian freeride ski resorts
Snowfall
Nothing ruins a freeride ski holiday faster than terrible snow conditions so we factor in the amount of new snow cycles, general base depth, and pow days in a year into our criteria. The more snow a resort gets, the higher it scores with us!
Terrain
You can have all the snow in the world, but your freeride trip is going to be lame if there isn’t epic terrain to slide down, right? The resorts on our list of the best freeride resorts below have some of the best terrain for advanced skiers and snowboarders who want to get off piste and freeride! We look for a variety of tree runs, open alpine terrain, chutes, steeps and pillows!
Advanced/ expert terrain
The more advanced terrain a ski resort has, the better it will be for the advanced rider who craves some adrenaline pumping freeride. Some of the resorts on our list have close to 50 percent of their terrain designated as advanced/ expert.
Amenities
While snow and terrain are paramount, we tend to consider the surrounding amenities because we know that most of you reading this list of freeride resorts in Canada are likely going to be travelling to ski. We have paid some attention to the accessibility of each resort and the travel amenities like hotels and restaurants to help you plan a feasible trip!
access to backcountry
While we love scoring the goods inbounds, we sometimes get a little excited and venture off resort into the backcountry to ski some extra fresh laps and find some truly untouched powder. The resorts on our list have amazing access to backountry and sidecountry ski areas for you to earn your turns on. Many of these areas are also home to some amazing Backcountry Ski Lodges to add to your trip.
Lift lines and Crowds
There are few things that can bum you out on a pow day more than an hour plus long line to get on each chairlift and overcrowding at resorts is quickly becoming a real issue. We definitely consider resorts crowd factor and make a separate note beside each resort to advise on the crowd factor!
Read on to find out our favourite freeride resorts in Canada and enjoy your trip!
Join A Guided Powder Highway Tour And Ski The Best With Local Guides!
The Best ski Resorts In Canada For Freeride Powder Skiiing and SNowboarding
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
Best Ski Resort In Canada For Steep, Expert Terrain
When we think of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort we think of narrow, steep lines drawn between bands of sheer cliffs. I find I spend most of my time looking for a way to get my butt kicked at most resorts, while at Kicking Horse I usually get it handed to me within the first few minutes on the first run. It’s a big challenging mountain playground. Something unique about Kicking Horse is that most of the alpine terrain is completely open to your interpretation and you are pretty much fre to explore and ski wherever you can find a line. While there are dozens of named runs on the trailmap, most of them aren’t signed and it’s very much up to you to choose your own adventure. There is absolutely no doubt that Kicking horse is one of the best freeride ski resorts in Canada.
While the mountain gets less snow than resorts further west, the snow stays really good, since much of the mountain is seldom skied and a ton of the terrain faces north so the sun doesn’t harden the snow. That being said, this isn’t the place to come if all you want is soft, forgiving powder. The snow here is typically firm, so you need to be on your A-game, because the snow won’t be making up for you being in the backseat. Kicking Horse is heaven on earth for freeeride skiers looking for a challenge. No wonder the Freeride World Tour competes at Kicking Horse each year!
Crowds: 5/5 (no crowds, except weekend powdays on the main gondola)
Snow: 4/5 - less snow than resorts further west, but snow stays really good for longer
Terrain: 5/5 - Tree skiing is limited, but the alpine and steeps is second to none
Amenities: 4/5 - Resort at base with Golden 20 minutes away
Backcountry: 5/5 - Rogers Pass an hour away and sidecountry to last a lifetime
Revelstoke mountain Resort
Best All Around Freeride Resort In Canada
Revelstoke Mountain Resort is probably the resort with the best of all worlds. There is a small amount of alpine, a ton of trees, open bowls and miles of cruisers. The tree skiing is really what Revelstoke does best, and while exploring the resort there are countless features you can find, like hips, jumps, tree rides and pillow zones.
Revelstoke gets a ton of snow, ranking among the top two resorts in the country for snowfall each winter. There is a reason why this is the base for the Redbull Supernatural contest each year. While Revelstoke only has 75 runs, most of the mountain lies between the runs, leaving it open to your creativity and sense of adventures. There are places you can only access by hiking, with a variety of areas that are barely visited and skied. Revelstoke is definitely one of the best resorts in Canada for powder skiing.
Crowds: 5/5 - no crowds except weekends with decent snow and February spring break
Snow: 5/5 - One of the snowiest resorts in Canada
Terrain: 5/5 - Limited alpine but good trees and 4 open bowls
Amenities: 4/5 - Revelstoke is 5 minutes away, plus resort at base
Backcountry: 5/5 - An hour to Rogers Pass and epic sidecountry available
Whitewater Ski Resort
Best Ski Resort in BC For Treeskiing
Whitewater Ski Resort is truly a unique and special place in the world of freeride skiing and you could say that the soul of the sport is alive and well here. Riding summit chair up the mountain can be a spectacle as you see young children silently hucking it off cliffs you wouldn’t dare stand above, with no applause or any sign that they’ve done anything remarkable. The snow is among the best in Canada, tied only with Revelstoke. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the snow feels like the life blood of this community.
Whitewater has very limited alpine terrain, but what they lack there they make up for tenfold in trees. Not just trees, but the real deal trees. The kind you could get lost in. They kind that you can spend equal amounts of time in the air and on the ground. The kind that you can’t help but emerge from grinning and hollering like it’s Christmas morning. Backside trees off Glory chair deliver round after round of pillows and trees, and Sproulers to Terra Ratta give you airtime like your an Airmiles Platinum member- but better. Come see for yourself why Whitewater Ski Resort is one of the best resorts to freeride ski and snowboard in Canada.
Crowds: 4/5 - Infrequent crowds, busy weekends here lacks parking and has lift lines
Snow: 5/5 - Biblical amounts of snow, one of the snowiest resorts in Canada
Terrain: 4/5 - While there is no alpine terrain, the tree skiing here is unheard of
Amenities: 3/5 - Very limited resort, 20 minutes to Nelson, which is amazing
Backcountry: 5/5 - Some of the easiest sidecountry to access ever!
Red Resort
Most Fun Ski Resort On A Powder Day in Canada
I don’t even know how to put this….. Red Mountain is the birthplace of freeriding in Canada and there is no wondering why. The terrain here must have been designed by a complete maniac, because there is pretty much a booter, pillow or drop everywhere you could desire one. While Red gets less snow than Whitewater, the days with snow here are life changing.
Red has managed to keep a radical, ski bum kind of vibe while still developing into a world class resort. Rafters Bar is as rowdy as ever, and the mountain has a feel about it that really puts you at ease. The terrain on the other hand, keeps things lively the whole time! Powderfields are your ticket to the stratosphere, and Granite Bowl is filled with too many natural wonders to list here. Slides are hardcore fall line chargers, with a cliff band in the middle if you feel like being folded in half. Grey Mountain is the closest thing to the feeling of flying on a pow day too! Red Resort packs a punch that should put it on every list of the best freeride resorts in British Columbia. You can now visit Red Mountain with your Ikon Pass too!
Crowds: 5/5 - Occasional weekend crowding on lifts since Ikon Pass added Red
Snow: 4/5 - less snow than nearby Whitewater
Terrain: 4/5 - Limited alpine, but some of the most fun open terrain around
Amenities: 4/5 - Great resort at base. Rossland is smaller than other towns
Backcountry: 4/5 - Access to some pretty amazing backcountry just out of bounds
Fernie Alpine Resort
Best Canadian Ski Resort for Open Bowls
Fernie Alpine Resort is a classic among freeride skiers and snowboarders and for good reason! The 5 bowls deliver an absolute ton of wide open terrain, where you can really open up and go fast in with good snow. There are a few areas with drops, though the resort doesn’t do alpine as well as it’s sister, Kicking Horse. There are tons of trees to explore, ranging from thin trees high up, to thick trees down low that bring you through a mystic world of old growth cedar.
The snow at Fernie can be all-time, but is also susceptible to rain, so it can be hit or miss. When you hit this place with good conditions and no crowds, buckle up because you’re in for the ride of your life. Explore Snake Ridge for fresh line, the steep trees leading down to Boomerang Chair and the ridge between Currie and Lizard Bowls for a variety of trees, steeps and open areas to send it. You’ll quickly see why Fernie is one of the best powder resorts in Canada.
Crowds: 4/5 - Weekends here are crowded with Calgary 4 hours away.
Snow: 4/5 - Either epic snow and horrifying rain
Terrain: 4/5 - Limited alpine terrain, some of the best open area and good tree skiing
Amenities: 4/5 - Great resort at base, Fernie is a fun BC ski town
Backcountry: 4/5 - Amazing sidecountry just out of bounds
Whistler/ Blackcomb
Best All around Ski Resort For Powder Skiing In Canada
There could be no list of notable Canadian ski resorts without Whistler/ Blackcomb on it. Whistler is absolutely huge and caters to pretty much everyone, from foody/ shopaholics, to gnarly shredders and everything in between. This is definitely a freeride mecca, with almost every kind of terrain. Up high you can find steeps and alpine ridges with drops and cliffs. Lower you can get lost in a labyrinth of deep coastal trees and pillow zones.
Whistler gets a ton of snow, being right on the west coast, though the temperatures are warmer here, so the snow is heavier, which can be bad for your form, but helps it stick to places that it might not in colder temperatures. We suggest getting here very early to get ahead of the crowds and head to the far corners of the resort as quickly as you can, then work your way back as most of the crowds are pooped by lunchtime. There is no question that Whistler is one of the best ski resorts in Canada for powder skiing.
Crowds: 2/5 - Close to Vancouver, on the Epic Pass with lift lines and parking issues
Snow: 4/5 - Frequent storms and heavy dumps, snow is heavier than resorts further east
Terrain: 5/5 - Whistler has it all from alpine to pillows to trees and open areas
Amenities: 5/5 - Epic resort and village right at the base of the mountain
Backcountry: 4/5 -Abundant backcountry options right out of the resort
Castle Mountain
Best Ski Resort For Expert Terrain and Chill Vibes
Going to Castle Mountain is like going back in time to an era where freeride skiers were just that and didn’t need spas, shops, and fancy restaurants. Castle has a buffet of incredible steep alpine options to get your heart pumping and your legs pumped, which makes it well worthy of being on any list of top freeride destinations in Canada.
Ski off the south side of Huckleberry Bowl for some seriously long and leg bending alpine runs, and of North Peak for some beautiful tree runs. The snow here is slightly more reliable than Fernie, making it a great place to come if Fernie is getting rain. With less crowds the snow stays fresher here for longer as well. Castle Mountain has a lot of soul, a great community and a very bare bones base operation, which makes it perfect for anyone looking for one of the best powder ski resorts in Canada.
Crowds: 5/5 - Very rarely crowded
Snow: 4/5 - Similar snow to Fernie, though usually a bit drier and colder
Terrain: 4/5 - Limited tress, though the South Ridge is epic for steeps and alpine
Amenities: 2/5 - Castle has an ultra small resort at the base with a restaurant and hotel
Backcountry: 4/5 - Ample options for backcountry right out of the resort
Lake Louise Ski Resort
Best Ski Resort In The Rockies For steeps and Spring Skiing
Lake Louise Ski Resort far surpasses what we first expected of it. When we first showed up, we expected groomers, race runs, and people in fur coats. What we were surprised to see was a wall of terrifying alpine terrain that could humble most expert skiers. Sure enough, Lake Louise has some serious terrain to back it, with a strong presence of steep, alpine terrain.
Take Summit Chair to the peak to ski Whitehorn 1 & 2 areas for some fun steeps, with enough rocks and ridges to make things interesting. From the same chair, you can traverse over and hike to Boundary Bowl, where you will find far fewer tracks and some great steeps to get your heartrate going. Explore the ridge down the backside of Top of the World Express Chair for some steep and technical riding too! West Bowl on the front side and open trees below Top of the World Express Chair offer some fun tree areas to explore in the sun with epic views of the Rockies and Mt Temple across the valley. Lake Louise surprised us and definitely deserves to be included in the best freeride ski resorts in Canada.
Crowds: 4/5 - Can be crowded but the lift infrastructure keeps up
Snow: 3/5 - Less snow than Kicking Horse and wind scouring can be an issue
Terrain: 4/5 - Epic alpine terrain, though tree skiing is more limited
Amenities: 4/5 - Lake Louise village is nearby and Banff is 45 minutes away
Backcountry: 4/5 - Amazing options for exposed ski touring from resort
Planning Your Next Freeride Ski Trip to Canada?
We’d love to hear your plans and even help you plan an epic trip! Please feel free to reach out to us and let us know what you have in mind and we can offer some insight and tips.
No matter where you plan to go on your next ski trip to Canada, there are a ton of great options and it’s never hard to find good snow and some really great terrain to ski on. We would encourage you to add some of the resorts above to your list and see why we think they are the best freeride ski resorts in Canada. Better yet, join one of our guided tours of the Powder Highway to ski with a small group of like minded skiers at a handful of the best resorts with our local guides!
guided Freeride ski tours on the Powder Highway
Ultimate Powder Highway Roadtrip- 12 days
Fernie - Whitewater - Red Mountain - Revelstoke - Kicking Horse
Named the ultimate Powder Highway ski trip for a reason! Ski the best resorts in the Rockies and Powder Highway. Soak your tired legs in amazing hot springs and enjoy the best food and drink in 5 mountain towns.
Signature guided BC Ski Tour - 11 days
Revelstoke - Kicking Horse - Whitewater - Red Mountain
Spend 11 days exploring the absolute best of the Powder Highway on this guided ski tour in Canada. This tour package spends two days at each resort, covering the best terrain & snow in Canada with local guides.
About the author
Alex Ross- Lead Guide/ Founder
Let’s just say Alex didn’t want to work a real job when he grew up. He had his heart set on avoiding any kind of accounting, human resources, compliance, marketing and business administration, in order to be free for his dream job as a ski guide. Now he guides people on skis, but mostly does accounting, human resources, compliance, marketing and business administration work!