Nakiska Ski Area – 2023.24 First Preview Weekend Announcement
October 31st, 2023 – Kananaskis, AB – ‘Snow Season’ begins, Nakiska Ski Area, usually Canada’s first ski area to open, will kick-off the 2023/24 Ski Season, this weekend, operating Saturday (Nov 4) and Sunday (Nov 5).
Calgary, Alberta’s closest mountain ski area, Nakiska, was recently hit with a major snowstorm turning the peaks of K-Country into a winter paradise. Combined with cooler than average temperatures, which allowed Western Canada’s largest snowmaking system to kick into high-gear, creating a snow surface for skiing and riding on the upper mountain.
“Canadians love skiing”, says Powder Matt Mosteller, “it is so good for you, getting outside and in the mountains”, added Mosteller. “One of the few sports that people of all abilities can do at the same time and entire families can enjoy this sport together, getting everyone active and engaged in lifetime tradition”, noted Mosteller.
Nakiska has added snow grooming cats to the fleet that are graded tier 4 class, meaning they achieve the highest environmental standards, burning less fuel and grooming the slopes much more efficiently.
Nakiska is also recognized as Alpine Canada’s official training centre, providing some of the best alpine and ski cross training in North America assisting Alberta based athletes in providing training nearby and as well hosting high level competitions like this year’s Ski Cross World Cup so athletes can compete close to home.
Please note that with the upper mountain opening this weekend that skiing and riding on intermediate and expert terrain will only be available. Please follow the Alpine Responsibility Code and the tip this week is, ‘Always Stay in Control’, as you must be able to stop, avoid people or objects. For more information on what will be open and ticket prices see our Snow Report.
Visit www.skinakiska.com for more info and always check the snow report for most up to date information as information is always subject to change as weather conditions do change in the Canadian Rockies.
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For more information, please contact:
Matt Mosteller
Senior VP Marketing & Resort Experience, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies
[email protected]
Facebook, Twitter & Instagram – @PowderMatt
Powder Matt’s Blog
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RESORTS OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES JOIN THE EPIC AUSTRALIA PASS
STARTING WITH THE 2023/24 SEASON, EPIC AUSTRALIA PASS HOLDERS WILL RECEIVE FIVE COMBINED DAYS AT THE RESORTS OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES
- Epic Australia Pass Holders will receive five combined days at the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies – including Fernie Alpine Resort, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Kimberley Alpine Resort in British Columbia, Nakiska in Alberta, and Mont-Sainte-Anne and Stoneham in Quebec – starting with the 2023/24 Northern Hemisphere winter season.
- 19 April is the last chance to purchase the 2023 Epic Australia Pass for AU$1,049 before prices increase.
5 April 2023 – Epic Australia Pass Holders will now have more access to world-class resorts in Canada, starting with the 2023/24 Northern Hemisphere winter season. Vail Resorts announced today that the expansion of its long-term alliance with the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR) will include five combined days of skiing and riding for 2023 Epic Australia Pass Holders. Pass Holders can use the five combined days across any of RCR’s six resorts — Fernie Alpine Resort, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Kimberley Alpine Resort in British Columbia, Nakiska in Alberta, and Mont-Sainte-Anne and Stoneham in Quebec.
“Get ready to experience the ultimate snow adventure as we welcome Epic Australia Pass Holders to the majestic Resorts of the Canadian Rockies,” said Rob Lloyd, Director of Sales & Marketing – Australia, Vail Resorts. “With the addition of Kicking Horse and Fernie, your bucket list just got bigger and more exciting. The Epic Australia Pass gives you unlimited access to Perisher, Falls Creek, Hotham, and a chance to carve your way through the breathtaking slopes of Whistler Blackcomb and beyond.” Lloyd continued, “Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make unforgettable memories in some of the world’s most awe-inspiring destinations!”
Discover the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies
The 2023 Epic Australia Pass access begins with the 2023 Australian snow season and concludes following the 2023/24 snow season in the Northern Hemisphere. It provides:
- Kicking Horse and Fernie: Located in the southeast corner of British Columbia on the legendary “Powder Highway”, Kicking Horse and Fernie are consistently ranked among the top 10 Canadian resorts with abundant annual snowfall and big mountain skiing and riding.
- Kimberley Alpine Resort: Boasting the most sunshine of any resort in Canada, Kimberley Alpine is in the Purcell Range of Southeast British Columbia, with two thirds of its 80 runs and glades rated beginner or intermediate in addition to expert terrain on the back side.
- Nakiska: A family-friendly resort offering a variety of terrain including perfectly groomed runs and a very popular learning area, Nakiska is positioned in Kananaskis Country in the front range of the breathtaking Canadian Rockies.
- Mont-Sainte-Anne: An ideal year-round destination, Mont-Sainte-Anne is situated near beautiful Quebec City within the Laurentian Mountain chain.
- Stoneham Ski Resort: Offering an incomparable free-style area, Stoneham has Canada’s largest illuminated ski centre for night skiing.
Purchase Now Before Prices Rise
Skiers and riders have until 19 April to get their Epic Australia Pass before prices rise. The Epic Australia Pass offers unlimited days at Perisher, Falls Creek, Hotham and more, and benefits including six Bring-A-Mate tickets, 20% off lessons and rentals, 15% off retail and more.
Currently priced at AU$1,049 for adults, AU$599 for students (five to 17 years) and AU$799 for seniors (65 years and over), 2023 Epic Australia Pass lift access starts with the 2023 Australian snow season and concludes with the 2023/24 snow season in the Northern Hemisphere. Find out more here.
The Epic Australia Pass is non-refundable except through Epic Coverage, which provides refunds for certain qualifying events and is provided at no additional cost. Refunds are subject to eligibility and based on Epic Coverage elections. Pass Holders should review the Epic Coverage Terms and Conditions.
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ABOUT VAIL RESORTS, INC. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts is a network of the best destination and close-to-home ski resorts in the world including Vail Mountain, Breckenridge, Park City Mountain, Whistler Blackcomb, Stowe, and 32 additional resorts across North America; Andermatt-Sedrun in Switzerland; and Perisher, Hotham, and Falls Creek in Australia. We are passionate about providing an Experience of a Lifetime to our team members and guests, and our EpicPromise is to reach a zero net operating footprint by 2030, support our employees and communities, and broaden engagement in our sport. Our company owns and/or manages a collection of elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, a portfolio of vacation rentals, condominiums and branded hotels located in close proximity to our mountain destinations, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Retail operates more than 250 retail and rental locations across North America. Learn more about our company at www.VailResorts.com, or discover our resorts and pass options at www.EpicPass.com.
ABOUT RCR
Proudly Canadian, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Inc. (RCR) is the largest private ski resort owner/operator in North America, owning six ski resorts across Canada including: Nakiska Ski Area in Alberta; Fernie Alpine Resort, Kimberley Alpine Resort and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in British Columbia and Mont-Sainte Anne and Stoneham in Quebec. In addition to the company’s ski resorts, RCR also owns and operates a number of accommodation properties, golf courses and a central reservation agency. The consumer website is www.skircr.com.
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Introducing New Canadians to Winter Sports
We’re very proud to continue working with Snowseekers in the #NewSkiAB initiative, supporting new comers to Canada to learn winter sports and enjoy the mountains. This season we hosted Cong, from Vietnam and Peter, from Hong Kong. Follow their journey to falling in love with skiing on the Snowseekers website.
Watch Peter & Cong learn to ski and fall in love with the sport at Nakiska – https://www.snowseekers.ca/story/spring-skiing-nakiska.
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New season, new systems
New season, new systems!
How to smooth out your first day on the slopes.
Well, here we are!
We’ve made it to another ski season during a pandemic, and while some regulations will stay the same as last season, we are also dealing with a few new ones. Here are some guidelines to help make your first day out in the mountains as smooth as possible for you and your family.
Request your Season Pass or Direct to Lift Card in advance
If you have purchased a season pass, you should have received an email requesting your upload your QR code/proof of immunization online. Please upload your information and request your pass be sent to you as soon as possible. Ensuring your pass gets into our printing queue as soon as possible allows you the best chance of receiving your pass ahead of your first visit. If you have not received your email requesting proof of immunization, please feel free to reach out to our guest services team to request one by emailing [email protected]. If you have requested your pass but have not received it before your first day, you will need to visit the resort Guest Services building to receive a day ticket and show proof of immunization. If you are having problems with our system accepting your Proof of Immunization please refer to our FAQ’s to find out why.
Mind our Know Before you Go updates
While many of our guidelines have stayed the same, a key update this season is the requirement to be fully vaccinated to access our resort lifts and facilities. Please refer to the information above on how to provide this ahead of your visit.
Bring your QR Code on your first few visits
To ensure we have record of your information, we encourage you to have your QR Code and government-issued photo id with you on your first few trips. If you purchase day tickets, you will need to show proof of immunization when picking up your lift tickets each time you visit.
Limit your baggage and prepare for a few lineups
We will not be allowing bags to be stored unattended in our daylodge or common areas. Please ensure you’re leaving any unnecessary baggage in your car or purchase a locker. While requiring proof of immunization should help alleviate some lineups at our lifts and facilities, please note that some people may still choose to stay distanced from others; we ask you to respect the wishes of those around you.
Be kind
As always, we ask you to be kind to our fellow guests and also our staff. Please realize our front-line staff are working hard to ensure you enjoy your experience and share your passion for the mountains. Let’s all work together to make our mountain experience an enjoyable one.
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Our Earliest Preview Weekend in our 31 Year History!
Trick? Or Treat? It’s not a trick…..but it certainly is a treat! Here at Nakiska Ski Area we have been lucky to have Mother Nature give us some of the biggest and earliest significant snow storms we’ve ever seen, allowing us to start snowmaking at a roaring pace and to open the resort for skiing/riding the earliest we have ever been able to in our 31 year history!
Be sure to wear your costume! We’ll be open for our first preview weekend of the season on October 26th & 27th, our retail team will be out giving away candy to costume wearers.
To see what’s projected to be open and for more information visit our Snow Report page.
Follow us on Social Media for the latest images;
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Photo from October 16th, 2019
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Nakiska Ski Area – Earliest Preview Weekend on Record
October 16, 2019 – Kananaskis, AB – Trick? Or Treat? It’s not a trick…..but it certainly is a treat! Here at Nakiska Ski Area we have been lucky to have Mother Nature give us some of the biggest and earliest significant snow storms we’ve ever seen, allowing us to start snowmaking at a roaring pace and to open the resort for skiing/riding the earliest we have ever been able to in our 31 year history!
Nakiska Ski Area is excited to be the first in Canada to announce it will open for a preview weekend on October 26th & 27th. Skiing before Halloween? Yes, please!
‘Nakiska is excited to welcome skiers and snowboarders,’ says Matt Mosteller, Senior VP, Marketing & Resort Experience. ‘We are very thankful to be able to open up this early to provide skiing and riding to our valued season passholders and day ticket guests’ he added. ‘Shout out to our team who have been working around the clock to get runs open so our very passionate skiers and riders can share the tradition of celebrating ski season starts with first turns at Nakiska.’
Keep up to date on the opening schedule and what will be open on preview weekend on Nakiska’s Snow Report page as well as the RCR App.
Don’t forget our Season Pass sale is on until October 19th along with our Winter Sports School programs, which still have space available!
Order Season Passes online
Order Winter Sports School Programs online
Try out our wings gear lease program! The BEST thing to happen to parents of growing kids and people not ready to commit to buying gear. Purchase by October 19th to get in on the sale price, buy online.
Nakiska Ski Area • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram
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For more information, please contact:
Matt Mosteller
Senior VP Marketing & Resort Experience, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies
[email protected]
Facebook, Twitter & Instagram – @PowderMatt
Powder Matt’s Blog
- Published in Press Releases
Nakiska Ski Area Starts Snowmaking in September
October 1, 2019 – Kananaskis, AB – with the arrival of the September storm in Western Canada, Nakiska Ski Area (located near Banff, AB) was able to start snowmaking in what is likely to be the earliest time on record. Snowmaking commenced on Saturday, September 28th with hopes to continue it throughout October and into the beginning of the ski season. Nakiska Ski Area has an Olympic grade snowmaking system due to the 1988 Calgary Olympic games, allowing it to move large amounts of snow throughout a huge area of the mountain. The system can produce between 1 and 2 feet of snow over an acre in an hour. In terms of football fields, (the North American variety and including the end zones), Nakiska’s system can cover one of them in between an hour and a half and 45 minutes! ‘Continued enhancement to one of Canada’s largest snowmaking system makes Nakiska the place for early ski turns in Canada’, says Matt Mosteller, Senior VP of Marketing & Resort Experience at Resorts of the Canadian Rockies. ‘Given Nakiska’s location, Calgary’s closest mountain, you can work in the morning and make first turns in the afternoon during the ski season! Skiing and Snowboarding is a sport that everyone can do in winter – why not make winter better this year and give skiing and snowboarding a try’, added Mosteller. Nakiska Ski Area is scheduled to open weekends in November, starting with the first weekend and will be open 7-days a week starting on November 29th. Keep up to date on the opening schedule on Nakiska’s online Events Calendar as well as the RCR App or Snow Report page.Need some tips on preparing for skiing? Check out 5 Tips to Prepare for Ski Season on Powder Matt’s Blog. Nakiska Ski Area • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram-30-For more information, please contact: Matt Mosteller Senior VP Marketing & Resort Experience, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies [email protected] Facebook, Twitter & Instagram – @PowderMatt Powder Matt’s Blog |
Check out our Webcam for up to date imagery! Image below is from September 30th, 2019. |
- Published in Press Releases
Nakiska will be among first in Canada to open for skiing/riding
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- Published in Press Releases
Your Journey Begins Here: An Introduction to the Sport of Ski Racing
As you explore the many options being presented to your family for outdoor winter sport activity, we at the Alberta Alpine Ski Association thought we would take this opportunity to introduce your family to ski racing – a truly family sport.
Alberta Alpine is the governing body for alpine and ski cross racing in Alberta. We are comprised of incredibly dedicated and talented clubs across the entire province, offering ski racing development programs to children in the following age categories: U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, and FIS. Through our club network, we have created life-long skiers, coaches, and even World Cup Champion ski racers.
Alpine ski racing is divided into the following primary disciplines, which athletes will begin to explore as they age through their clubs program offerings:
Slalom is the shortest race featuring the most turns. Competitors aim to complete the technically exciting course, then the course is reset and athletes who qualify for a second run tackle the course once again with those receiving the fastest combined time coming out on top of the podium for the day.
Giant Slalom (GS) is similar to slalom, with fewer gates and slightly larger turns, increasing the speed athletes travel down the course. GS is also a two-run event, where combined times are used to determine the finish rank of the day.
Super Giant Slalom (Super-G) is a speed event that athletes can begin to explore at U14 and older, featuring a longer course than GS, with fewer turns. This discipline is usually introduced in a camp format, where athletes learn speed technique under the direction of highly qualified coaches. Super-G races are one-run events, where the fastest individual times determine the finish rank.
Downhill is the longest and highest-speed event in alpine ski racing. If you’ve watched ski racing on TV, this is likely the event you were watching. Downhill is fast and thrilling to watch, and competitions are targeted to athletes at the high-performance level of the sport. Downhill race winners are often determined by hundredths of seconds, and at the World Cup level, these races can draw fans in the tens of thousands to cheer on the worlds fastest women and men.
Ski Cross is an exciting discipline combining both the skills of alpine ski racing, and freestyle skiing in a fan-favourite event. Athletes learn the sport by gaining an understand of speed development skills using features on the track such as rollers and banked turns. Eventually, athletes compete head-to-head on a track featuring a variety of technical features. Canada, and Alberta specifically, have produced some of the worlds best Ski Cross athletes, including Calgarian Brady Leman, who won gold at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Perhaps the best part of ski racing is the community of passionate families it brings together. Often the entire family participates in one capacity or another, and ‘ski friends’ become lifelong relationships that often far surpass a child’s time in ski racing programs.
For more information, and to find your local club, please visit albertaalpine.ca, or call 403-609-4730.
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Nakiska Labeled as One of Canada’s Best Winter Experiences
Skiing and snowshoeing: two winter activities meant for adventurers of all ages and experience levels. Snowshoeing down serene slopes covered in soft snow is perfect for those craving a quiet winter excursion. On the other hand, skiing is the championed winter adventure. Carving down the slopes and watching the snow flurry up around you presents a different kind of excitement. Here at Nakiska, we believe that winter was meant to gather people outdoors in the beautiful white lands which is why our skiing and snowshoeing is like no other. We are proud of where we call home and are equally excited when our uniqueness is recognized. We are so happy to share our ranking as one of Canada’s Top Signature Winter Experiences of 2018 by Flight Network.
In addition to downhill skiing and snowshoeing, Nakiska also offers tubing during the winter!
Canada’s leading travel agency, Flightnetwork.com found only the best places to help craft a winter itinerary in this beautiful country. The writer found our adventures to be a prime destination for all travelers, and we are glowing with pride for the recognition. Nakiska Ski Resort opens its arms to all visitors who wish to experience the beauty of snow covered Canada. Our slopes and paths for skiing and snowshoeing are looked after with the utmost care, and adventurers just may find themselves falling in love with their surroundings at Nakiska. We hope to welcome new guests to our home in Alberta with this listing.
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