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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Resorts of the Canadian Rockies—Fernie, Kicking Horse, Kimberley, Nakiska, Mont Sainte Anne and Stoneham—Join the Epic Pass
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Matt Mosteller, (403) 209-3323, [email protected]
Resorts of the Canadian Rockies—Fernie, Kicking Horse, Kimberley, Nakiska, Mont Sainte Anne and Stoneham—Join the Epic Pass
- The iconic Resorts of the Canadian Rockies—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—join the Epic Pass beginning with the 2018-19 winter season in a long-term alliance.
- Epic and Epic 7-Day pass holders will receive seven days and Epic 4-Day pass holders will receive four days of skiing or snowboarding with no blackout dates at the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, and 50 percent off lift tickets after the seven days have been redeemed.
- Epic Pass holders can go direct to the lift with their pass at Resorts of the Canadian Rockies and bypass the ticket window.
- RCR season pass holders, including RCR Rockies Pass, Fernie Season Pass, Kicking Horse Season Pass, Kimberley Season Pass, Mont Saint Anne and Stoneham Season Pass holders will receive 50 percent off lift tickets at all Vail Resorts owned mountain resorts.
BROOMFIELD, Colo.—Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) and the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR) jointly announced today that the RCR’s six ski resorts across Canada—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—will join the industry-leading Epic Pass in a long-term alliance beginning with 2018-19 winter season, bringing the total to 61 mountain resorts around the world for skiers and snowboarders.
“We’re thrilled to welcome the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies on the Epic Pass for the 2018-19 winter season, offering skiers and snowboarders world-class mountain resorts in eight countries. The family of ski resorts that make up RCR are some of the most sought after winter playgrounds for skiers and snowboarders around the world,” said Kirsten Lynch, chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts. “We offer the most variety in skiing and snowboarding for the best value on any season pass in the global mountain resort industry.”
“Resorts of the Canadian Rockies is delighted to join the Epic Pass, and along with Whistler Blackcomb, offer the best of Canadian skiing and snowboarding,” said Tom Rosner, vice president of marketing and sales of RCR. “We are pleased to partner with Vail Resorts, the industry leader, as the Epic Pass features the best resorts at the top ski destinations around the world. We look forward to start welcoming Epic Pass holders to all of our resorts next season.”
RCR JOINS EPIC PASS
Perhaps best known among the RCR family of are Kicking Horse and Fernie, located in the southeast corner of British Columbia on the legendary “Powder Highway”. Both Kicking Horse and Fernie are consistently ranked among the top 10 Canadian resorts as ultimate playgrounds that cater to powder hounds with their abundant annual snowfall and big mountain skiing. Kicking Horse, also known as “The Champagne Powder Capital of Canada” is situated just outside the charming historic logging town of Golden and boasts a diverse mix of expert and extreme terrain and one of the longest vertical drops—4,133 feet—in North America. Home to the World Freeride Tour, the ski resort is known for its four large alpine bowls, 85 long steep chutes and short lift lines. Fernie features over 2,500 acres of skiable terrain and 3,550 vertical feet, including 142 trails, five alpine bowls. Have a reputation for the best powder in the Rockies, Fernie is a true winter playground for skiers and riders of all levels.
Following are the benefits for Epic, Epic 7-Day and Epic 4-Day pass holders, as well as RCR season pass holders – RCR Rockies Pass, Fernie Season Pass, Kicking Horse Season Pass, Kimberley Season Pass, Mont Saint Anne and Stoneham Season Pass.
- Epic Pass™: Epic Pass holders will receive a total of seven days of skiing or snowboarding with no blackout dates at RCR. Once the seven days have been used, pass holders can get 50 percent off additional lift tickets at RCR. Pass holders get the added benefit of going direct to the lift with their pass and avoid the ticket window. The Epic Pass offers full access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe; Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont; Afton Alps in Minnesota; Mt. Brighton in Michigan; Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin; Whistler Blackcomb in Canada; and Perisher in Australia, with no blackout dates. The Epic Pass also provides limited access to Telluride in Colorado; Les 3 Vallées, Paradiski and Tignes-Val D’Isere in France; 4 Vallées in Switzerland; Arlberg in Austria and Skirama Dolomiti in Italy; and Hakuba Valley in Japan.
- Epic 7-Day Pass: Epic 7-Day Pass holders will receive up to seven days of skiing or snowboarding at RCR with no blackout dates as part of their seven total days on the pass. After the seven days, regardless of the resort at which they were redeemed, pass holders can get 50 percent off additional lift tickets at RCR. Pass holders get the added benefit of going direct to the lift with their pass and avoid the ticket window. The Epic 7-Day Pass features a total of seven days with no blackout dates at Whistler Blackcomb, Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Telluride, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, Stowe and Arapahoe Basin, plus seven additional free days at Afton Alps, Mt. Brighton or Wilmot Mountain.
- Epic 4-Day Pass: Epic 4-Day Pass holders will receive up to four days of skiing or snowboarding at RCR with no blackout dates as part of their four total days on the pass. After the four days, regardless of the resort at which they were redeemed, pass holders can get 50 percent off additional lift tickets at RCR. Pass holders get the added benefit of going direct to the lift with their pass and avoid the ticket window. The Epic 4-Day pass features a total of four days with no blackout dates at Whistler Blackcomb, Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Telluride, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, Stowe and Arapahoe Basin, plus four additional free days at Afton Alps, Mt. Brighton or Wilmot Mountain.
- RCR Season Pass Holders: RCR Rockies Pass, Fernie Season Pass, Kicking Horse Season Pass, Kimberley Season Pass, Mont Saint Anne and Stoneham Season Pass holders will receive 50 percent off lift tickets at all Vail Resorts owned mountain resorts.
Details about all of Vail Resorts’ 2018-19 season passes can be found at www.epicpass.com when they go on sale March 6, 2018.
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.
About Vail Resorts, Inc.
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading global mountain resort operator. Vail Resorts’ subsidiaries operate 11 world-class mountain resorts and three urban ski areas, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada; Perisher in Australia; Stowe in Vermont; Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan. Vail Resorts owns and/or manages a collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning and development subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.
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Snowshoe at Nakiska this Winter
While cruising down a run on skis or a snowboard is a great activity with a major fun factor, there’s also something to be said for the tranquility of snowshoeing through the silent winter trees with only the sound of the snow crunching beneath your feet. Snowshoeing was first used, more or less as a necessity of survival by our ancestors to be able to navigate the snowy terrain during the winter months (in fact it’s widely suspected our first Aboriginals in Canada used snowshoes to travel to the new land across the top of the globe from Asia), it has taken on a more recreational aspect for most these days. A terrific activity for almost all ages snowshoeing is the perfect way to get everyone outdoors and exploring the surrounding trails of Nakiska – whether it’s a family outing you’re embarking on or a romantic winter walk through the woods with your boo you can now experience it at Nakiska, enjoying all the amenities being at a ski resort offers (think a warm, delicious meal/drink after your walk or making a weekend of it by staying at the nearby Delta Lodge at Kananaskis just a few minutes away).
Starting on December 15th, we’ll be offering guided tours daily, tours will include a 2 hour snowshoe trek, rentals (including snow boots, snowshoes & poles) followed by a hot drink and cookie for each participant. Looking to venture out on your own? Bring your own snowshoes or rent them from our resort rental shop and head out on our local surrounding trails (note to snowshoe on resort boundaries you must be part of a guided tour).
For more information including pricing visit the snowshoeing section of our website.
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