Imagine this; you wake up from your slumber early, really early. And you’re not getting back to sleep. What do you do? What do most of us do? Grab our smart phones. Now, when you grab your phone you’ll have the ability to get the most up to date information for snow conditions, weather reports, trail maps, resort info and more from one handy app for Nakiska Ski Area (and our other RCR resorts).
Your next problem – it’s going to be a powder day!! Time to call in sick and head out to the mountains!
For more information on our App read our Press Release.
- Published in News
For Immediate Release: November 13th, 2015
DISCOUNT SKI CARDS FOR RESORTS OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES ON SALE
ONE, TWO, FREE! THREE FREE DAYS OF SKIING!
Now that we have your attention – it’s easy as 1, 2, 3 to get FREE skiing at the biggest and best resorts in the Canadian Rockies this season! Ski what? Yes, that’s right! The biggest vertical, the deepest snow and the most runs in the Rockies! Experience Fernie Alpine Resort’s deep powder and vast terrain, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort’s famous Champagne Powder, Kimberley Alpine Resort’s glades (tree skiing) and abundance of sunny days and last but certainly not least, Nakiska Ski Area’s immaculately groomed runs and Monster Glade’s, tree skiing terrain.
Now, it’s simple just;
1) Buy the RCR Rockies discount card at a low cost.
2) Register your card online.
3) Enjoy more savings! Get 3 FREE ski days plus discounts of up to $30 on regular price lift tickets purchased all season long!
Purchase a discount card online or by calling 1-800-258-7669 – don’t forget to purchase yours before they go off sale on December 26th!
RCR Rockies Card
Get 3 FREE days and discounts at 4 great resorts for only $94.95.
WINTER EARLY BOOKING
Ensure your vacation is relaxing from, beginning to end. Start by booking with our knowledgeable agents and trust in them to find the best resort and hotel property for your winter experience. Call 1-800-258-7669 to book over the phone, chat online with an agent and view all package at www.skircr.com/vacations. Book before November 30th to save up to 35%!
About Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Inc.
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, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Kimberley Alpine Resort in British Columbia. RCR also owns and manages a number of hotels and golf courses, including Trickle Creek in Kimberley, and Wintergreen Golf and Country Club in Bragg Creek. RCR aims to provide each and every guest The Ultimate Experience.
For more information, please contact:
Matt Mosteller
Senior VP Marketing & Resort Experience, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies
[email protected]
Twitter – @PowderMatt
Powder Matt’s Blog
Powder Matt on Pinterest
Powder Matt on Google +
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- Published in Press Releases
Skiing and Snowboarding season kicked off yesterday and was an amazing day on the slopes! Check out some of social media posts from our guests enjoying their first Nakiska turns of the season;
Big news for this upcoming Saturday we’re going to have the largest family friendly learning area open, Kids’ World, at Nakiska – we’ll have a perfectly groomed snow surface ready for first timers or kids and adults just wanting to hone their skills before they head up on the mountain. We know this is important early in the season and the Mountain Operations team at Nakiska has been working hard to get our Magic Carpet and Kids’ World ready earlier than ever! As one of the first family learning area in the Canadian Rockies to open, we’re proud to support getting everyone a chance to try skiing and snowboarding!
See when we’re open in November.
Feature photo by @SJSob14 from Twitter.
- Published in News
For Immediate Release: November 11, 2015
IT’S OFFICIAL – SKI & SNOWBOARD SEASON IN CANADA HAS BEGUN
Kananaskis, AB – Skiing and Snowboarding season kicked off today at Nakiska and was an amazing day on the slopes! Big news for this upcoming Saturday we are going to have the largest family friendly learning area open, Kids’ World, at Nakiska – so don’t miss out on the snow play that’s perfect for families. We’ll have a perfectly groomed snow surface ready for first timers or kids and adults just wanting to hone their skills before they head up on the mountain. We know this is important early in the season and the Mountain Operations team at Nakiska has been working hard to get our Magic Carpet and Kids’ World ready earlier than ever! As one of the first family learning area in the Canadian Rockies to open, we’re proud to support getting everyone a chance to try skiing and snowboarding!
Check out some of social media posts from our guests enjoying their first Nakiska turns of the season, we love sharing all the smiles.
Official Website
Book your vacation online or call 1-800-258-7669 to speak to a vacation specialist today!
Twitter – @SkiNakiska
About Nakiska Ski Area & Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Inc.
Nakiska Ski Area, Calgary’s Closest Mountain (www.skinakiska.com), is a member of the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Inc. (RCR) family. 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, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Kimberley Alpine Resort in British Columbia. RCR also owns and manages a number of hotels and golf courses, including Trickle Creek in Kimberley, and Wintergreen Golf and Country Club in Bragg Creek. RCR aims to provide each and every guest The Ultimate Experience.
For more information, please contact:
Matt Mosteller
Senior VP Marketing & Resort Experience, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies
[email protected]
Twitter – @PowderMatt
Powder Matt’s Blog
Powder Matt on Pinterest
Powder Matt on Google +
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- Published in Press Releases
Some liken it to the night before Christmas. There’s that sense of anticipation in the air – will it be better than last year? What are you wishing for? What surprises are in store? Who will you share it with?
But it’s not really Christmas, it’s the weeks before the onset of ski season, when there’s snow in the mountains, but it hasn’t quite reached the city, and where we start planning the upcoming winter trips and adventures in our Rocky Mountain backyard.
Thursday, October 29 marked the first Canadian “Mappy Hour”, at the Village Brewery in Calgary and hosted by “Powder” Matt Mosteller and SnowSeekers.
Mappy Hour started in New York, and it’s a monthly urban gathering for outdoor enthusiasts. And there’s no shortage of those in Calgary – close to 100 people showed up for the inaugural event, which featured a talk and presentation by local athlete and backcountry skier Ian Holmes.
Holmes got the crowd excited for winter with a slideshow of his favourite backcountry spots in the Alberta and BC Rockies – many of which are located within a couple of hours of Calgary. Naming off known and obscure places, the crowd joined in with plenty of questions about backcountry safety, getting ready for the season, and where to go.
The room was filled with a huge variety of enthusiasts, from out-of-town visitors, to backcountry novices, through to expert skiers, the common thread was the passion for our mountains and the experiences we can share together this winter.
When the snowflakes started to fall in the city a few days later, while many were cursing the frosted windshields and cold winds, I have no doubt the Mappy Hour folks smiled, knowing the countdown to snow season was in full force.
Many thanks to Village Brewery for hosting the first-ever Canadian Mappy Hour.
After a packed reception to Canada’s first ever MappyHour, Powder Matt, Paula Worthington, the folks from OutdoorFest, SnowSeekers and others welcome new friends and neighbours back to the Village Brewery on Monday November 16 at 7pm. Set some tire to rubber this season and get planning for your winter adventures over $4 craft beers.
Author/Writer Tom Babin speaks about what he’s discovered in his quest to love winter biking. Winter biking has become Babin’s happy place and from his book, “Frostbike”, he describes the sport as “the unique kind of bliss that can only come by pedalling through softly falling snow on a quiet winter night”.
Babin’s take on winter biking kind of sounds really similar to the zen we score when we move through fresh snow on the slopes. Mappy Hour YCC November 16 will be anouther great night to fuel our soul full of adventure inspiration.
For more details check out the Mappy Hour website and to book your spot, RSVP for FREE here.
Interested in checking out Mappy Hour? Share this page with your crew and bring them along!
Words: Paula Worthington
Photos: Cali Sammel
October Mappy Hour on October 29th at Village Brewery
- Published in News
For Immediate Release: November 5th, 2015
NAKISKA SKI AREA’S PREVIEW OPENING DAY – REMEMBRANCE DAY
Kananaskis, AB – There are few things that get skiers and snowboarders as excited as the thought of the first turns of the season! Make those first turns at Nakiska on our preview opening day, Wednesday, November 11th when we open for skiing and riding on Remembrance Day. See the weekend regular operating schedule below for November skiing and riding.
Remembrance Day Information;
Hours:
10am – 4pm
Ticket Price:
Adult – $49.95 (+gst)
Terrain:
Upper Mountain skiing and snowboarding on the following trail – upper & middle Mapmaker, Mid Mountain Area, Big Bear & Morley Flats.
Please Note: we’ll have upload and download access via the Olympic Chair, we are pleased to offer intermediate & advanced groomed terrain.
Lifts Open:
Olympic Chair open at 10am.
Gold Chair open at 10am.
Services Open:
Guest Services – 9am to 4:30pm for pass processing, lockers etc.
Ticketing – 9am to 1pm for lift tickets
Guest Assistance (Snow hosts) – 9am to 1 pm
Rental Shop – 9am to 4pm (all rental & repair services will be available)
Retail Store – 9 am to 4pm, check out the early season sale!
Daylodge – 8:30am to 5pm (main floor will be open with locker, washrooms and food services)
Food & Beverage – 8:30am to 5pm (coffee shop menu and sandwiches)
Mid Mountain Lodge – 10am – 3pm (full services available)
Winter Sports School – private or semi private lessons are available
Schedule of Opening;
Saturday & Sunday – November 14 & 15
Friday , Saturday, Sunday – November 20 – 22
Friday, Saturday, Sunday – November 27 – 29
Regular 7 day a week operations begin on Friday, December 4
See a video from Thursday, November 5th on our Youtube Channel.
Check out our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for recent video, pictures and daily updates to opening.
Main Image from November 5th, 2015
About Nakiska Ski Area & Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Inc.
Nakiska Ski Area, Calgary’s Closest Mountain (www.skinakiska.com), is a member of the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Inc. (RCR) family. 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, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Kimberley Alpine Resort in British Columbia. RCR also owns and manages a number of hotels and golf courses, including Trickle Creek in Kimberley, and Wintergreen Golf and Country Club in Bragg Creek. RCR aims to provide each and every guest The Ultimate Experience.
For more information, please contact:
Matt Mosteller
Senior VP Marketing & Resort Experience, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies
[email protected]
Twitter – @PowderMatt
Powder Matt’s Blog
Powder Matt on Pinterest
Powder Matt on Google +
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- Published in Press Releases
There are few things that get skiers and snowboarders as excited as the thought of the first turns of the season! See the regular operating schedule below for Nakiska skiing and riding.
Information;
Hours: 9am – 4pm
Conditions:
- Groomed runs in excellent shape with Top to Bottom Skiing and Boarding.
- A wide selection of perfectly groomed and natural terrain runs available.
- Great beginners area on Kids World and the Silver Chair Area
Lift Operations:
- Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th December 2015 – 9:30am – 3:30pm ***depending on business – SILVER CHAIR / OLYMPIC CHAIR / GOLD CHAIR and MAGIC CARPET
Available services:
Base area Daylodge:
Open 8:00 – 17:00,
Day lodge lower level with food/beverage services from Cafeteria and Slopeside. Retail store, wash-rooms, lockers, coin lockers
Guest services:
Open 08:00 – 16:30, in Administration building, ready to answer any question, print season passes, book programs etc.
Winter Sports School:
Open 08:30 – 16:00, full menu
Rentals:
Open 08:30 – 16:30, renting ski and snowboard gear, offers specials on repairs, waxing and tune ups, early season used equipment sale
Retail:
Open 08:30 – 16:30, new arrivals and early season discounts on last year’s product available
Ticketing:
Open 09:00 – 14:00
Food/beverage:
Base area Slopeside Cafe, open 08:00 – 16:30, with enhanced menu and usual coffee products, pastry etc, De Luxe sandwiches, “beer on tap” special for Apres ski. Nakiska Cafeteria open at 11:00 for lunch (burgers, fries etc)
Base area Cafeteria, open 10:00 – 16:00 full service
Mid Mountain Lodge, open 10:00 – 16:00, with full menu
Schedule of Opening;
Regular 7 day a week operations begin today Friday, December 4
Check out our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for recent video, pictures and daily updates to opening.
- Published in News
For Immediate Release: November 3rd, 2015
NAKISKA SKI AREA WHAT’S NEWCAST FOR THE 2015/2016 SKI SEASON
Kananaskis, AB – Nakiska Ski Area has undergone some major upgrades in the last few season including expansions to the tube park, ticket area, food & beverage outlets and parking lots. Here are some of the upgrades being done for this season;
– NEW Ski App
This season you’ll be able to check the weather conditions, snow report, mountain status updates and more, from the NEW RCR Ski App! More info.
– Trees are for Glades movement
We’re keeping Trees for Glades this season! Not only are we not printing a brochure, we’re also having a tree planted for each email signed up on our new Trees are for Glades website. Enter a contest to win a ski vacation on the website too!
– More Environmentally Friendly Snowmaking Systems
New closed loop cooling system for the snowmaking compressors. Prior to this the compressors were cooled using water, eliminating this saves 800 gallons per minute. That water is now available to go up the hill for snow production and is no longer dumped back into the river.
– Continuous Snowmaking Route
The new snowmaking pump house, once done the new pump house will allow us to make snow in one continuous trail from the top of the gold chair to the day lodge.
Get more information about What’s New this season on our website.
About Nakiska Ski Area & Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Inc.
Nakiska Ski Area, Calgary’s Closest Mountain (www.skinakiska.com), is a member of the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Inc. (RCR) family. 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, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Kimberley Alpine Resort in British Columbia. RCR also owns and manages a number of hotels and golf courses, including Trickle Creek in Kimberley, and Wintergreen Golf and Country Club in Bragg Creek. RCR aims to provide each and every guest The Ultimate Experience.
For more information, please contact:
Matt Mosteller
Senior VP Marketing & Resort Experience, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies
[email protected]
Twitter – @PowderMatt
Powder Matt’s Blog
Powder Matt on Pinterest
Powder Matt on Google +
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- Published in Press Releases
Nakiska Ski Area is well known for a few things, including its super long ski season and often being the earliest resort in Canada to open as well as it’s immaculately groomed, wide, Olympic sized runs and also its snowmaking abilities.
Nakiska is a public ski resort today, however, it owes its entire existence to Calgary winning the bid to host the XV Olympic Games in 1988. Being constructed to host to world’s best alpine athletes, a state of the art world class snowmaking system was built into the resort. Often opening for skiing and snowboarding right at the beginning of November (sometimes even at the end of October) the credit is owed in part to Mother Nature, of course, and also largely to the snowmaking capabilities.
Nakiska Snowmaking Fact – depending on the time of year 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!
Each season, Nakiska makes upgrades and improvements to the snowmaking system to ensure it’s the most cutting edge it can be. This season, the focus was on environmentally friendly improvement. Some of the work done over this summer and fall including installing a new cooling system to save water and reuse it back into snowmaking and building a new mid mountain pump house with a continuous pipe from the base to bring the water saved and turn it into snow.
Nakiska Snowmaking Fact – our water license gives Nakiska the capacity to make 6 feet of snow to cover the entire mountain!
Visit Nakiska this season to enjoy it’s Olympic caliber terrain & great snow – don’t forget to check out the Monster Glades where there is no grooming required and often powder stashes to be found for days after a natural snowfall!
Read more about how our snowmaking system upgrades in our Getting Ready for Winter news post and read more about our Commitment to the Environment and new Trees are for Glades project on treesareforglades.com.
- Published in News
Location, location, location. A mantra for real estate agents and brokers everywhere, but also a great (unofficial) slogan for Nakiska Ski Area as location is perhaps one of Nakiska’s greatest assets.
Nakiska Ski Area is located in Kananaskis Country, Alberta – being a unique ski resort it’s not located in a stereotypical Canadian Ski town, in fact it’s not even located nearby one, it is however still in one of the best locations a ski hill could be in. Nakiska is the closest mountain to the dynamic city of Calgary and also within close driving distance to Canmore, Alberta’s outdoor adventure centre, as well as Banff and Lake Louise – both destinations sought out by travelers from around the entire world.
You might be wondering some things about Nakiska. For example – Why is Nakiska located where it is? Why was it built? What the heck is up with the name anyways?
Now, to tackle these questions one at a time. Nearly all of these questions can be answered by looking in Nakiska’s somewhat brief, yet rich history.
Nakiska was built from the ground up for the 1988 Calgary Olympic Games’ Alpine Events, being the closest ‘real’ 
mountain location to Calgary it was the most convenient and sensible option. (1988 Olympic games’ fun fact – it broke a record at it’s time for having 57 nations competing)! Since it was built to host the world’s best alpine athletes, it is home to Olympic sized groomed runs and also a state of the art snowmaking system, still continually upgrade for increased improvement every year. With such a great snowmaking system built in from the very beginning Nakiska’s time it ensures great snow coverage throughout the season and is often the first ski resort in Canada to open and close to the last to close.
Okay, what is up with that name? Alberta is the home to the Cree First Nations tribe. Nakiska: (Na-kiss-ka) is a Cree word which means ‘to meet’, chosen to respect the people of the region and to designate the ski 
resort in its birth year as the host of the 1988 Olympic Games. Do you wonder where some of the name of Nakiska runs came from? Check it out on the About Nakiska section on our website.
These days, Nakiska is Calgary’s Closest Mountain and a family favourite, especially with the recent addition of a Tube Park to the base area of the resort. Being driving distance to Canmore, Banff and Lake Louise only add to its vacation appeal and contribute to its great location.
If it’s your first time to Nakiska this winter, read about one family’s experience and get some helpful tips on “Family friendly guide to skiing/snowboarding at Nakiska, Calgary’s Closest Mountain”.
Words by Cali Sammel
Photos by Nakiska, Abbydell Photography and Cali Sammel
- Published in News
