Coming from NZ where our Christmas normally consists of shorts and sandals, BBQs and camping, sunshine and beaches, a white Christmas is something of a novelty. You can only imagine my delight at being told in early 2009 that the family Christmas was to be held in Canada! 

BA’s announcement of their strike over the festive period nearly threw a massive spanner in the works. Not only would the strike have disrupted my trip, it fell exactly on the dates of my outbound and inbound flights. Brilliant! But hey ho….five days before take-off, they pulled the plug on the strike and continued operating as per usual. To say I was relieved would be the understatement of the year.

So away I went… From Calgary to Lake Louise, Jasper and the Marmot Basin to Vancouver and the delights of Whistler, my itinerary was jam-packed full of towns, cities and resorts I have only ever dreamed of. I arrived into Calgary airport in one of the biggest snowstorms they had had all season and was told by the air cabin crew that I was lucky to have made it to Calgary, as all arrivals after mine were being diverted. Phew…another bump in the road averted. I spent one very cold -24°C and uneventful night in one of Calgary’s many airport hotels before waking the next morning to gorgeous blue skies and the most luscious powder I have seen in…well, the most luscious powder I have ever seen and I wasn’t even in the mountains yet.

Transfer. Calgary to Lake Louise via Jasper. 4 hours. Job done.

Arrival into Wonderland

As the coach came around the corner and revealed my home for the next four nights, I was flabbergasted. This place is magical. We were lucky enough to stay in the Chateau Fairmont Lake Louise which couldn’t be in a more ideal location for some of the most stunning views in Canada and only a 15 minute transfer from the Lake Louise ski area.

The view across Lake Louise

Boxing Day saw Mum and I donning our skis and boards and hitting the slopes. Lake Louise is one of North America’s largest ski areas which consists of Lake Louise, Sunshine Village and Banff Mount Norquay (Covered by the Tri-Area lift pass and linked by a free shuttle). Over 7,500 acres or 200 runs of terrain. More than enough to keep you entertained. Having just had a huge dump of snow before our arrival we scored an absolute pearler of a day. Clear blue skies and barely touched powder runs for all….Correctly named and also known as…’Heaven’.

Next Stop…Jasper and The Marmot Basin

Leaving Lake Louise was something I did not enjoy. I loved it there. But onwards and upwards we went…. Destination: Jasper. About a 3 ½ hour coach transfer from Lake Louise and you are smack bang in the middle of downtown Jasper. Having lasted the first four days with incredible weather it was inevitable that it would cloud over at some point and so it did. Temperatures dropped again into the minus 20s and indoors was the preferred option for all…. But off we trotted again after our ‘hassle-free’ boot and board fitting to hit the slopes of the Marmot Basin in Jasper’s National Park. Not quite to the standard and size of Lake Louise but still a fun, and what we found to be, a very popular little resort with the locals. Marmot Basin is host to over 1,675 acres or 86 marked runs on offer. A few lift technicalities and one extended lunch break distracted us from seeing what Marmot really had to offer, but all in all a very enjoyable day!

For non-skiers, or for those days when you just can’t be bothered to don the ski gear, I highly recommend the ‘Maligne Canyon Ice Walk’. About a 3 hour walk for all abilities through the Maligne Valley River….when it’s frozen!! It is incredible and a once in a life time opportunity.  

Holly on the Maligne Canyon Ice Walk

The one that I had been waiting for….

We arrived in Vancouver after an overnight train from Jasper, which in itself is an amazing experience and a thoroughly enjoyable way to travel across such a massive country. Vancouver is approximately 1 ½ hours (if you know the locals) from Whistler. We were picked up at 7am on New Year’s Eve and after another ‘hassle-free’ board and boot fitting, we were on the slopes by 9:30. The resort of Whistler Blackcomb is, for want of a better expression, freaking outstanding!! 8,200 acres or more than 200 trails to explore, you will be well and truly blown away with what Whistler has to offer. With the welcome addition to the world’s longest unsupported cable car, the Peak 2 Peak connects Whistler to Blackcomb giving you easy access to both resorts in 11 minutes. It travels at about 7.5m per second and reaches heights of 436m, so this ride is not for the faint-hearted!

The resort itself is incredible. A range of restaurants to keep all budgets and ages happy, not to mention the shopping!!! There is not much more to say than ‘YOU HAVE TO GO THERE!’.

 It was an incredible trip that will long be a favourite and one to live up to for a long time. Don’t get me wrong….Europe has and will always be a brilliant place to ski which I also love. A lot. But you must, oh you must…at least once in your life go to Canada. Amazing resorts, powder, the friendliest people, maple syrup, buffalo steaks the size of your head and some of the most breath-taking sites your eyes will ever roam across. What more could you ask for?

If you’ve been inspired by any the destinations that Holly visited on her epic trip to Canada then why not give us a call in our London sales office for more information? If you’re lucky, you can ask Holly herself all about it!