The province of Alberta is home to several iconic international ski destinations, including Lake Louise, Banff Sunshine Village, and Marmot Basin. But one resort seems to fly under the radar: Castle Mountain, which sits at the southern end of the Canadian Rockies. It often gets overlooked when booking a ski vacation, as this old-school mountain is not the easiest resort to get to-but it is definitely worth the trip.
A midweek storm lays down a solid base, then the Tarentaise (Val Thorens, Tignes, Val d'Isère) reloads again into the weekend, pushing totals to 28-46 cm (11″-18″) in the best spots, while Chamonix can stack 25-43 cm (10″-17″). Snow levels generally hover around 670-1,070 m (2,200-3,500 feet) and frequently dip lower, so precipitation falls as snow at almost all ski elevations.
The mountain wore the murky morning fog like a scarf it hung around her tight neck still and thick; she wagged it back and forth luring us to join her in the dance of clouds that were wrapped around Snowbird like a python on prey. We took the ride. Up Gadzoom; an iron ship with a course set to the mountain's mid-line, knifing through the fog full-steam ahead.
"Snow lovers won't have to wait long for great conditions on the slopes this winter. Some of the best conditions are expected during the first few weeks of the season, with fresh powder, cold blasts and ideal weather to make snow and groom the trails. The heart of the season could be challenging at many mountains, with midseason thaws and long stretches with little snow," AccuWeather® Lead Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok said.