Like birds to the south, Australian’s ritualistically flock to Canadian resorts each northern winter. With Whistler, Lake Louise and Big White topping out the list for Aussies, we thought we could introduce some lesser-known resorts to your radar that are definitely worth a visit.

Kimberley may not boast massive bowls, double black diamonds or pucker face spines to get your blood racing. It does, however, provide a magical and quiet getaway to provide respite from more crowded resorts. Arriving at Kimberley feels like you’ve been dropped off right in the middle of a perfect little snow globe.

Great for the kids, who you can be sure will be safe on wide-open groomers and no sudden cliffs to drop off. Kimberley received an average of 4 meters of snow in a season, and it’s not surprising its located on the Powder Highway!

The tree-lined runs, open spaces and absence of crowds will make Kimberley feel like home from the moment you arrive. Located just over four hours from Calgary, the closest major city, we love Kimberly Alpine Resort for its old-school ski feel and welcoming, home-away-from-home vibe.

For more information visit https://skikimberley.com/

A little closer to Calgary is Panorama Mountain Resort. A larger scale, picturesque paradise that just happens to be on the Mountain Collective pass! Panorama describes their locale as “where the wild meets warmth and welcome” and we couldn’t agree more!

It’s a mountain resort and an alpine village, tucked inconspicuously into Canada’s striking mountain-scape. Featuring ski-in-ski-out accommodation and dining options for all, Panorama is more than just skiing.

Bosting an impressive 1.3 kilometres of vertical, your legs will be firing by the time you reach the bottom of the lifts. Panorama is the hidden gem that’s greatest strength lays in the lack of crowds. The resort only sleeps about 3000 people, and with almost 3000 acres of terrain, you’re almost guaranteed to have your own space.

Featuring both challenging runs for the experts and chilled groomers for the cruisers, skiers and boarders will have a buffet of options for their time on the hill. We absolutely love Panorama for its accessibility, its laid-back nature and its awesome natural terrain park!

For more information visit https://www.panoramaresort.com/

Their website claims that “Nakisaka is the place to go for guaranteed snow”, and they’re not wrong. Nakisaka Ski Area is well known for a few things, including its extended ski season and its snow making abilities. Also, they hosted the 1988 Olympic Games (remember the Jamaican Bobsled Team? YEAH that was here!!!)

Situated in the Canadian Rockies, we love Nakisaka for its big awe-inspiring features coupled with the stunning and minimal-touristy surrounding region only an hour from Calgary. The drive into the valley makes you feel so small among the huge mountains, it’s easy to forget you’re only an hour from a big city!

Ideal for families looking for a low-key holiday, the international crowds haven’t found Nakisaka yet (maybe I shouldn’t be telling you all about it).This seems to be a theme throughout this piece, but Nakisaka is so uncrowded that the mountain feels like your own. Snow-a-plenty and amazing conditions most of the season, we love the soft moguls, deep snow turns, beautiful covered snow trees and need I repeat, Jamaican Bobsled Team!?

For more information visit https://skinakiska.com/

Fernie has been named as one of the best ski towns in the world, time and time again. The resort, situated in the Canadian Rockies is known for their insane amounts of snowfall! The resort expects an average of 9m of snow annually!

Terrain is spread across more than 2000 acres which boasts huge bowls, ridges and spines as well as deep tree runs, cascading groomers and as always, something for the kids! Fernie to me, feels like an endless adventure. Often you are given the option to ‘choose your own path’ down the hill and due to their huge snowfall, often the run is different every time.

Another great thing about this resort is the historical town of Fernie. Only minutes from the ski area, the main street is a charming ode to skiers of the past, cute coffee shops, restaurants and bars ensure nothing but options for your time in the region.

For more information visit https://skifernie.com/

If you’re an avid watcher of ski movies [check out our movies to watch HERE] you have certainly seen some of Kicking Horse from the comfort of your loungeroom. The resort used to be serviced by helicopter only and now thanks to the addition of a gondola is known as one of the most legendary resorts on the North American continent.

Let me make myself clear, this is no beginners mountain. Not that beginners aren’t welcome but finding oneself amongst a crazy double black diamond, steep chute or exposed bowl isn’t fun for anyone who is unprepared.

Over half of the mountain is rated for experts, this place is known as the ‘champagne powder capital of Canada,’ and is very rarely groomed. Bringing skiers and boarders back to their old school roots, each run is different, every day. If you’re lucky to catch Kicking Horse on a powder day, you’ll find untouched tracks, deep trenches and free-refills all day (truly makes us happy just thinking about it!)

We love Kicking Horse, if you can’t tell, hence saving it for lucky last on the list. But consider yourself warned, Kicking Horse is cold, with temperatures getting down to -30 degrees celsius. The secret of the resort hasn’t been kept as well as others on this list, so be prepared to share a chair with a few others.

So, what are you waiting for? Time to start planning your next Canada trip and add some of these lesser known resorts to your list!

For more information visit https://kickinghorseresort.com/