Oh, small but mighty Norquay! You might not hear as much about this gem as you do its larger siblings in the area, but don’t underestimate its charm or gnarly terrain. While we couldn’t quite access all of the nooks and crannies at the beginning of the season, old-timers regaled us with tales comparing Norquay’s steeps to heli-skiing terrain. I believe them from the looks of it – from ample beginner slopes near the lodge, the mountains rise precipitously into sheer cliffs by the top (which, I’m told, are home to excellent via ferrata routes in the summer).

But beyond the terrain, Norquay just feels like a place you want to ski at. It’s like that mountain you learned to ski on – because it is! From the lodge to the lifts to the smiles you see on everyone’s faces, it’s authentic. Maybe because it’s one of the oldest ski resorts in North America, with its roots dating back to 1926, and was one of the first to put in a chair lift a couple decades later. Plus, it’s so close to Banff that you could practically throw a snowball and hit its charming little downtown, which is great having your home base so close to the slopes.