1st time skiing in canada

Im a regular skiier in europe but this year were hoping to go to canada with friends in the new year, im a good skier and can cope with french black slopes, but im going with friends who are 2nd time snowboarders, just wondering where would be the best place to accomodate both easy and hard skiing!!!!
we've been told either banff or whistler!!

any advice would be much appreciated :D

Blaze,

Two oprions possible.

Eastern Canada skiing and western Canada

Depending on your priorities and objectives both are great !

What do you want?

Skiing challenge

Social life

Ease of travel

Long runs

Cost / skiing experience

Varied ski centers

Skiing cinditions

You list needs with most important at top.

Pavel

I can highly recommend Whistler. I was there earlier this year and had a great time. There's a variety of terrain. Some easy, some hard and some down-right scary!

Skiing in the west is always a viable option. As Pavel suggests you need to detewrmine what you want. You can go big and very ritzy or small town and local the choice is yours.

My favourites ar of course close to home so I can get ther with in four or five hours drive. Distances are vast in Canadsa and that time is about right for a weekend skiing. I go to Jasper's Marmot Basin for those days. The areas will have all level of runs and enough variance for a day or two, If I'm out longer I am prepared to travel further. Then I go to Banff, Golden or Fernie. All these areas with the exception of Fernie will give you a good varied experience. Fernie is more expert when the snow is hard pack. When the snow's soft Fernie can be easier but you need skills that will enable you to ski deep and steep snow.

Banff has the most areas to choose from wihtin an hour's or so of your hotel. Banff also has night life and day life if you don't want to ski - shops and stuff. Fernie and Golden are hard core skiing and the towns are very small and industrial, This is the Canadian wild after all. The towns are logging and mining centers wiht the rough and tumble edges that that life can bring to a town. Golden has about 5 restaurants and of that I'd eat at two with only one having a wine list as a for instance. That's a shame as BC has some great wines to try out.

Search the www to see what you want. Travel here and rent a car. Going on ski-about. Visit as many areas as your time will allow. You will not be disappointed.

Ciao. James

Vancouver is an amazing place to skii; there's Whistler & then the smaller areas such as Grouse Mountain. Whistler is a great place to stay the weekend or even a few weeks. It has awesome resorts and one of the best landscapes you'll find.

Whistler would be my choice. Great terrain, big vertical and amazing snow. Its really the only resort that will compare to Europe. I would also plan a cat skiing or heli skiing day. Its well worth it.