Are you ready to swoosh into this year’s ski season?

In this second installment of our three-part series on Alberta’s six world class ski resorts, we give you the inside edge on Marmot Basin in Jasper National Park and in southern Alberta, a powder hound’s heaven known as Castle Mountain. If you missed the first feature on Lake Louise and Sunshine Village, go back to Part 1.  If you just can't get enough, be sure to check out our third feature covering Ski Banff @ Norquay and Nakiska.

Marmot Basin

Big Picture: Poke around the Jasper Yellowhead Museum and you’ll discover that back in 1811, just a few kilometers away from the current townsite of Jasper, was the exact spot where the mighty explorer David Thompson hacked a route across a formidable icefield, en route to the Pacific Ocean. It is now known as Athabasca Pass. Like its historic sister, Banff, the town of Jasper (in Canada’s largest Rocky Mountain National Park), is steeped in history. From fur traders to rail barons, Jasper townsite is loaded with a colourful past and characters keen on living in an authentic, working ski town. Just 20 minutes from Marmot Basin Ski resort, this village is where most skiers are based. As for Marmot Basin, now that the Eagle Ridge area is finished skiers have more extreme offers on runs such as Outer Limits and Cornice.

Bragging Rights: Stunning scenery, more breathing room, no lineups, great places to view wildlife...very much a “real” town.

What’s New: Marmot Basin has beefed up their grooming machines with a new tower of power, the tower winch cat. This tool allows the snow team to groom steeper slopes so that corduroy cruising becomes more swift for skiers, boarders and the groomers, alike. More shuttle buses are also running between the Jasper townsite and the ski resort. With the three year Eagle Ridge expansion totally complete, the terrain now sits at 1,675 acres, from the pre-existing 1,000 acres of four years ago. You’ll discover new runs and some more glade skiing off the new lift. Long branded a family only resort, this latest expansion has helped Marmot Basin diversify its skier base. Much of the new terrain caters to the double black diamond crowd but the wee ones won’t feel neglected with the Magic Carpet and platter lift. Be sure to try out the latest in new toys—snowbikes—which can be rented for half or full days.

Toughest Runs: Terminator, Charlie’s Bowl, Highway 16, Show Off, Cornice Run, Murray's Run.
Easiest Run: Bunny Hop, School House an Old Road.

Where the Locals Hang: In town, at the age-old “AthaB,” as well as the new Downstream and the Whistle Stop.

Cost of a Lift Ticket: For details, check Marmot’s lift tickets, season passes and the ever popular Sunshine/Marmot card.

For the Non-skier: This is one of the advantages of opting to stay in a “real" town. You’ve got superb facilities at the Aquatic Centre (squash courts, water slide, hot tub etc.); ice climbing (there are plenty of qualified guides to hire); the legendary Maligne Canyon Crawl; snowmobiling (just outside the Park); 300 km (146 mi) of nordic ski trails—a third of which are track set; sleigh rides; ice skating; snowshoeing; and heli-snowshoeing.

Freebies: Join a snow host who’ll whiz you around the mountain and you’ll instantly realize how easy Marmot Basin is to navigate. Free tours run at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Many deals have programs where 6 to 12 year-olds ski and rent equipment for free as long as they’re with a full paying adult.

Local Wisdom: For half the month this little village rocks with races, competitions and huge savings during the annual Jasper in January festival. Adult lift tickets are often slashed by 20 to 30 per cent. And local hotels have a “yard sale” on room rates.

Opening Date: Usually late November.

Castle Mountain

Big Picture: Out here, 2.5 hours south of Calgary near the windy town of Pincher Creek, lies a skier’s paradise known as Castle Mountain. The powder is pure with mid week dumps that can last for days. You’ll find powder stashes bigger than condos and a resort that’s refreshingly low key.

Bragging Rights: Skiing at Castle Mountain is not only about being affordable for any budget (read: adult lift tickets are well under $60). It’s about an uncrowded resort with a snow kissed summit that can top 9 m (30 ft) of snow. Plus, it also brags the longest continual fall line in Canada, Lone Star, at 548 m (1,800 ft) vertical, cut at a 37 degree pitch. Its 61 runs include immense bowls of steep, fluff such as the South Chutes and beautiful wooded glades on Northern Exposure.

Even more to brag about? Local Albertan 18 year old Pete Hodgson from Pincher Creek, has become the first person to descend Mount Haig at Castle Mountain Resort in a stunning feat captured on camera and featured in a new Warren Miller film tour. Hodgson answers the elusive question “Where is the Secret Castle” in a 12-minute feature of the same name. His descent of the 3,500 vertical foot drop is all the more impressive when he encounters an unexpected 24 m (79.5 ft) cliff!

What’s New: We had all hoped to see 40 new condos at the base but that project has been slow to start and so we may see just Phase One in time for the 2006/07 season. Along with that expansion is the installation of another lift and new runs, which people are hoping will be ready for the 2006-07 season. But even now Castle Mt. has ski-in/ski-out condos and private homes at the base as well as its three year-old commercial lodge, with 10 hotel rooms and 10 hostel rooms totalling 115 pillows. Sticking with its mandate which is affordability, ski and sleep packages still start at about $60 (for a hostel room). Hotel rooms will average for a $110 a weekend night (double occupancy).

Toughest Runs: Zero and Minus One.
Easiest Run: Rabbit Flats.

Where the Locals Hang: You’ll find the powder hounds at the base, in the T-bar Pub, scarfing back a thin crusted pizza. Rumour has it the T.rex pizza is a big hit amongst carnivores as is the chicken loaded Outlaw. A little further afield is Pure Country in the town of Frank (great for a feed of prime rib) and the Swiss Alpine Restaurant in Pincher Creek (superb fondue) as well as Stella's in Beaver Mines.

Cost of a lift ticket: For details, check Castle’s lift tickets, season passes and mid-week deals.

The Inside Track For the Non-Skier: History buffs should visit the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre (30 mins. away) or the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village (25 mins. away). Cross-country skiers will find a web of track-set trails, just down the valley at a place called Syncline. And snowmobilers will find themselves in heaven, surrounded by 100s of miles of trails between Castle and the Crowsnest Pass.

Freebies: Tour the mountain with a snow host at 10:15 a.m. or 1 p.m. This resort is intimate enough that they’re happy to customize these times as well.

Local Wisdom: Typically February gets the biggest dumps. Be sure you’re here mid week and you’ll feel like you own the place, and all its stashes of powder.

Opening Date: Weekends only in early December, followed by seven days a week, typically mid-December.