Canada Ski Resorts RANKED - Worst to Best

[@riseandalpine]

Here is additional rationale and the rest of my resort ranking's for Canadian resorts since it is inevitable half of these comments will mention how many I missed. I decided to not include resorts I didn't have footage for or haven't yet skied because it would make for a more boring video and title. I've never skied Ontario or the Maritimes, but spent 5 years skiing in Quebec and Vermont. The Eastern mountains although fun can't compete with BC and Alberta because of lack of snowfall. Even the smaller BC and Alberta hills get nuked more than the Eastern ones. But the East will always have a place in my heart. Canadian Resorts I have not skied (but really want to): Shames Hudson Bay Mountain Cain Powder King Mount Washington Marmot Basin The Rankings For Everything Else I've Skied (in Canada) 18. Manning Park 19. Nakiska 20. Cypress Mountain 21. Sasquatch Mountain (formerly hemlock) 22. Grouse Mountain 23. Mount Seymour 24. Sutton 25. Mont-Sainte Anne 26. Tremblant The rest of Quebec in no particular order that I have skied) (Massif, Mont Saint-Sauveur , Mont Ste. Marie, 
 Owl’s Head, Bromont, Mont Blanc, Mt Orford, Stoneham)

[@YouTubular1234]

@@riseandalpine thanks man!!!

[@choisam20]

That’s crazy you skied st-Anne in Quebec and Le massif and stowe. It’s good that you made this list having skied those ski resorts in the east. I also like that there is no background music in this video.

[@michaelmcknight9394]

Marmot basin is also on my list

[@michaelmcknight9394]

If you ever go to mount Washington you need to line up cold snowy days because it rains a lot there in the winter

[@flareblitz8640]

@@riseandalpine Someday you'll ski the wonders of Manitoba and know what it means to be at the top of a chairlift looking out at a farmer's field.

[@lakelouiseskier]

I love your glass half full approach. Skiing anytime, anywhere is fun. It doesn’t matter what the steepness of the slope is or amount of fresh Pow, there’s an intrinsic joy in a ski gliding across snow. Anytime, anywhere, and I wish more people could feel that same joy.

[@riseandalpine]

Right on brother! Glad to hear you relish in the joy of it all as well.

[@powderdog67]

@@lakelouiseskier if you carry a wide all mountain ski, like a Cochise, a big fat powder ski and a carving ski you can have a blast anywhere. Former lakelouiser 94 to 2003, Golden since then.

[@BoschVoyage]

This shows how amazing Canadian skiing is. So much discussion goes into Utah vs Colorado, meanwhile Canada has so many amazing underrated mountains

[@davisbyer4791]

Don't tell the Americans

[@KZ-yu4jz]

@@davisbyer4791 haha. I found out quickly why Colorado is such a Mecca for skiing. The altitude of the mountains makes a HUGE difference, especially now with odd winters. Skied at Red and Whitewater last year beginning of Feb and the conditions were the worst outwest skiing I have done in 30 years. The terrain looked amazing, especially since I love steep ski runs, but not enough snow and sheets of ice were problematic. The low elevation gave us rain at the end of Jan and beginning of Feb... That is unheard of in the CO, Montana, etc. Flying back to the U.S. I talked to some other people that skied in Colorado and they all said the conditions were good. Don't get me wrong, I will spend more time skiing in Canada, but I will look to go mid winter for at least 7 days in case the conditions are terrible and I can do something else.

[@davisbyer4791]

@@KZ-yu4jz we had an exceptionally poor winter last year until about mid March... Blame El Nino

[@felipe2fp]

@@KZ-yu4jz The only problem is the $400 lift ticket and the absolute impossible housing. Sadly, the nature is also just for rich in this world.

[@garystaudinger9034]

Utah faaaarrrr superior to Colorado for me, but don’t sleep on A-Basin if you’re in Colorado. Fuck Vail

[@stanamies3054]

Glad you included Norquay. What's left of our ski group are all in our mid 70's to and including 80. Norquay offers us all we can now handle and being able to ski mid-week (no line ups) as well as a Seniors deal that isn't and can't be beat by any other resort in the area. We ski Tuesdays starting in Nov. and run right through to last open day in Spring. Love it and will continue until I (we) have no more tomorrows.😊

[@riseandalpine]

Amazing Stan! So stoked to hear that your group of 70+ are all still getting turns in. Such an inspiration. I hope to still be skiing when I'm that age.

[@Mooseshagger1]

Love it too. I used to be a snow maker there and we took advantage of some midnight runs under a full moon with nobody on the hill. That was back in the 80’s though. 😊

[@nommchompsky]

Looking at the terrain from the top of the gondola at Kickinghorse was enough to give my roommate a panic attack. Almost every line starts by falling off a cliff at the top of the world

[@flapjackson6077]

😂 Kicking Horse looks like it’s mostly intimidating. I looked at a map of it and everything from the top is expert runs. I’ve never skied there, but James and Rob doing Dutchman’s Wallet is a crazy vid!

[@riseandalpine]

Is your roommate still your roommate after that?

[@cvn6555]

I was there last February and the view from the top of many runs is no less scary.

[@BeetsByHometownBrew]

Stairway to heaven gets a little tense at the top section, too...First time I was like ohhh man, how the eff I'm I getting down from this idiotic chair...LoL

[@kellylobb5102]

My second time ever (first time in Ontario…. Aka bunny hills out west) took me to the top of kicking horse and said meet you at the bottom and dipped I felt so completely overwhelmed

[@bubbawid6051]

So excited for the new season your the most entertaining ski KZbinr on the internet

[@stankshop]

Agreed, his energy comes through the screen and is more effective than Red Bull!

[@riseandalpine]

You're making me blush hahah

[@johnp-h8896]

Worked as a coach and instructor at best in the West, two mountains that stand out bang for buck, Red and Whitewater. Endless off-piste opportunities no lift lines, now Red has the Topping Creek chair and Whitewater has the new 4 pack on Silver King!

[@riseandalpine]

Red and WH20 are absolutely sick! So amazing that you had the chance to instruct and coach at both. True ski hills!

[@spinlaunchglide]

Your endless enthusiasm inspired me to get a pass for the coming season. How do your guts handle all the hot sauce though?!

[@riseandalpine]

The fact that you are getting obsessed with skiing gets me stoked! That's the reason I do it right there. Not sure how my internal organs look hahaha

[@seanbob99]

Marmot is awesome and will crack the top 10 on your list, maybe even the top 5.

[@riseandalpine]

Can't wait to try it!

[@charliesanders2809]

Having skied around the world on all seven continents (and having skied more than half the mountains in the top 17 BC peaks). I have to say that Whistler Blackcomb, for those who enjoy skiing in the rain, is the best in the world. If you love soaking rain, like, at least three times a week, this is the place you want to be! And there's even better news! The altitude of the coast range is low enough so that within a couple of years, the rain-snow line will actually be above the summit of both mountains. In other words you'll be able to enjoy trying to see Black Tusk through drizzle on basically a daily basis. The best part of the entire experience, though, is that the Vail corporation hires only BC employees who can't distinguish rain from other meteorological conditions. This allows them to recite the resort mantra "this week is really unusual--we never get rain like this" to every customer on the 40 minute lift-lines virtually every week, with a straight face. You don't get that kind of service everywhere, you know!

[@riseandalpine]

I'm having a great laugh hahaha. No joke... We are way to used to the rain as BC locals LOL. Real glass half full mentality out here.

[@JamesKovacsAgedstock]

I really agree with this list with the exception that it details top line skiing. We still need the Sun Peaks for the families

[@riseandalpine]

Sun Peaks is the #1 family resort for sure. I always have a blast there.

[@garystaudinger9034]

I’ve been everywhere Here’s My Top 10: 1) Whistler 2) Kickinghorse (Golden is also getting to be much nicer of late, it use to be a dump of a town it’s not anymore, might be number one soon, plus no beginners around) 3) Sunshine (can’t beat The Dive and Wildwest, also best Chair Selection in World. Heated Quads instead of going to clubhouse, yes please. Banff apes Ski please, but staying on the mountain is also incredible) 4) Fernie (Mountain has always been the same, but the towns exploded last decade as funky as Nelson now) 5) Revelstoke (when it dumps it’s the best resort in Canada, like everyone in Calgary books a week off and leaves when snows a coming at Revy and puts up with a 24 Hour drive back home with closed off highways, it’s so good) 6) Red Mountain (great town around it surprised more don’t make the trek, super advanced as well so no noobs) 7) Whitewater (it’s catching Red Mountain for me with the new chairs it might have, plus Nelson is the best Ski Town in Canada by far) 8) Louise (I’ve been there on plenty of dump days and it might have best run in Canada at top of the rarely opened peak tow with the greatest view in maybe the world. Plus locals know all the Hidden Spots like “Rock Garden” a boulder pillow rock run that you can just lap all day, but most don’t find it. 9) Panorama (hiking the Goldie Plateau and Tayton Bowl right of the top chair are just a blast, apparently they’re also expanding in a few years and let’s face it getting drunk with everyone in the communal hot tubs is just as fun. Plus go to Kickinghorse for a day when you’re there like a 1.5 Drive) 10) Big White (being so close to Kelowna makes up for a lot, best Snow Bunnies anywhere outside of Europe) HM: Castle Mountain (love the chutes and such a laid back feel. Makes me miss Fortress Mountain) Top. 10 USA 1. Park City/Deer Valley 2. Snowbird/Alta 3. Jackson’s Hole 4. Aspen 5. Telluride 6. Sun Valley 7. Breckenridge 8. Mount Hood 9. Tahoe 10. Whitefish HM: A-Basin HM2: Brighton Go to Utah in normal season if you’re doing a full winter and then go to Colorado later year the altitude keeps the snow longer, but Utah gets sooooooooo much better snow and is way more fun. Park City is the best Ski Town in North America. Think like a laid back Whistler where the rich haven’t totally invaded.

[@riseandalpine]

You really have skied it all. Seems like we have a somewhat similar list. Stoked to see if my rankings of the US mountains is similar.

[@dayceem]

You're pretty much bang on dude. Found me one of those snow bunnies in Kelowna. ha ha. (mmm couch cuddling). Agreed, Nelson and Park City the best ski towns. Telluride used to also be good. Never have I seen bluer skies than at Sun Valley. Jackson Hole goes to the top of my list. The Hobacks on a good day - helicopter skiing without the helicopter. 'No' to Vail?

[@NikBoriskin]

Great list, time to cross the pond and ski the Alps. Drastically different, but a lot of fun too.

[@CmanCorporations]

Best Snow Bunnies... hha someone must have had a good time there last ;)

[@nicholasmarriott8656]

Hi. I was a ski bum. I lived in Whistler back in the day and skied all of the resorts on your list except Kimberly and Castle. Last year we hit a resort east of Quebec city called Le Massif. Looking at your list I think we think alike so I'd say if you skied Le Massif you would probably award it a spot on your list as high as 10th spot. Le Massif is a real mountain with gobs of snow. The verticle is the highest in eastern north America. But what makes it so special is not just the culture but the View. The whole mountain faces 50 mile wide St laurence river. The base is a rocks throw from the water. While skieng you observe ships navigating the shipping chanel. Baluga whales are observed although I did not see any! A new ski in/ ski out Club Med just opened so see if you can hit it this coming season. Cheers

[@riseandalpine]

I've skied Massif as I lived in Quebec for 5 years. It's an awesome resort for sure. I never experienced pow there but google says it gets 645cm a season, that's some real snow for sure. Might be worth another visit if I ever find myself out east again.

[@nicholasmarriott8656]

@@riseandalpine I think it would make for an interesting episode for your channel. Very different visuals.....sea food etc..

[@th3oryO]

Try Castle. But don't bring your friends.

[@santalopiantubes]

​@@th3oryObring your friends, but make sure to tell everyone else how bad it is

[@NikBoriskin]

Le Massif is about 660m of vertical, on par with Tremblant, MSA and way below Whiteface (over 1km of vert). If you climb on that man made hill (I was told by ski patrol dude they made it so Massif would have enough vertical for potential Winter Olympics in Quebec City) - you can get to 700-710m of vertical.

[@itwasfresh5261]

Hi, I've been subscribed for a while now and you honestly have such high quality content and character that I constantly find myself forgetting you don't have hundreds of thousands of subscribers or even millions. You seriously have some of the best ski content on this platform and I just wanted to say keep it up and I know if you do, it will pay off big time!

[@riseandalpine]

I really appreciate that and needed some extra motivation today! I put my all into my videos and growth is very slow compared to other channels. I love to entertain and it's all worth it when my skis touch snow. We've got a big winter ahead and I'm excited to see what happens!

[@tw227]

Great preface, No bad days, Only bad attitudes.

[@riseandalpine]

100%

[@REDCEDAR7]

I grew up in Whistler and live near Red and Whitewater now. I still ski whistler occasionally and don’t really enjoy it anymore. I don’t even care too much about the lineups the issue I have is there’s so many people on the mountain that I feel like I am in the city when I’m skiing there.

[@riseandalpine]

Makes sense! Going from the chillest mountains in Canada with unreal terrain to the final boss gongshow that is whistler hahaa

[@TheBen418]

honest rating by far! 1- blackcomb whistler 2- kicking horse 3- banff sunshine

[@riseandalpine]

Glad you feel similar about some of the best hills!

[@williamtroost6663]

I agree with Revy. It was pretty cool but something was missin for me too. Glad to see Kicking Horse get so much deserved love. Almost surprised you didn't have it at #1. Never seen you that stoked in a video as when you rode there.

[@riseandalpine]

Kicking Horse is pretty much my #1 hahaha. Love that place.

[@garystaudinger9034]

The town of Golden is also really making a come back, which makes Kickinghorse even better. Golden used to be a dive, but know quite a few people who’ve moved there from Calgary recently. As Canmore and Banff are just inobtainable.

[@anonymous134y]

revy is really the only resort that has whistler-like potential it just needs more infrastructure. Add like 5 more lifts... It's in a great mountain range with so many bowls south/montana, and 1700m vert with dry snow. Stick a couple of european apres chalets around the peaks (convert them to multi-day hike mountain refuges in the summer).

[@chrismacgillivray]

Solid list. I might adjust a few up or down but think you nailed it.

[@riseandalpine]

Glad you have a similar feel!

[@Jobama]

Castle is my favourite, I’ve never seen consistent steepness like the chutes. On a powder day they are epic, and a few days after a powder day there’s still fresh lines in the far chutes. Those are also just my favourite sort of thing to ski-steep, deep, super long fall line with the occasional cliff to jump-so I’m a bit biased. Agree with your assessment of Revy. I finally got there for the first time last winter and was pretty underwhelmed. There’s some epic stuff you can hike into but the lift setup is clearly optimized for max vertical, not for what best services the hill. Any other resort would have built a road up to the day lodge a third of the way up, but at Revy they built it at the valley bottom so they could brag about vertical in their marketing. Maybe in 20 years when they’ve built out more lift infrastructure I’d go back (assuming we actually still get snow then). Still never made it to Whistler and Red, they’re on the bucket list for sure (well, Whistler will be if I ever start making a livable wage).

[@Jobama]

Also had a fun time at Marmot one year when nowhere at lower elevation had any snow in February

[@riseandalpine]

So jealous you've had a full on Castle pow day! I think you would especially love Red. Whistler is super busy so you might feel overwhelmed if you're used to the chill vibes at Castle. I really want to try Marmot!

[@BeetsByHometownBrew]

@@riseandalpine My guy, this winter we have unrestricted lift at Castle. We plan on making the trek to Red at the top of list. Hopefully get at least a day at Golden. We did roll through Rossland a few years ago while we were in Nelson, but didn't end up clicking in. After your reviews, Red moved to the top. Whistler still is a hard sale for me, because I'm spoiled with no crowds, although Fernie does get busy on weekends, and pow days. It's day 2 & 3 out from a pow day at Fernie where you get the goodies. Castle you get the goodies, as soon as it snows, and you're still skiing untracked pockets 4 & 5 days on...

[@dayceem]

​@@Jobama Yeah, Marmot didn't suck.

[@stankshop]

Great to see some love for KHMR! I almost wondered if you were about to put it above WB.

[@riseandalpine]

I might have too If I visit a couple more times!

[@seanogorman7330]

Def above Whistler and No.1 for gnarliest resort ever

[@emmakent3105]

I'm spending the season at Kicking Horse this year so this video has got me feeling pretty smug about my decision 😏 (Thanks so much for all your other great vids on Kicking Horse too, I'm so hyped to go explore it!)

[@riseandalpine]

You are most definetly going to leave a way better skier than when you arrived. You'll have no choice hahaha

[@emmakent3105]

@@riseandalpine I'm beginning to sense that the first few weeks are going to be a humbling experience for me 😆

[@CanadianHardwoodPro]

I find Whistler Blackcomb a great big beautiful resort. The lineups and traffic just take so much away from the experience. Thanks for the review!

[@riseandalpine]

I totally agree! It's funny how Whistler is the best but also the absolute worst at the same time.

[@senorash]

Agree! If you live there then totally, but if you travel for it and hit a pow day with the lineups, it’s absolutely brutal. I’m surprised at sunshine tbh, the snow is so insanely inconsistent and bad last couple of years

[@joumyu3837]

Last time I was this early, it hadn't snowed in Banff yet

[@riseandalpine]

Love it!

[@AlexandreRochonBelec]

Great video!! My top 5 in BC / AB: 1. Revy 2. Red Mtn 3. Whistler / Blackcomb 4. Louise 5. KH

[@riseandalpine]

Red & Revy a deadly BC combo for sure!

[@slowdeath3856]

I ski and snowboard, and I've been lucky enough to get to a few places in my life. I'll try to play along. Worth noting that I'm often with folks that aren't necessarily looking to push themselves too far, so it's nice if a mountain has some intermediate variety for them. For Canada, I only have experience at the following mountains, and I'd put them in this order: 1. Whistler 2. Fernie (great snow, great terrain, limited intermediate options, limited vert) 3. Kicking (terrain is absurd, but make sure you're with people that want to go hard. Intermediate terrain is very limited) 4. Lake (great place, but also the coldest place on earth) 5. Kimberley (purely intermediate hill, but really fun for that) 6. Nakiska (to be fair it was a low snow day) 7. Pass Powderkeg (tiny and not much snow, but honestly I had tons of fun) US is gonna be hard and controversial, but I'll do what I can 1. Alta It's ski only which is a bit of a bummer but makes sense when you realize how much time you'll spend traversing. Still, the snow is unmatched. 2. Winter Park This won't be a popular choice, but I think it's one of the best possible places with a group of mixed levels, it's the best bumps in the biz, it's only busy on Saturday, and the Vasque Ridge zone added some needed terrain. Good flow for the most part. 3. Palisades Tahoe Closest to Kicking Horse I've seen in the states for bonkers terrain. Snow can be iffy, and I don't love the flow of the mountain, but the terrain is just wacko. 4. Mt. Batchelor Another controversial pick here, but when the full 360 is on the backside is one of the most unique places you can possibly ski. True advanced terrain is definitely missing, and the flow can fall apart, but I love the backside so much. Unfortunately it's not open all that much. 5. Jackson Hole Cons: Pain to get to, expensive as hell, crowds. Pros: You already know. 6. Snowbird Same snow as Alta, allows snowboarding, but again I don't love the flow. 7. Park City Don't like the vibe, and it doesn't have the snow of the other Utah resorts, but it's gotta a ton of possible lines. 8. Crested Butte Great for advanced, limited for intermediates, hard to get to, medium snow 9. Breckenridge Town is great, mountain is pretty solid, crowds are brutal, but the worst thing is that I've never skied or boarder anywhere with less safety conscious people on the slopes. Head on a swivel 24/7/365. Famous places I haven't been: Aspen, Vail, Mammoth Place I loved but only been in the spring with limited terrain: A-Basin Place I've been but so long ago I don't feel comfortable rating: Big Sky, Grand Targhee, Keystone, Baker, Crystal, Copper Bonus Round, other continents 1. 3 Vallées Probably the best place I've ever been. Completely insane scale, tons of terrain. Even some trees, which is rare over there, but nothing like Canada or the US in that regard. The size, views, and vibe are unmatched though. 2. Sella Ronda in Italy Not really a single resort, but what an incredible experience 3. Niseko Great snow, extremely Australian, lots of lift closures. Place I've been but so long ago I don't feel comfortable rating: Val-d'Isère, Les Diablerets, Chamonix, Grandvalira All time top 5: 1. 3 Vallées 2. Whistler 3. Alta 4. Fernie 5. Winter Park Whew.

[@riseandalpine]

Dude. Thank you for writing this out, It's actually super helpful for my trip planning! Unbelievable that you have been able to explore so many of the top resorts in the world! You've got me stoked to get out there and explore this winter. Any ideas on strategies on how to make the US trips more affordable?

[@slowdeath3856]

​@@riseandalpine Happy if it can be of any help! The downside of growing up far from a ski mountain is pretty obvious, but the upside is the you can kinda go wherever you want. Luckily my parents were total ski hounds even though we lived in a place without snow, and they travelled a bunch for work so I got to hit up a ton of rad mountains. Mom is a French history prof, which explains the Euro places. I did a ski/snowboard instructor course at Fernie, so I got to know that place pretty well. Was actually planning to move to the mountains and teach, but covid killed that plan. Maybe in the future... Anyway, as for doing it on a budget, what we did growing up was just stay about an hour away from the hill and eat the milage. Of course, I'm old so gas was cheaper, parking was cheaper, so on and so forth. Still, with a bunch of these places it's feasible to commute from a bigger town. All the main Utah options are a fairly short drive from Salt Lake, particularly if you can do it on a weekday with low traffic. Colorado resorts are more of a haul, but you can definitely round trip from Denver if you do it during the week. Weekends will be hell on the roads in both places. Pow days will also get crazy. Still, most of these drives will be shorter or similar to what you do from Van to Whistler. If you're flying in to Denver and not driving, which might save you some cash, the Summit County resorts (Keystone, Breck, A-Basin, Copper (which I forgot to list but didn't love)) are all on a free shuttle if you are staying in the area. Could get a shuttle from the airport and then take the bus to all the different places, although it's not exactly light speed. Unfortunately they aren't all on the same ski pass, so you'd need Epic and Alterra to hit them all. summitcountyco.gov/services/transit_summit_stage/bus_schedule/winter_bus_schedule.php The UTAH TRANSIT AUTHORITY SKI BUS might be helpful too, but I confess I've never used it. www.rideuta.com/News/2023/11/Ski-Bus-2023-2024 As for tickets, it's basically a case of picking your pass. With Whistler being on Epic that means you could target Breck, Keystone, Crested, and Park City. Crested is pretty far from anywhere, but you can make all the others cheaper with driving/buses. I'm not up to date on the hostel situations in those places, but I've had luck with that before. Same for camping I'm afraid. I'm usually with family that doesn't wanna get to rustic! 3 Vallées is actually really cheap to ski compared to NA if you can work out the transport. Epic gets you 7 days, there's a bazillion options for lodging, and food is WAY cheaper. I'd kill to see you do a video from there. haha. FWIW at your level of skiing I'd focus on Alta/Snowbird (they are connected), Jackson, A-Basin, Crested Butte, and Palisades in the US. I think they'd be closer to what you enjoy skiing than something like Winter Park. Although with trees... haha. Many options out there. Telluride has a bunch of crazy hike-to terrain, but I can't speak to it personally. Silverton would be right up your alley I suspect with your back/slack country experience as well. Hope any of that helps! And I appreciate the videos my guy. I find most ski vloggers out there kinda weird...sometimes I'm not sure they love skiing. Never a question with you!

[@danhodgins4015]

I am Canadian, but grew up skiing and snowboarding at Mount Baker in Washington State. In '98 or '99 Baker had the world record for snowpack at a ski resort. They had to dig out the chairlifts in certain places because the lifts couldn't run due to snow drifts or snowfall being in the way. I have had way more incredible powder days at Baker than Whistler (though my Baker days far outweigh Whistler days to be fair). Now we live in the Okanagan and have Silverstar season's passes, so we can't wait to get to know this underrated mountain that happens to be the 3rd biggest ski resort in BC in terms of skiable acres! We work remotely and live 35-40 mins from the Silverstar parking lot, so weekday powder laps will be a thing!

[@seanogorman7330]

Baker is the best mountain ever and I've been to almost all the ones he reviewed. Silverstar unfortunately blows. Terrible layout. not enough snow, all moguls or groomers. Virtually no rock or cliffs and super long groomers taking you back to the chairs kind of like Whistler mtn. Big White out is way better if you can get a day it's not socked in.

[@riseandalpine]

Baker is one of a kind for sure! Can't say I agree with Sean. I think you've wound up in an awesome spot. I've got a friend who lives on the hill up to the resort as well and absolutely loves it. Everyone's preferences are different and honestly I like long groomers and bumps. To be honest, long term, I don't see myself jumping off cliffs and rocks when I'm older hahaha. Just stoked to be turning and skiing a place that isn't too busy.

[@dayceem]

Yeah, the one time I tried for Baker, that was my experience. The lifts were all snowed in. I'd love to get there though. In lieu of skiing, I was introduced to some of the best pan fries ever at a little eatery down the road!

[@jean-martincourchesne4023]

That's a pretty fair ranking. I was a bit surprised that you put Baldy on the list but I get it. I found a rental up there for the winter, having never skied it and I loved it so much that I just bought a place and moved there permanently! I do miss a high speed chair every once in a while but I feel like I have the mountain to myself almost every day!

[@riseandalpine]

You moved to Baldy! That's such a sick spot to call home!

[@jean-martincourchesne4023]

@@riseandalpine so stoked. I live closer to the lift than the morning line up at a lot of big resorts!

[@dayceem]

Lucky you. My one time at Baldy was very pleasant - super chill.

[@MichaelGilbert-c3n]

Loved kicking horse in the cdn west, Jackson hole in the US for gnarly steeps. Enjoying your vid’s keep ‘‘em coming

[@riseandalpine]

I want to try Jackson so bad!

[@cvn6555]

Similar places. Been to KH this last winter but to JH many times. Big, steep, challenging terrain. Very little in the way of apres or amenities. Keeps away the jet set and those just showing up to ski a few runs then shop and party. Mostly serious, skilled skiers. Like that vibe a lot. I take the wife to Vail.

[@th3oryO]

​@@cvn6555 which did you prefer between KH and JH?

[@cvn6555]

@@th3oryO Tough question. I was to JH 4-5 times and to KH once and it was a lousy snow year. I think if you want to ski a lot of really hard terrain and challenge yourself then JH. It's also really easy to get laps with the tram going from the bottom to very top in 12 minutes. KH is much tougher to get around but if you are looking to ski insane chutes and very steep faces, go there. There is very little in the way of entertainment at the base and almost nothing in the town. It is criminally underdeveloped but it's not a place you could ever take the family.

[@FerpiliciousProducts]

Marmot Basin in Jasper National Park is fantastic. Gets an extremely long season (November to late May typically). Stays cold and the snow stays consistent. Lots of steep and great glades, awesome chairlift architecture. It's just far from everything.

[@riseandalpine]

Really want to try Marmot this year!

[@SkiBikeBoys]

really enjoyed this video, never skied in canada but whistler or the big 3 are bucketlist for sure

[@riseandalpine]

Both are worthy of a trip! Big 3 is more affordable and pretty damn cool. You can also link Kicking Horse in a day trip too with a rental car

[@SkiBikeBoys]

@@riseandalpine honestly the chances of me making it to canada anytime soon our low 🤣 someday i will get there, some day

[@KC-2049]

I worked at Lake Louise and at some point we got 30 cm of snow one night, and then 20 cm the next. patrol opened some new terrain on the second day so it was a 50+ cm day ripping those trees on the backside under Ptarmigan lift... can confirm it was legenary, killed snowboarding anywhere else and in any other conditions for me lol also I want to love Kicking Horse, but the lift access is just kind of ass. I used to get so tired of having to ride out right the way back down to the gondola base through like 18 miles of moguls to go back to the top.

[@riseandalpine]

I can't imagine how cold and perfect 50cm at Louise would be. Hopefully I can line a LL day like that up in my lifetime.

[@tristancleary]

Nice list man! You know I'm bias like you for whis but honestly everywhere else you go you're like "this place is sick!!! If only it had [insert something] it'd be as good as whistler! I agree on revvie. Didn't grab me or my friends either. My BC list in order is 6. Sun peaks 5. Revvie, 4. Whitewater 3. Red mountain 2. Kicking horse (so so good) and 1. Whistler. Keep up the good work legend. Looking forward to yelling at you off a chair sometime soon.

[@riseandalpine]

You know how I think. Every resort is the 'best ever' just love the sport so damn much. Your list is super fair. Nice to see Sun Peaks so high, it's truly one of the best all rounders. Looking forward to your yell from the chair.

[@HawgRiderBC]

Whistler used to be my favorite mountain, but after getting a seasons pass there last year, I was extremely disappointed. The ridiculous lift lines, the huge crowds on even weekdays. I couldn't believe how fast everything was skied out on a powder day. Not to mention the absolutely insane hotel prices and 290 a day lift tickets? I bought a seasons pass at Mount Washington again this year. It's not a great mountain but acceptable. The snow is frequently wet, but what it lacks in quality makes up for in quantity.

[@riseandalpine]

Totally fair! The Whistler experience can be very frustrating and requires immense amounts of patience. Standing around on weekends or weekdays is no fun. We all stick around for those good days, but man oh man... The bad days are starting to come more and more

[@HawgRiderBC]

@riseandalpine I'd rate Mount Washington over any of the Vancouver local mountains, it's only issue is the elevation. It needs a couple more thousand feet 😎 I've yet to ski Cain, but I've heard great stories.

[@qiaofeng38]

agree mostly with this list..always love sunshine as home resort..love fernie and kicking horse...whistler is great but the minus point for us is just the long line and crowds

[@riseandalpine]

It's cool you feel the same about some of these resorts! It's honestly hard to actually recommend Whistler as a vacation destination spot due to the horrible lines

[@DaleMcGregor]

@@riseandalpine Give your legs another 25 years and see how high you rate a westcoast mountain. The weight of the snow in Whistler vs. any of the interior mountains is signficant once you add a few years to your knees. Red Mountain has some chutes and trees (out of bounds) that are hard find anywhere else. The steeps and the powder depth make you feel like you're flying - weightless carving in chest-high pow. I've never been able to match that feeling at Whistler.

[@neverforgettr2276]

Great review man. How much you like the mountains really comes through. Cheers brother.

[@riseandalpine]

Glad my love for mountains and the sport really comes through. Stoked you liked the vid.

[@FritzFrank]

OMG you mentioned Beaver Valley in Ontario in the intro, it almost makes me feel like a real skier. 😜😂🤣

[@riseandalpine]

If you ski , you're a skier! Even more so if you ski the Beav!

[@prisonmike4717]

I was stunned when he said beaver valley 😅😅 I lived 20 minutes from there growing up

[@dansprague2]

Beaver Valley is a great example of getting the most out of small vertical. Glade skiing, one of the steepest runs in eastern Canada, cruisers etc. It's about as good as it gets in Ontario. I've heard that Searchmont, near Sault Ste Marie is pretty decent with, for Ontario, a lot of snow.

[@joannovak4675]

I agree with your rankings and YES WB is the heavyweight for terrain and vibe. KH, Red , Revi, WW, SS, and Castle are some of my Top Faves too! 🎿⛷️⭐️

[@riseandalpine]

100%

[@deweydogstudios1568]

I went to red in December a few years ago and it sucked! Over half was closed and there was no snow anywhere! I definitely saw the potential I just didn’t get to ski it. On another note, not too far from BC is crystal mountain in Washington, and that is such a fun resort! It’s huge too, you really need 3 full days of skiing to experience it because it’s 7 or 8 mountains with so much backcountry and off piste skiing and the on piste skiing is so much fun too. Please check it out if you get the chance. The other resorts in the area are fun too but that’s the best one. Mt. Baker gets a ton of snow so I would recommend that too although they are all fun. Besides those, I have been to whistler, big white, silverstar, snowbird, Alta, and solitude. Of course Utah is great I had a blast getting first chair on a pow day into honeycomb canyon and some other runs at solidtude, and another rope drop at Alta. When I was younger I hated whistler because I wasn’t good enough to ski high up and it rained a lot on the lower mountain but now I love it. Big white is also one of my favorites but I can confirm the visibility sucks. I also go to silverstar for a week every year around Christmas and freaking love it! This last year the backside was mostly closed but we had one 11 cm day and that was great. I have had some huge days there in the past and the village is also so great too. You gotta love silverstar. I completely agree with this list and I am super exited for some American resorts and also for this ski season! Sadly I moved for school to New York but I will be trying out mont tremblanc and some others and I am trying to go back to Seattle area after a semester or go to Utah and try and get some good snow I can feel this year to be a good one! Great vid hope you have some pow days!

[@riseandalpine]

I moved away for school too! But, great thing, you'll always come back to somewhere with good mountains when you settle down and get that job. Noted on Crystal! Really eager to try that place.

[@tpurves]

@deweydogstudios1568 Crystal is my home mountain and Red is where I visit every year. Last year the whole PNW season sucked though. Feb was a washout with rainstorms. By March, Crystal was unskiable on any day (even a Wednesday) if there was fresh snow, just massive overwhelming crowds desperate to use their ski pass before year ran out. Snow season wasn't any better at Red, but the total lack of lift-lines and crowds made all the difference.

[@tower3762]

Reds snow has sucked for the past few years. I had a pass there for nearly 6 years and after 2022 I never bothered to get another because whenever I got up to the mountain there was very little snow and it was packed. Unfortunatly red is no longer a local secret

[@jond1915]

Earned a sub with that honest and accurate take on revy’s overrating

[@riseandalpine]

No affiliated with anyone or any mountain so happy to always give my honest takes. Thank you for the sub, really helps me do what I do and still manage to put food on the table.

[@2and20]

Great list! Although I think Whistler is the best mountain on earth, the crowds make it unbearable. Also, I personally think Revie should be higher, but can absolutely see where you are coming from. Lastly, happy to see that none of the East Coast mountains made the list. Any time I see those mountains on any list, I immediately discredit it. Hard to compare big mountains with big snow, to tiny hills with tons of ice.

[@riseandalpine]

Whistler can be totally unbearable.... When you hit those weekdays with sleeper pow, blue sky's and no people. It is heaven. Webcam's make it harder these days. But the terrain and snowfall is hard to beat. Laughing my ass off at your east coast comment. I totally agree. When you see a list with Tremblant as #5 in Canada you always have to wonder who payed who in the marketing department.

[@KZ-yu4jz]

What about Le Massif? Hitting that up this year, hoping it will be alright

[@2and20]

@@KZ-yu4jzI’ve been. If you’ve grown up out east I guess it’s fine but if you’re from the west it’s garbage.

[@BeetsByHometownBrew]

@@KZ-yu4jz I've had a couple good days there. Lots of vert for an east coast hill, plus great views. It's also a bluff hill so parking is at the top. Cold. Bring your heavy layers. I could see it being awesome on a pow day.

[@delta9jms]

Only been to whistler blackcomb on that side of Canada and I agree. It’s amazing. Summit county Colorado locations are in my next 2-4

[@riseandalpine]

I want to check out CO too!

[@AlexanderWootten-b3y]

Revelstoke just gets so much snow compared to other resorts in the area also they had some of the best groomers I've ever seen

[@riseandalpine]

Totally! Their groomers are pretty damn nuts. Some of the longest ever. TBH my top 7 on this list are pretty darn interchangeable.

[@mrsi4mon]

I love your positive approach to ranking these! Skiing is always a good time no matter what, and it really is the approach you take that helps make the experience. Although I am new to BC and have only skied about 5 or 6 of the resorts on your list, I have to agree that Kicking Horse and Whistler/Blackcomb have got to be the best 2 resorts I have ever skied. I am a diehard for Kicking Horse and can't get enough of it. I know people complain about the hiking sections of the resort, and the fact it only has a signle Gondola, but the terrain is just too much fun to be matched. I ski Whistler a lot more than any other resort just because it's close to me, but I would say Kicking Horse has to be my favourite. It's also the first Western Canadian ski resort I skied at so that also probably has a part to play with just the "wow factor" of skiing in the Rockies for the first time.

[@riseandalpine]

Kickinghorse is nuts. I can't get enough of it either.

[@Canadian737]

definitely give biggie another try on a clearish day!

[@riseandalpine]

Of course I will! Big White is legend.

[@steveschijns3204]

Big Whiteout from Nov to mid Feb. Everything is great after that.

[@daveg7172]

Lived in Sunshine for a week, powder every day to wake up to with freshies, it was sick. Louise was my hill, from the rock gardens to the trees, back side and the ERs. Powder pilling up on our laps a few times. Too few lives to catch in all. Marmot had lots. Fortress was small, with tree and gullies runs, (the "Air Force" trained there) I had a floor for 10 bucks a night. We could have had 50 people in there. too bad it closed. Panorama was a little commercial, Kimberley was nice. Fernie was raining cats and dogs, couldn't see the top. I guess above the clouds was fine, but we were soaked before we got lift tickets so no...

[@eggfriednoodle]

kicking horse hits hard, was there once when it snowed 2 meters in a day. Probably the best day skiing i have ever had.

[@riseandalpine]

2 meters in a day???? Holy balls

[@eggfriednoodle]

@@riseandalpine yes they were very holy that day

[@garystaudinger9034]

I don’t get why everyone I know in Calgary drives further to go to Revy, I just go to Kickinghorse (Or Fernie, Redwater) every time.

[@DavePreissl]

Kicking Horse has never in its history had 2m in a day

[@DavePreissl]

​@@riseandalpinenever happened

[@charliekarlowsky6921]

Sunshine is top 3 for me, since the late 80’s. we used to go with our school ski trip.

[@riseandalpine]

Sick!

[@sLeeKfck]

1-whitewater 2-red 3-revy 4-fernie 5-kicking horse. I'm all about the slack country, pillow lines and pure true old school ski resorts.

[@BeetsByHometownBrew]

You gotta ski Castle if you're down with the old school, my dude...It's a sleeper.

[@riseandalpine]

That checks out! Whitewater's slack is dope for sure. How was the flow with the new chair this season??

[@maruyama5067]

shhhh. lol

[@shak535]

Whitewater sucks man , you don't want to go there .

[@DavidKnox-e4s]

stfu bro don;t tell everyone :P

[@jesc1968]

Like others commented, I loved the intro attitude, "No bad ski days, just bad attitudes." Admittedly, I have only been to about half the resorts on your list, but it seems about right to me. Some day I will make it to Whistler. Had a trip planned and booked once, but then a pandemic got in the way. I'm a prairie boy, so any "real" skiing is 8 hours away minimum. My buddy and I have been skiing Alberta and BC together for more than 40 years. We love powder, steeps and trees but our real love are the bumps. So I want to give a shoutout to Sunshine and Lake Louise. At Sunshine, the bump run off the summit is so perfect. You can ski volkswagens, small rollers or a groomer side by side. Lake Louise Paradise chair gives the longest, steepest bump run I have ever skied.

[@riseandalpine]

Stoked you're a fan of bumps. Not many bump lovers left these days. That Paradise bump run is sick! And the views when you look up too. WOW

[@scottkelly5599]

Road tripped these in 2023, ranking them: 1. Fernie - it has everything. Town is vibes! 2. RED - also has everything, but is a bit smaller, and slower chairs. 3. Revelstoke - unreal skiing, but the layout is strange. 4. Whistler Blackcomb - epic, but the lines suck. I get why it's your #1 if you're local. 5. Sunshine - other than Delerium and Goat's Eye it's so flat. 6. Lake Louise - 80 cm base in the middle of Feb. Need I say more?

[@riseandalpine]

Super fair ratings! I do agree with Sunshine being flat. If you remove the Dive, Wild West and Goat's Eye, it would definetly be number 7 or so for me.

[@BrendanCotton]

Agree about silverstar being underrated, especially the backside. Also a big plus about the interior BC resorts is the lack of -30C days

[@riseandalpine]

Yup! So many positives.

[@ainekoaineko1733]

Totally agree! Revelstoke sucks, don’t come! Next time your out find a local, there’s amazing slack but you really need to know where you’re going!! Then if we could get in at more like #10 next year that would be great! Cheers

[@riseandalpine]

I agree. The slack is great. Resort for the average everyday non backcountry skier leaves something to be desired. At least for me :). I'll lower the ranking for ya next year to keep things quiet!

[@joeschannel246]

Hard agree with Revy. Long lines, little lift infrastructure, lots of traversing, was not the vibe we were expecting. Left early and went to Red and didn't want to leave.

[@riseandalpine]

Red>Revy is an absolute no brainer! Revy just gets so much damn hype it would be hard for it to actually live up to it. I'm sure locals have a very different perspective.

[@00jknight]

@@riseandalpine I've been to Red and Revy. I had a great time on skis at Red, but the snow at Revy is the best I've ever been in, other than a couple huge powder days in taynton bowl in panorama's backside... I wonder if its a snowboard/skier thing... I think Revy might be more of a snowboarder mountain...

[@santalopiantubes]

Great vid, agree with the rankings for the most part. Castle I just love, what a hidden gem. Fernie terrain is so diverse and sick. Hard to beat a pow day at Fernie. Kicking is so gd steep inbounds and when it has powder it's pure thrills. Sunshine I'm not a fan of, always had medicre experiences there growing up. So much ice. Lake Louise is just special. Needs snow to even consider going. Those star wars trees are trippy as hell. W/B I'll only go on pow weekdays and a pow weekday at Whistler..oh man. So much fun and a two hour drive from the city. The boss understands pow days.

[@riseandalpine]

Gotta find a boss that understands pow days! The key to a long and healthy career.

[@lorcanduffy9590]

Delighted you caved and made the list!

[@riseandalpine]

Finally eh!

[@2204JCM]

It needs to be redone. Why? Because how good a mountain is depends on factors such as your finances, level of skill, the importance of the village, etc. For example Sun peaks rates low for Expert skiing but rates high for Family Skiing due to factors such as price, the number of beginner and intermediate runs, and short lift lines.

[@SenseiDecay]

Great list and very fair. I've never been to whistler but I'm also not a huge fan of crowds. Only one I would put lower is louise, every single time I have gone there 90% of the runs are basically skating rinks. 0 snow all ice. Love Sunshine though. So much variety.

[@riseandalpine]

Glad you thought it was fair! Whistler is amazing, but if you hate crowds, 100% never visit, you will hate Whistler. Unless you sneak up in mid-April for some sleeper days when everyone in the city has switched to biking.

[@j.p.6228]

The lines at Whistler are too much for me. Aside from that it’s incredible!

[@riseandalpine]

Totally fair! It's hard to actually recommend Whistler to skiers and riders when there are so many other amazing options at this list that don't have lines

[@marcusheaven5205]

As someone who currently lives in Fernie (from Ontario originally), I will say a pow day at Fernie is absolutely epic! So much skiable terrain and you will never get bored on this mountain. An average pow day out here is at least 20-30cm and from people I met out here, there has even been 50-60cm pow days in past seasons which is absurd!! The one downside to this mountain is there is not a lot of long, wide open runs compared to Kicking horse, Sunshine, Lake Louise, Nakiska and Whitewater to name a few. Still a great mountain in my opinion though. Out of all the hills I've skied at so far, the one that has impressed me the most is Red Mountain, especially when the snow base is good. Another nugget of a hill that is super underrated in my opinion is Whitefish located just outside of Whitefish, Montana! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the hills you have been to and was interesting to see your rankings

[@riseandalpine]

Red rocks eh! Will have to check out Whitefish. Lot's of commenters saying good things about it.

[@dayceem]

I remember getting a great workout on Red. And, yeah, Whitefish is a def hit.

[@DanSturm-n8m]

i keep hearing about how bad the lines are at whistler. are they just bad on weekends or also on weekdays? how about weekday powder days?

[@riseandalpine]

Any time there is fresh snow... It is INSANE. If there is over 10cm of snow on the ruler, and it isn't yet April you can expect complete line chaos any day of the week. Some weekdays are worse than weekends. Lines are mellow on weekdays without fresh snow. The sweet spots are the non holiday weeks that get consistent small dustings.

[@jonahcox-ut1fd]

Season drawing too a close in the next month here in NZ, cant wait to see the content u put out this season!

[@riseandalpine]

Thanks dude! Hope you've been having a great one out there. Hopefully one day I can get this channel big enough so I can come for a summer ski in NZ

[@jonahcox-ut1fd]

@@riseandalpine 100%, if ur ever down south there will be loads of locals happy to show u the best chutes and couloirs NZ has to offfer!

[@YouTubular1234]

Sunshine! I knew you'd answer my question whether Sunshine was better than Louise. I knew it!!!!!!! Thanks for clearing that up! lol

[@riseandalpine]

Just a personal preference, but I think many locals would disagree with me. Will be interesting to hear from them in the comments.

[@YouTubular1234]

😂😂

[@xxwaterworksxh2ox33]

Great list! But as a banff local I think lake is better, sunshine definitely gets better snowfall but lakes terrain and layout is better IMO

[@2204JCM]

@@riseandalpineI ski’d them both during the March break last year. There was decent snow at both hills. Sunshine really only has one area for intense skiing- Goats Eye mountain. The rest of the resort is pretty flat. But skiing right into the glades once you come out of the couloir on Goats Eye was cool. Obviously I need to ski both more but I think Louise was better for advanced/ experts.

[@src248]

​​@@2204JCMGoat's Eye is the best lift but there are pockets of great terrain all over the mountain. There's a reason Virgin Chutes is the recommended test before you try the Dive!

[@jimcuthill4556]

Tough to rank these resorts, good on you for travelling to all of them, thats a feat on its own.. I've skied many of them and the points you make are valid. Schrobers Dream at Panorama is by far my favourite fall line run. Whistler is like the Kardashians, famous for being famous, thats about it, bring money. First tracks, if they still do that is fun. Lake Louise is consistently in the top 5 most beautiful ski mountain in the world, stunningly beautiful. Fernie on a heavy snow day is scary shit, bottomless powder. Sunshine, varies on any given day, easy to get lost when a snow squall rolls in. Norquay, very steep. Snow ghosts at Big White are cool. Thanks for posting.

[@riseandalpine]

Schrobers is an absolute ripper at Pano, loved it too!

[@jamilwalji8622]

Are you coming to Whitewater this year?

[@riseandalpine]

I sure hope so!

[@chriskennedy7194]

Nice list! Of those that I have skied: (1) Fernie (2) WB (3) Silverstar (3) Louise (4) Sunshine (5) Norquay Would definitely like to hit KH and Rev, SunPeaks and Red.

[@riseandalpine]

Unreal! Pretty similar tastes to mine.

[@CharlieDeVille]

Mt baker was always a favorite of mine

[@riseandalpine]

Baker is the GOAT

[@AlexM-zc7ib]

I love KH, but I would rank Revelstoke above it, for 3 reasons. 1 - Revelstoke consistently gets more snow and thus more powder days (35' vs 25')...sure, it can be wet at the bottom, but you rarely ski down there. 2 - variety. Revelstoke has the steeps, but also has more tree runs, moguls, groomers, etc. 3. Lift lines. Sure, KH is great when you hit it mid-week, but on a powder weekend, the gondola lift lines can be 45 minutes. We've had days where we only were able to ski two runs because we were hiking into T1. That's about 8,000 vertical. At Revy, even on Family day long weekend we never waited more than 15 minutes once at the top lifts. At Revy we consistently ski 25,000' per day, and sometimes over 30,000', while at KH we get days of 12,000-16,000 when it's busy.

[@riseandalpine]

Super fair! Love the honest locals insights.

[@TKDCats312]

Banff Sunshine Village is WAY too high. Delirium and Wild West are cool, but so much about the rest of the mountain left a lot to be desired. Short runs, not a ton of vertical drop, and it's way too wide open. Half the vertical is on the boring valley run back to the parking lot. It's beautiful, sure, but Standish and and Lookout Mountain were soooo boring imo! Having it above Revelstoke is an absolute crime, and I'd make a case for Panorama and Lake Louise over it too. I'll take a 4,200 VD run through Taynton Bowl over BSV any day. Snow quantity isn't as important when there's so much hike to terrain that nobody puts in the effort to reach! If you come down to the states, here's a list of resorts that are “can't miss” territory (random order): 1. Jackson Hole 2. Alta / Snowbird 3. Snowbasin 4. Aspen (Ajax / Highlands mostly) 5. Silverton 6. Palisades 7. Sugar Bowl 8. Mt. Bachelor 9. Kirkwood 10. Bridger Bowl Honorable mention: Alyeska, AK

[@riseandalpine]

Love this! I feel like you have a real solid guage on these hills as well. I agree about Pano, insanely sick fall line terrain. If you don't include the backcountry/slackcountry areas at Revy, it leaves something to be desired for me. Can't wait to try some of these US hills, especially Jackson, Alta and snowbird

[@TKDCats312]

⁠@@riseandalpinePano was the first time in years that I’ve thought “that was the sickest groomer I’ve ever skied” lol View of 1,000 peaks down to Madsens or McIntosh Way was just incredible. Top speed the whole way down! Who cares about snow quantity when you’ve got corduroy for miles?! I always include everything I can reach on skins for Revy, hence my admiration for it! The North Bowl definitely has some sick features of its own, too, though! I’m planning to cross the border again this winter for a Fernie + KH excursion for a full week; absolutely can’t wait to step off the gondy at kicking horse for the first time! Ooh! And I can’t believe I left Telluride off my list of American spots!

[@00jknight]

@@TKDCats312 Pano is probably my favourite all around mountain, but I havent been to whistler. You can get sick speed on the groomers in pano.. They ice up a bit but they rip. I agree with you about Taynton, you can always find some golden spots there. I've been there where its just huge dunes of powder and it was like a dream... Plus staying on the hill at Pano is affordable, and a nice big hottub for your family and casual friends.

[@TomKline-h4p]

I appreciate your take on these. I don't have the experience you have but with Red Mountain as my home ski hill, I had heard all of the hype about Revelstoke and so I took a trip there last season. Spent two days and even hit powder days. I had a lot of fun, nevertheless, it didn't leave me needing to go back. Sure, I'd go again if a perfect opportunity arose, but I'm even more solid in my love of Red, and if the snow isn't great in Rossland, I can just go to Whitewater. However, I would like to go to the East Kootenays and ski Fernie and Kicking Horse. Anyway, I enjoyed the video and if you ever do move to the Kootenays maybe we could shred a few laps together. Keep up the good work.

[@riseandalpine]

Would love to rip some laps with you next time I’m around Red 🤟

[@Birch.Ridge.Backcountry]

Pull into Revy on a 80cm pow day. It'll be #1 easily. Craziest day of my life.

[@Birch.Ridge.Backcountry]

That being said. Sunshine is amazing. Spent a full season 89 days back in 2013 and it was ridiculous.

[@riseandalpine]

I can only imagine what an 80cm Revy pow day is like! Never seem to hit the snow when I'm there.

[@2204JCM]

@@riseandalpineI’ve been to Revelstoke on a massive powder day. Of course it’s FUN. But don’t kid yourself Whistler/Blackcomb on a snow day is second to none.

[@andrewburney8075]

Impressed you have Silverstar that high! I totally agree and have had some amazing times there. On a pow day it feels like a playground

[@riseandalpine]

You can't go wrong with anything on this list, but I just really had a good time at SilverStar. Real fun spot.

[@DenudationCS]

Big white on a blue bird day is beautiful.

[@Haske0]

Big white on any Sunny day is a blast.

[@riseandalpine]

I dream of linking a Biggie bluebird day!

[@danichero]

Whistler is my number 1 because I met you there last season and it was one of the highlights of my life as a skier.

[@riseandalpine]

Ayyyee - great lap down chainsaw!

[@hgskates82]

Big Whiteout

[@steveschijns3204]

visibility is usually a lot better from mid-February onward

[@headspacehiker]

Yay Silver Star in the top 10! 🤫 Secrets out. It's only downside is the flat section for boarders. So happy to be 30 min away😁

[@riseandalpine]

Sick spot for your home resort!

[@ericg43]

Big White feels criminally low, it’s amazing on a blue bird day. You have to go

[@riseandalpine]

Big White is sick for sure. Some of the best tree turns around. I just haven't seen it yet :)

[@scottpratico1315]

@ericg43 spent a few seasons working there. The Bluebirds are pretty rare. You eventually learn to "ski by braille".

[@danieltaylor3396]

Big Whiteout is an apt nickname.

[@steveschijns3204]

@@riseandalpine go after mid February; the skies clear up and the snow is fine.

[@NikBoriskin]

Pretty decent and accurate ranking, but as an Ontario resident I do have few cents to add ;-). 1.Whister - it is fantastic when the weather is good, however when you are booking trip 4-6 months in advance - it's pure lottery on what you gonna get when you are skiing there. Sometimes conditions are crap (coastal mountains, not Alps) and nothing you can do about it. And when you hit the crowds - meeh, it feels like 'Screw you guys, I'm going home' (c) Cartman 2. Sunshine - been there 4 times, all of these both Dive and West were closed. When they are closed - the only real fun to be had is at the Goat's Eye Mountain and even with hikes - there is not much. The rest is pretty mellow. Apart from that - hell ya, keep it coming bro.

[@riseandalpine]

Totally fair Nik! I couldn't agree more. Booking 1 week in Whistler is a pure lottery and could either be the best week of your ski life, or the worst. Way more consistent resorts out there. Whistler is best for locals, or people able to do an extended 4-6 week trip so they can hedge against weather! I must have gotten lucky with the freeride terrain at SSV - would have a different outlook on it without those zones being open

[@dixter20]

Between the crowds, high moisture content snow, and terrible on-mountain food... hard to recommend Whistler nowadays. I got stuck in the Creekside parkade for 2.5 hours once. I didn't even know that was possible until Whistler showed me a whole new universe of lineups.

[@riseandalpine]

Whistler lineups are miserable. It serves locals much better than tourists. Would never really recommend a Whistler vacation to a serious skier, much better places

[@davidhayes2111]

I remember that day, went to Dusty's for dinner instead

[@jcbriskey]

Only time I’ve been to revelstoke, had 8 in of fresh snow. Definitely found the stoke, and really felt there was every type of terrain anyone could want. That was low for me, louise was high (was so cold and windy, and lacked snow like you said) Great video!

[@riseandalpine]

Jealous you've had a prime Revy day! I feel like the top 10 resorts could pretty much be interchangeable depending on time of year and whoever has the best snow on any given day

[@jcbriskey]

@@riseandalpine 1000000%

[@src248]

This feels very influenced by the conditions you happened to have that day; Louise, Big White, and Castle at least deserve another look with better visibility/coverage

[@BeetsByHometownBrew]

100% we were catching 3 & 4 days worth of fresh at Castle after a good dump.

[@riseandalpine]

Of course this was 100% influenced by conditions

[@storm5013]

Of course it is, he straight up stated that near the start of the video. Can't make an unbiased review if you take other's opinions into account on days that you never even skiied there.

[@src248]

@@storm5013 Going "I've had more pow days at Whistler than a resort I've been to literally once, so Whistler is better" isn't a review, it's not even ranking the resorts themselves.

[@storm5013]

@@src248 Saying "Someone told me the pow days here are amazing so it's a 10/10 resort" isn't a review either, that's actually a much more biased review as you're taking external sources into account as well. He's ranking them based on his personal experiences and how much he wants to go back, which doesn't even necessarily reduce his rankings as he ranked some resorts high due to potential they had rather than how much powder they got when he skiied them.

[@alainbrouillaud484]

James rockin’ some Def Lev “Funked Up, Cranked Up”… perfectly describes how the Rise & Alpine ski experience was last year! AMAZING MOMENTS WITH SURPRISING DISCOVERIES!!!

[@riseandalpine]

Glad you thought the tune matched up to the video

[@gnarrrrrrrrrrrr]

big white got robbed bro 😂

[@riseandalpine]

😂

[@trainstractorscarsandtruck7362]

I used to love skiing when I was young but only Big Hill I ever got to was Sunshine Village. I loved my trip there and will never forget it.

[@riseandalpine]

Such great memories! Ever going to get back into skiing again?

[@trainstractorscarsandtruck7362]

@riseandalpine I'm too old to ski like I did back in the day but I am hoping to teach my daughter soon. Unfortunately where I live 700' is the max drop of our nearest and biggest hill.

[@DarkDramon]

No nakiska?

[@Jobama]

lol, google has an interesting translation of “no nakiska”. It doesn’t think it’s English

[@Dodger1999]

Nakiska wouldnt be bad if it got snow. And its close for Calgarians

[@riseandalpine]

I only skied it during pre-season so couldn't do a fair review! I added some context in the pinned comment for my rational. Some of the best groomers ever there.

[@sycpup]

Great vid! Being from Onterrible, any mountain resort is awesome, but I'm a huge fan of the Powder Highway trio of Fernie, Whitewater and Red! You just can't beat the powder! The couple of days I've had at Whistler were clouded in and the visibility was awful, so I wasn't too impressed. The scenery of the Banff area resorts is second to none. Subbed

[@riseandalpine]

So glad you've done the Pow highway trip. It's just so wicked being able to ski such amazing terrain and different mountains so close to on another. Really appreciate you taking the time to comment and awarding me the sub.

[@gnar_tar]

It never snows at Kicking Horse, don't even bother coming

[@riseandalpine]

True!

[@doughutchinson1736]

Go to Revy, soooooooooo much better

[@aidan5856]

It’s such a damn fun hill tho

[@2204JCM]

Whistler on a Snow day (40 or more cm) is EPIC. If you can ski double diamonds it’s like Science Fiction. Glades and Couloir galore. My family usually just alternates between Whistler and Blackcomb each time we go. Both mountains are da bomb. Last winter the snow came later in the season. But there was that week when it snowed over 100cm. You don’t forget those days…

[@riseandalpine]

100% I still dream about the big days from last season. Unforgettable!

[@ehyojono]

I'm sorry, but Silver Star, Panorama, and Apex head of Big White? For real? On variable weather days, big dump powder days and terrain variability BW takes those other mountains and smashes them into dust. I have skied all of these resorts like you and yes maybe you just need better visibility to enjoy BW and you should definitely meet me and my bros to show you all the spots that are not promoted on the trail map.

[@riseandalpine]

Never hit Bluebird at biggy but I stand by my rankings. Would love to chase you and the homies around and be proved otherwise!

[@ehyojono]

@@riseandalpine game on mf! @steepsteep will meet you at gem chair parking lot. You just name the date.

[@rolandjarrett611]

Biggy is about the trees, sun is over rated.

[@BeetsByHometownBrew]

Yeah, I kinda expected Castle would at least be ahead of Pano, but so it goes...

[@chrism5646]

Nice list, giving me the chill for the upcoming season!! Hard to argue with Whistler/Blackcomb up near the top. I worked there many many years ago for a couple of seasons and absolutely loved it. It was definitely less busy than it is now, and I knew the mountain well so avoided a lot of the b/s. The lines and just sheer busyness is just too much for me these day. My top three faves that I have actually skied are probably rank 1)Whitewater 2)Whistler Blackcomb 3)Red Mountain . 1) Whitewater - The snow is just top notch most of the time here, there is no cell reception, which I love. There is also only the basic resort items you need, no massive condos and all the capitalistic crap. Just pure snow and your buddies. The slack country here is also absolutely fantastic (safety third of course). Their avalanche forecasting is top-notch and these guys are on it daily, they are also not like many resorts and support and work with the backcountry community. Not to mention staying in Nelson itself it pretty great. Small town, with a ton of food options, on the water and lots of entertainment for the size. 2) Whistler Blackcomb - Sheer size, skiable acres, and awesome alpine skiing with a variety of terrain. If you're after somewhere with all the terrain, massive night life or a sweet cabin to rent with a group, get it. Nowadays far too busy for me though. 3) Red - I love the terrain here as well. Lifts are definitely a bit of a hinderance in terms of accessing things more quickly, but I like that they've spread things out and it never feels busy. Very small town feel with all of the chill. Great little bars, pubs and often live music for a small town. It does have some great hidden spots and some excellent backcountry/slack access as well. It is hit or miss for snow, so you've got to try and catch the good part of the season. I absolutely love this little town. The people rock! 4) Apex mention - current home mountain, and I love this place. Most down to earth community, definitely can crush out a lot of vert is short period of time and there are never lines. If you know where to go, the slackcountry is also great. Minimal restaurants, bars, etc. But the ones that exist are top notch and a riot. The people make this place. Love the review. Happy shredding all.

[@riseandalpine]

Love your top picks. The Slack at WH20 is sick and I'd love to run a full season there. Red rocks and I'm stoked you wound up at Apex. I had such a good time skiing with the locals there, great people and really good skiing. I'm sure the deep days at Apex really rock.

[@frogApple]

I really enjoyed your list and I’ve ridden at most of these resorts at least a few times myself. I’d personally move panorama higher even though they lack snow due to the amazing variety of terrain (Tayton Bowl!!) and the complete lack of crowds. Fresh powder easily lasts a week here vs 2-3 days in Whistler

[@billdeng6559]

😂top one of Canada is Blue Mountain. You must try.

[@riseandalpine]

Blue had some massive pow days in the 2024 season from what I heard!

[@gregpolimis2630]

@@riseandalpinefollowed by 10C and sun 5 days later…

[@KZ-yu4jz]

Yup! It is the best skiing if you live in MI and don't want to drive all the way to Mt. Bohemia in the U.P. 30+ years ago Elevator Shaft had legit drop offs, I bet too many broken legs and necks caused the mountain to flatten it out.

[@steveschijns3204]

coming off the Niagara Escarpment, you get 17 identical runs.... But with 5 minute lap times you can multiply the 800 foot vertical all day long!

[@billdeng6559]

@@KZ-yu4jz you are right. we turn it to ice rank with mild slope now. good to slide off with your butt

[@jaytabac6525]

great list. I have been to all of these resorts except for 2 of the lesser knows ones. I rank Revy a lot lower. G-d created a phenomenal mountain, and ownership has failed to take advantage of the amazing terrain. with only 1 chairlift to access the higher elevations plus a hike and a really horrible ski out, it has become one of the resorts that we will not be returning to. We were lucky to have had 15-20 kms or pow at Apex and were blown away with the gladed areas to the right of the chair. Totally agree with your top 2. looking forward to another great winter season. I am not sure how you are going to outdo yourself, but we are all looking forward.

[@riseandalpine]

Thanks Jay! Glad you are as big a fan of KHMR as me :). Not sure how I'm going to outdo myself either. Goal is to just keep having a good time otherwise video making can become exhausting.

[@jhawk1118]

He’s absolutely right about the management/ownership of Revy. They are way too pleased with themselves. And it’s becoming unlivable.

[@andre-pierreghys2156]

Title should be West Canada 🇨🇦

[@Jobama]

Yeah, I feel like the best spots in Quebec can compete with a place like Norquay or Kimberly with no alpine skiing

[@riseandalpine]

I added some rationale. I've skied every Quebec and many Vermont resorts, although fun, nowhere in the East really compares to BC or ALberta on a basis of snow, terrain and views

[@2204JCM]

@@riseandalpineYeah, when I returned my skis at Mt Tremblant the guy asked me how was the skiing. I wasn’t going to say anything but since he asked I told him what I thought. “Cross country ski course”. Made me appreciate what we have out here in the West.

[@mognut1]

Great video as always! We are going to sun peaks in 3rd week of Jan 2026 for a big family trip. 11 adults 5 kids. Should note we are from Australia so coming a long way, So excited. What’s your thoughts? Good choice?

[@riseandalpine]

An amazing choice! I've never had a bad time there. Went every spring break with my family growing up and are some of my most cherished memories.

[@mognut1]

Awesome, great to hear! So excited. Hard to get somewhere that has to tick so many boxes, especially with young kids. And even 2 people that don’t ski. And we didn’t want to go somewhere to too busy either

[@tysontilley722]

nahhhh whistler is so trash due to the lines man, its not even skiing when your just waiting in lines all day

[@riseandalpine]

I don't disagree. Best terrain & snowfall in Canada but can be one of the most miserable because of the lines & highway traffic. It's the best option close to home for me, so I've learnt to just chill out and laugh at the craziness.

[@tysontilley722]

@@riseandalpine i live in vancouver and i now think it may be faster to get a lap in on a pow day by going to big white lmao once i left at 5am to go to whistler and my first lap was at 1230 looool

[@nanrod]

Of my best 3 days of skiing, two are on your list the other is not. Whistler, pre Blackcomb days I arrived with friends on a weekday evening and in the morning there was about 18" of fresh snow on my car at the base. It was my first real experience with powder and after a little adjustment was fantastic. I visited my parents for Christmas in Calgary and spent a day by myself at Sunshine which was pretty much as you described it. My other was Manning Park, the last run of the day and I seemed to be the only person on the mountain. I stopped and could hear the snow falling.

[@riseandalpine]

Manning Park was where I grew up skiing. From an 'overall skiing' experience, it will always be my #1. Always had light dry snow and no one was ever there. I didn't know what I lift line ways until I first went to Grouse as a teenager. Would spend all day ripping Timber Cruise or Apple bowl and Carving down under the orange lift.

[@AlpineLifeProductions]

Spent the last decade skiing and touring the rockies, just made the move to Squamish. I agree with pretty much your whole list. That being said, have yet to ski Whistler. Stoke levels are over 9000, see ya on the hills 🫡🤙🤙

[@riseandalpine]

Once you get desensitized to how painfully busy Whistler is, you'll fall in love with the terrain!

[@GlassJack]

I agree. Rossland local here. Love Red, but, there's nothing like Whistler on a random Tuesday.

[@riseandalpine]

Totally! A random tuesday when the snow was grossly under reported!

[@vakrui]

Apex on a powder day is absolutely AMAZING. Makes the experience 3 times as fun, especially on the wildside

[@riseandalpine]

Wildside on a powder day would be so sick!

[@truthfinder119]

Hey big fan of your channel me and the wife choose a different resort to buy season passes we are very excited to be on Lake Louise this season for our 20 days i think you missed a hidden gem in marmot basin we found it a very family friendly resort and did our last ski season there could you do a review on marmot? That would be sick we look forward to your new videos for the coming season keep living the dream brother

[@riseandalpine]

Thanks!! Lake Louise will be a total blast. Marmot is still on my hit list. I'm sure I'll love it when I finally have the chance to give it a whirl.

[@SMc-in5bc]

Speaking of rank, my wife, who was in competitive GS , once soiled herself on the chairlift and it pushed through her Lycra ski suit and onto the snow below. By the time we skied down you could see the huge amount of people who skied through it.

[@riseandalpine]

That is absolutely insane hahhaha. One of the craziest ski stories ever.