Ski Norquay by Banff has opened their slopes ahead of schedule for the second year in a row. The resort opened to the public on November 3rd, one month ahead of schedule making them the first resort in Canada to open this season.
“We’re open,” Andre Queneville, General Manager of Ski Norquay said, “It’s early season skiing. Some of the trails are not full-width but we have a base of 30cm and the runs are ready to ski on.”
The early sneak preview of the season was in part because of cooler temperatures towards the end of October allowing Ski Norquay to increase their snowmaking capabilities and equally due to staff eagerness to get back on the slopes.
“It was the staff pushing to get it done. We wait all summer to ski again so the early opening is for people who love the ski season as much as we do,” Queneville said.
Ski Norquay will now continue with previously scheduled private race-training and re-open all chairlifts and slopes to the public in early December. The other two resorts in Banff’s tri-area, Lake Louise Mountain Resort and Sunshine Village, are scheduled to open this weekend from November 9th.
At Lake Louise the ski season will begin on Saturday November 10th when the resort opens the Glacier Express Quad Chair, scheduled to open at 9am, and tentatively, the Magic Carpet/Learning Area. Terrain access will be limited to the main Wiwaxy run from the top of the Glacier Chair, and beginner terrain at the base of the Resort. As of opening day, the Resort is scheduled to be operating 7 days a week for the balance of the ski season.
Snow is in the forecast this week for the Lake Louise area, which will add to the 20+ centimetres that have already settled on the upper mountain. Snow fencing/farming efforts and ongoing snowmaking are providing a positive outlook for additional terrain openings in the near future. Skiers and riders are advised that early season conditions do exist, and to ski and ride with care.
The resort is also preparing to host the world for the Annual Winterstart World Cup races scheduled for November 24-25 (Men) December 1-2 (Ladies).
Meanwhile another Alberta resort, Marmot Basin at Jasper, will open next Friday, November 16, its earliest opening date ever. A minimum of six runs will open on the lower slopes of the mountain including Tranquilizer, Sleepy Hollow, Bunny Hop, School House, Old Road and Eagle Flight. Snow is in the Jasper forecast for the next few days and, with a little more help from Mother Nature, Marmot Basin hopes to be able to announce the opening of even more runs for November 16 including some of the favorites in the upper area.

“It is very exciting to be able to offer our skiers and boarders the opportunity to get on the slopes so early in November”, reports Marmot’s VP of Marketing, Brian Rode. “Our new snowmaking system that was installed last summer is functioning perfectly and we will continue to make snow on the lower slopes for the next several weeks”.
While the public will get its chance to ski at Marmot starting next Friday, several alpine ski racing teams will start training at Marmot Basin as early as today, November 10th.
“We have five teams coming in from Alberta and B.C. to train on Tranquilizer this weekend. These racers need to get lots of miles on their skis early so we have developed a pre-season training program for them so they can get in as much skiing as early as possible”, adds Rode.
www.skiingjasper.com / www.skilouise.com

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