Banff Resort To Kick Off Canadian Ski Season This Weekend

Well, that was fast.

Yesterday, Mt. Norquay -- located just outside the picturesque town of Banff, Alberta -- shared an important reminder: they will become the first ski area to open in Canada this Friday, November 3rd.

On tap for opening day at Mt. Norquay will be the Cascade Quad chairlift and the Sundance magic carpet. These lifts serve a variety of beginner terrain.

As for anticipated conditions -- well, it's the early season, so don't expect steep skiing and endless powder. That said, the snow situation at Mt. Norquay is looking pretty good. Here's a peek at the Cascade Quad's webcam.

Unsurprisingly, Mt. Norquay leaned into its snowmaking systems to earn the coveted Canadian first chair, combining natural snow with the manmade stuff in its pursuit of early-season coverage.

Speaking of the natural snow, Mt. Norquay got a much-needed boost when a storm dropped 7 inches on the Albertan resort last week. Who knows? Maybe scoring a few powder turns will be possible at Mt. Norquay this Friday (but, once again, don't anticipate that outcome. Managing expectations is important).

As for Mt. Norquay's SkiBig3 Banff triumvirate cousins, their opening dates are also rapidly approaching. Sunshine Village opens on November 9th, with Lake Louise following suit on November 10th.

Well, folks, there you have it. If skiing in early November is your game, Banff, Alberta, is the place to be. You heard it here first. Winter is no longer a figment of our collective imaginations -- it's coming in hot. Or should I say it's coming in cold? (Sorry, awful joke.)

Should you be a Banff local (or an intrepid powder chaser), go make some early-season turns for all of us still playing the waiting game. And don't forget to take pictures! I gotta live vicariously somehow, y'know.

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