By: Fabiola Grosshan
Submitted: 2010-09-13 06:19:16 | Word Count: 555
Canada’s broad mountainous skiable areas greet avid skiers from all corners of the world with unrivaled winter vacation options. The country benefits from an extensive array of quality cat ski slopes and secluded, challenging downhill courses, spreading from the coast of the Atlantic to the shore of the Pacific.
An added advantage of selecting Canada as the destination for your next season vacation lies in the overall cost-effective nature of the snow catskiing services delivered here. Nevertheless, if you have a generous budget at your disposal and don’t mind spending a little extra to make sure you get an unforgettable adventure, then you can always aim for accommodation at luxury mountain resorts, which meet clients with irreproachable lodging, gourmet meals and enticing recreational services all year round.
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What separates Canada from other popular skiing destinations is the longer and milder snow catskiing season, which normally spans over as much as five months, starting November and all the way to mid April. However, don’t be lured into thinking that Canadian skiing is solely restricted to this yearly schedule, since every now and then you may have the opportunity to try some quality snow catskiing outside the season just as well.
Apart from great snowcat-accessible downhill skiing options, many of Canada’s provinces also present skiers with the chance to embark on memorable cross-country skiing adventures. If powder skiing is what you are after, then don’t make the mistake of limiting your trip to only the high crests of the Rocky Mountains. Although the weather may not be just as favorable, if you decide to get a taste of the country’s hill skiing alternatives, chances are this type of adventure won’t disappoint you either.
Canada also enjoys an extensive list of backcountry skiing options, which will allow you to explore virgin, wild alpine trails situated far away from the overcrowding and commotion of regular resorts. Depending on your overall skiing ability and meteorological conditions, you can select one of the two most popular types of backcountry skiing – you can reach the cat ski slopes either by snowcat, or, if you can afford it, by helicopter. Adrenaline filled helicopter skiing is by all means the most thrilling backcountry powder skiing adventure, as mountain helicopters have increased skiing ground coverage and can access even very remote and well-hidden skiable alpine trails.
Despite the unparalleled adventure it offers skiers, helicopter skiing unfortunately comes with a series of minuses. The disadvantages of heli skiing are increased costs of the runs and rigid weather constraints standing between you and your dream ski slopes. By comparison, even if snow catskiing may be a little deficient in terms of entertainment and adrenaline pumping action, it fully counterbalances for these drawbacks in terms of expenses, not to mention that it allows skiers to spend more actual time skiing.
All in all, it is difficult to separate snow catskiing from helicopter skiing or choose one option over the other. Ideally, if you have the time and money, consider going for a balanced mix of the two so that you will be able to get a taste of both sports’ strong points in a single comprehensive package.
