Canada: Rocky rides

There is a wide range of accommodation available in the Canadian Rockies, all with breathtaking scenery. Photo / Tourism BC

Mention you're going skiing in Canada and most people will automatically assume you're heading to Whistler. It's a perennial favourite with Kiwis but there are some lesser-known gems well worth venturing further afield for.

Hop on a flight to Calgary and you're a short drive from the Canadian Rockies and a cluster of resorts that straddle the Alberta/British Columbia border. Why would you bother? Cheaper lift passes, shorter queues and access to some of the most extreme skiing available in the Northern Hemisphere, that's why.

Alberta
Located 90 minutes from Calgary International Airport on the Trans-Canada Highway, World Heritage-listed Banff National Park contains some of the most spectacular scenery in Canada. It's also home to three ski areas which can all be accessed on one convenient tri-area lift ticket.

Sunshine Village
A mere 15-minute drive from downtown Banff, Sunshine Village not only lays claim to being Canada's highest ski resort but it also has the longest ski season (early November to mid-May) plus the best natural snow on average more than 9m a year. Take the world's fastest eight-passenger gondola from the main parking area up to the village, where there are several cafes and restaurants as well as Sunshine Inn, Banff's only ski-in, ski-out hotel.

With 55 per cent of its 107 runs rated as intermediate, Sunshine is a good place for experienced skiers to hone their skills. There are still plenty of runs for novices.

Where to stay: Sunshine Inn - guests enjoy stunning mountain views and exclusive first-tracks lift access at this on-mountain lodge. See skibanff.com

New for 2008/09: A SlopeTracker armband GPS system will allow skiers to track statistics such as top speed, number of runs and calories burned.

Lake Louise
Lake Louise is Canada's largest single ski resort with more than 1700ha of skiable terrain spread over four separate mountain faces.

Offering breathtaking views of Lake Louise, Victoria Glacier and Temple Mountain, it regularly gets voted the most scenic ski resort in North America. Lifts service 139 marked trails and it has beginner, intermediate and advanced runs available from every chair.

Intermediate skiers have access to the most runs with 45 per cent of the terrain Lake Louise hosts several events on the prestigious World Cup racing circuit.

Where to stay: The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise - this stunning property overlooks one of the most photographed lakes in the world. See fairmont.com

New for 2008/09: A winter interpretive programme with educational signs.

Ski Norquay
Despite being the area's oldest resort - it was established in 1962 - Norquay is something of a local secret. With only 76ha of skiable terrain, it's considerably smaller than its neighbours but still offers a good mix of runs. It's also the only resort that allows you to ski and pay by the hour, so you'll often find locals here "working from home" during the week. All beginner and intermediate runs are groomed every night so it's popular with novices and it's the only resort to offer floodlit night skiing between January and March.

Perhaps its biggest drawcard is that it is only a five-minute drive from Banff, so it's the ideal choice when you just want to hit the slopes for a couple of hours.

Where to stay: The Fairmont Banff Springs - this fairytale property has hosted everyone from royalty to Hollywood stars. See fairmont.com.

New for 2008/09: Renowned Canadian park designer Jeff Patterson is making improvements to Norquay's terrain.

British Columbia
Hop over the border into British Columbia and you'll find yet more world-class skiing and stunning scenery in the Kootenay Rockies. It's an easy day trip from Banff and people are often lured over to partake in motorised activities such as heli-skiing and snow-mobiling. Kicking Horse With 60 per cent of its runs graded as advanced, Kicking Horse offers some of the most extreme resort skiing in Canada. It boasts three huge alpine bowls and a tantalising mix of chutes, glades and steeps. Thankfully, the resort enjoys some of the finest dry snow in the country, earning it the nickname of the "Champagne Capital of Canada".

Its other claim to fame is that it has the highest restaurant in the country.

Eagle's Eye is at the top of the main gondola and, at 2350m, it offers sublime views across the snow-clad mountain.

Where to stay: Eagle Eye Suite - splash out on a night in one of the two suites above the restaurant and you'll get a VIP gondola and first-tracks access. See kickinghorseresort.com

New for 2008/09: A new advanced skiing and boarding education initiative called Big Mountain Centre.

Panorama
Located 18km west of Invermere, Panorama offers more than 1100ha of skiable terrain with one of North America's highest vertical drops of 1200m.

With 55 per cent of the runs graded as intermediate, the resort is popular with cruisers who enjoy its long, well-groomed uncrowded runs and magnificent glades.

There is a wide range of on-slope accommodation, from budget-oriented options such as the Pine Inn, through to luxurious condos and townhouses. All accommodation is arranged around a central resort that has several large outdoor pools and spas and the slopes are just a short walk away.

Where to stay: Panorama Mountain Village has a variety of accommodation options. See panoramaresort.com

New for 2008/09: An improved terrain park with more than 1km of jumps, hips, spines, rails and boxes.

Rob McFarland travelled as a guest of Air New Zealand and the Canadian Tourism Commission.