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Old 08-18-2016, 02:34 PM   #184
Flames0910
First Line Centre
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Calgary
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It's hard to compare because we have ski cultures that have developed so differently.

Europeans resorts tend to feature on-piste skiing (groomers). Whitehorn at Louise, most of the stuff worth skiing at Kicking Horse or Revy, and huge sections of Whistler would all be out-of-bounds and uncontrolled at a European resort. On the other hand, they don't frown on ducking the fence and those who do are prepared with appropriate avy gear.

Resort size, lifts + apres ski options go to Europe.
Terrain quality & in-bounds run difficulty both go to Canada.
Powder's probably a split (but the snow lasts for days in their off-piste areas).
Quantity of resorts goes to Europe (way more developed).
All-around skier skill goes to Canada (no groups of 12 yr olds ripping up the entire mountain over there)

Also, it seemed to me that Europeans look at the Rockies the same way that we look at the Alps (i.e. bucket list). We're very lucky to have such great skiing in our backyard, and accessible without having to take a weeklong vacation.

TLDR:
Europe has huge ski resorts, but the terrain is predominantly groomed runs.
Canada has less ski resorts, which are smaller than in Europe — but much better off-piste skiing.

Last edited by Flames0910; 08-18-2016 at 02:44 PM.
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