Fun Family Skiing at Mount Norquay & Family Ski Day Giveaway

Gord Fielding, Director of Mount Norquay’s Snow School, is our guide and instructor for the morning while the kids are in ski school. He goes on – between dispensing invaluable pointers on skiing technique – to share some of Norquay’s rich history and his favorite runs. We learn that many of the runs have been renamed to honor local legends: Giv’er Grandi, Rob’s Run, Wiegele’s, Monod’s Legacy, and hEaD Hunter to name a few. If you’re lucky, you might see some of them on the slopes! (I’m pretty sure Mr. Eddie Hunter told me where to find the best snow on our visit!)

The morning passes quickly, but we notice an improvement from when we started. A few key things are sticking and it feels good! We decide right then and there that this is something we need to do more often. Over the past several years, we’ve focused so much on teaching the girls that we haven’t advanced our own skills. Plus, it’s pretty fun to ski kid-free once in a while!

Our girls are enjoying their lessons too. Big POG (7) is tailing instructor Mike, jumping on her skis and beaming; and Little POG (5) is perfecting her pizza (snowplow) with Lou’s patient tutelage. They are pleased as punch with their first-ever ski lessons and conspiratorially tell Gord that ski school is way better than Mom and Dad lessons! It’s clear that the instructors are carefully selected and well trained, and Gord reveals they all must have experience working with kids. (Note: Little POG simply completing the lesson was a huge win! She’s very shy and has bailed on classes in the past because she was scared of the instructor, but Lou was very friendly and non-threatening. Thanks, Lou!)

In high spirits, we make our way to Lone Pine Pub to refill our tanks. Big POG, our little connoisseur, orders salmon and corn fritters off the kids’ menu. Little POG goes for  chicken tacos, my husband gets the salmon burger, and I order the steak sandwich.  Everything is delicious and Liz takes great care of us. While we could comfortably lounge all afternoon – there’s good stuff on tap and the sunset is beautiful from Cascade Lodge – the mountain is calling.

After a few more fantastic runs, it’s tubing time! A hot spot at the end of the day, the tube park line moves surprisingly quickly with many people riding down in groups. We soon experience the biggest vertical drop of any tube park in Alberta. It is breathtakingly FAST, but so much fun! We can’t get enough and shut the place down. For more information and a video, please see Tubing at Mount Norquay’s Tube Town.

Fifteen minutes later, we’re choosing sweets at the candy store on Banff Avenue. It’s the perfect ending to a perfect day! Gotta love a great ski hill so close to town!

What We Love

• Location: Leaving your hotel in Banff at 9:15 am and getting to the ski hill at 9:30 am is awesome (especially if you’re not a morning person)! Mount Norquay is only 6 km from the town of Banff so there are tons of nearby options for lodging and dining. See my Where to Stay and Where to Eat pages for ideas.
• Short Lines: We never had to wait long for the chair lift. Spend more time skiing!
• Small class sizes for group lessons make it easier to learn! Little kid classes (3-5 yrs old) max out at 2 students while 5 year old classes have 3 students. Big kid classes (6-12 yrs old) have no more than 6 students, but usually have only 3-4!
• Terrain for all levels. There’s a magic carpet area for first-timers, and green runs off Cascade Chair and lower half of the Spirit Chair (you can get off halfway). Intermediate skiers will enjoy skiing blue runs off the high speed Mystic Chair before easing into more advanced stuff. For more of a challenge, check out the Norquay 90 Glades, terrain park, and expert runs off the North American Chair!
• Friendly staff! Everyone was awesome from management to ski instructors, lifties, and pub staff. The tube park guys even said hi to us in downtown Banff!
• Great On-Hill Dining Options: Grab a quick bite at the deli/cafeteria in the Cascade Lodge or North American Lodge; or dine at Lone Pine Pub. The pub has a great kid’s menu, selection of craft beers, and delicious  For the best view in Banff, head up to the Cliffhouse Bistro. I recommend the charcuterie platter and game & fig flatbread!
• Norquay’s Toonie Days (ski for $2!) are a great way to check out the mountain before you commit to a season’s pass. If you plan on skiing a few times this season, the Big Drop Card gives you your 1st, 4th and 7th ski days free with discounted visits in between for the price of one day ticket.

Mount Norquay Fun Facts

Upcoming Events at Mount Norquay
Family Season’s Passes at Norquay, Nakiska, Sunshine, and Lake Louise