All you have to do is follow @HolidaysCanada on Twitter, then retweet (RT) the tweet below and you are immediately entered. A winner will be selected at random this Friday so get your skis on and good luck!

FOLLOW US, RT THIS & WIN a 2012-13 Tri-Area 3-day Ski Pass – Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine. Winner will be chosen at random on NOV 9 @ 10am PST

— rocky-peak Holidays (@HolidaysCanada) November 5, 2012

The meteorite is en route and Bruce Willis’ gang of pro-drillers are not proving up to the task. We have 24 hours to live and I have some decisions to make. Suffice it to say, my final meal will be steak with every known variety of potato (chipped, mashed, roasted, dauphinoised etc) washed down by gallons of fantastic, robust red wine, but we’ll get to that later. Where will I go? What will I do?

And so we’re off to Banff…

Given the impending death and destruction that is coming tomorrow, I am very much in the “get-up-early-camp” and so The Sunshine Mountain Lodge, which is Banff’s only ski-in/ ski-out hotel, is the ideal place to take a hearty lumberjack-style breakfast. First track’s breakfast allows diners to eat and head out for…yes…first tracks before the punters arrive! We’ll plump for the traditional Canadian breakfast of pancakes, crispy bacon, maple syrup and icing sugar! Isn’t it just wonderful that the restaurant staff and lifties are happy to work and not spend the hours before Armageddon in the bosom of their families? Such is the industrious nature of Banffers!

I did my ski instructor course at Sunshine Village in 01/02 and, to this day, it remains my favourite ski resort – I like to think of it as the back garden of Banff, my spiritual home! To start the day, we’ll grab a chair and do some carving down some of Sunshine’s wide-open pistes. Continental Divide is always a good place to start to get the leg muscles pumping! After that, we’ll hit Mount Standish a few times with runs down black areas; Headwall, Garbage Chutes and Dirty Little Corner – short pitches but super-steep and pretty intense. Before breaking for lunch, we have time to explore Wawa bowl, dropping the cornice (lip!) into Paris Bowl and back through the always-icy Waterfall and a beautiful run through the trees on Shaken Not Stirred!

Now for lunch, taken in Chimney Corner which offers awe-inspiring views over the jagged peaks of Sunshine Village. It is a view that never gets boring! Sticking with the old Canadian favourites, I’ll be dining on Poutine: a wonderful dish of crispy fries topped by cheese curds and a chicken based sauce washed down by some Canadian Dry!

After lunch, we don our transceivers, pack up probes & shovels and we’re off up to Delirium Dive which plays host to, without doubt, the most insane in-bounds terrain in Canada, if not the world. We hit line after line of steep pitch with cliff drops, narrow chutes, wide-open bowls and a ton of fantastic natural hits. The whole area is covered in the lightest, fluffiest powder snow that provides us with endless face-shots as we whoop and holler our way down!

With tired legs, we ski down the final run and end up at Trapper’s Bar. As we move onto the terrace with an après-ski beer, the sun starts beaming and the temperature gauge on the mercury moves up to 25C. What a stroke of luck!

Not wishing to waste too much time, we head back downtown for a soak in Banff’s famous hot springs. There is nothing like lolling around in deliciously hot water to shake off the aches and pains of a tough day on the slopes.

For dinner at Saltlik (arguably the best steak-house in the world!), I will be joined by Billy Connelly, Smithy from Gavin & Stacey, George Best (I know!) and my best-mate-from-home, Jamie. Eva Longoria Parker will play the part of my love interest. She will sit at my side and gaze longingly at me all night. As indicated earlier, I shall be having at least one steak, but probably two, with a blue-cheese sauce and served with fries, roast potatoes, a little mash potato and a large dish of dauphinoise potatoes. The wine will be French, very old and expensive!

After dinner, we’ll party the night away in Hoodoos and Auroras before Eva and I repair to the Presidential Suite at the Banff Springs Hotel for a night that I will never forget.

The perfect day to see in the Armageddon…!

Whistler / Blackcomb

Snow Base: 371cm

Lifts Open: 33 / 38

Runs Open: 200 / 200

Sun Peaks CLOSED

Big White CLOSED

Silver Star CLOSED

Red Mountain CLOSED

Revelstoke CLOSED UNTIL APRIL 16, 2011

Snow Base: 278cm (Alpine)

Lifts Open: 0 / 4 Runs

Open: 0 / 54

Panorama CLOSED

Fernie CLOSED

Snow Base: 386cm

Lifts Open: 9 / 9

Runs Open: 113 / 113

Kicking Horse CLOSED UNTIL APRIL 15, 2011

Snow Base: 240cm (Mid-Mountain)

Lifts Open: 0 / 6

Runs Open: 0 / 137

Banff / Lake Louise

Norquay OPEN UNTIL APRIL 24, 2011

Snow Base: 140cm (Mid Mountain)

Lifts Open: 5/5

Runs Open: 36 / 36

Lake Louise OPEN UNTIL MAY 8, 2011

Snow Base: 187cm (Mid Mountain)

Lifts Open: 9 / 9

Runs Open: 137/ 138

Sunshine Village

Snow Base: 235cm (Mid Mountain)

Lifts Open: 12 / 12

Runs Open: 106 / 107

Jasper

Snow Base: 135cm (Mid-Mountain)

Lifts Open: 7 / 8

Runs Open: 86 / 86

Tremblant CLOSED

Thank you Mother Nature and please keep the snow coming!

Happy Valentines to you all for tomorrow – we’re feeling the love!

Some early-bird deals have been extended until January 15 2011 – not what I would call “early” as we are already well into the season (but best not to complain). Deals include 50% OFF loding at Panorama Ski Resort for stays of 5+ nights as part of a ski package through Ski Holidays Canada. Panorama was sold by Intrawest last year, and the new management at Panorama are really making an excellent attempt with providing tour operators with awesome deals. There is also a scheduled Panorama service from Calgary YYC airport making it easier to get to Panorama ski resort. If you have not tried Panorama – you should make it your next ski holiday destination.

Discounted Banff ski passes are still on sale too. The Tri-Area pass covers Banff Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise. The ski shuttles from Banff currently only pick up from three locations with exception to the Lake Louise ski bus which now picks up at most hotels in Banff. Thank you Lake Louise – we salute you!

Now, what about this fresh snow we’ve been talking about? Here is what we have received at our featured ski resorts in the last 12-24 hours:

• Sunshine Village – 4cm (1.6in) over last 24 hours
• Kimberley – 5cm (2in) over the last 24 hours and it’s still snowing
• Panorama – 6cm (2.4in) over the last 24 hours
• Lake Louise – 6 cm (2.4in) over the last 12 hours
• Fernie – 9cm (3.5in) over the last 24 hours and it’s still snowing
• Jasper Marmot Basin – 10cm (4in) over the last 24 hours
• Kicking Horse – 13cm (5.1in) over the last 24 hours
• Whistler Blackcomb – 26cm (10in) over the last 24 hours and it’s still snowing! MEGA-POW baby!

Okay, now what  are you doing still sat reading this blog post – get out and enjoy and we look forward to any comments you have!

Best wishes for 2011 from Canada-Ski.com!

The Lake Louise Ski Area was the first ski resort to open in Canada on November 5th 2010. Jasper Marmot Basin opened today so too did Banff Mount Norquay and Nakiska which started opening weekends until early December at which time they will open full time for the season.  Whistler Blackcomb is opening six days EARLY on Friday, November 19 at 8:30am.

Opening dates for the rest of our featured ski resorts in Western Canada:

• Banff Norquay Ski Resort – Open for weekends until FRI Dec 3 2010
• Sunshine Village Banff Ski Resort – To open THU Nov 18 2010 / “One snowfall away”
• Lake Louise Mountain Ski Resort – Opened FRI Nov 5 2010 (First in Canada)
• Kicking Horse Mountain Ski Resort – To open mid-December 2010
• Jasper Marmot Basin Ski Resort – Opened SAT Nov 13 2010
• Fernie Alpine Ski Resort – SAT Dec 4 2010
• Kimberley Alpine Ski Resort – “Preview weekend” – Dec 11 and 12 2010
• Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort – FRI Nov 19 2010
• Panorama Mountain Ski Resort – FRI Dec 10 2010
• Nakiska Kananaskis Ski Resort – Opened SAT Nov 13 2010

There are another 37 ski resorts in Western Canada not mentioned here – 11 in Alberta and 26 in British Columbia –> more ski resorts in Western Canada.

For immediate updates on ski news in Western Canada follow @HolidaysCanada for their ski holiday news.

We’re hoping the dates will be brought forward for opening. Currently, we have confirmed opening dates for Banff Norquay on Halloween Weekend, The Lake Louise Ski Area on November 5 and Sunshine Village on November 11. We think Jasper Marmot Basin and the other ski resorts in Western Canada won’t be too far behind with their opening dates. Feel free to comment below if you have more inside information!

Thanks to SkiBig3.com, we have some excellent photos from yesterday’s snow storm which hit the Canadian Rockies. Photo credit goes to SkiBig3 – thank you!

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Sunshine will hold the 2nd Annual BIKINIS FOR BREAST CANCER to raise funds for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. This event is open to all women of all ages. All participants will ski or snowboard down Strawberry Face at the same time in an “S” formation and finish in the village area.

To enter all you have to do is just raise a minimum of $125 in pledges through friends, relatives, co-workers or make a donation yourself. Pledges or donations that are collected can be as little or as much as an individual wants to give, just as long as your total is $125 or more.

There will be lots of prizes including top fundraiser so we encourage you to raise as much money as you can! For more event information or to register for Bikinis for Breast Cancer, please email events@skibanff.com or call 403.762.6508 or 403.762.7890 ext 1218. All registrations must be in by May 20th 2010. Once you sign up you will be given your fundraising pledge sheet and event day information.

Please pass this along to as many women you know and help to save lives! If you would like to make a donation to our Bikinis for Breast Cancer event please contact Karen Guidos at 403.762.6508 or email events@skibanff.com. For more information about the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation please visit www.cbcf.org.

The Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) is the single harmonized value-added tax that will replace the GST and PST in British Columbia on July 1, 2010. The HST will apply at a rate of 12 per cent to those goods and services that are subject to GST. In other words, the PST will be eliminated and a 7 per cent provincial rate will be added to the 5 per cent GST. This 12 per cent combined tax will be called the HST.

Which of your featured ski resorts are affected?

All ski resorts in British Columbia (BC), Western Canada, will be affected by this new HST. Out of our featured ski resorts, these include Fernie, Kimberley, Kicking Horse, Panorama and Whistler Blackcomb.

Will my ski holiday in British Columbia cost me more?

In short, yes. The main impact is on the lift passes which will now be subject to 12% tax (instead of 5%) at all the ski resort in British Columbia. A full list of ski resorts in BC can be viewed HERE.

How can I avoid this tax?

If you book and pay in full by the end of this month, April 2010, then you will not have to pay the additional 7% tax for next season. May 1 2010 onwards, you will have to pay the additional tax.

If you want to avoid the tax completely after May 1 2010, take your ski holiday in Alberta where goods and services are only subject to 5% GST. Out of our featured ski resorts, these include Banff Norquay, Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, Jasper Marmot Basin and Nakiska. I suspect suppliers in British Columbia may lower rates or at the very least keep rates the same as last winter to keep competitive with suppliers in Alberta.

Booking in advance will save you money as there are some great early-bird ski deals available. Ski Holidays Canada for example have free ski days, hotel nights and kids ski and rent for free at select ski resorts as early-booking incentives.