Marmot Basin is more modest and basic than most Canadian Rockies resorts, but as the only ski area in Jasper National Park it’s the scenic match for any.

The snow quality is excellent, but terrain’s largely beginner and intermediate, with the difficulty of almost all expert terrain exaggerated. But if that suits and you’re looking for a well-rounded winter-sports holiday, you’ll find the local snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, in particular, phenomenal. Plus, if you can afford it, there’s also spectacular Heli-Skiing not far away.

The layout is straightforward: cradled in a single mountain basin beneath Marmot Peak, the bulk of the intermediate and beginner runs are at the centre, while most expert terrain lies on the fringes. From the center the choice is between returning to the base on wide runs, or catching one of three lifts that climb beyond the tree line. There are runs of every colour off almost every lift – only the Knob Chair at the top is off-limits to beginners – so it’s easy to explore. Experts will find the ski area’s free mountain tours (ask at ticket desk) useful to find the mountain’s hard-to-find difficult terrain.

At a glance