This post is dedicated to the favourite winter pastime of skiing in Alberta. We’re all pretty familiar with the province’s most popular resorts, but even I was surprised to learn of places such as Buffalo Hill in Banff or Happy Valley here in Calgary. I also didn’t realize that communities such as Camrose and Cereal once had skiing facilities back in the day. I learned a lot while putting this post together and I enjoyed seeing resorts such as Norquay or Sunshine Village as they once were. It’s also pretty neat looking back at the early technology of skis, boots, and bindings and what passed for ski clothing that you can see in some of the photos. We certainly have come a long way since the sport’s earliest days. Enjoy this stroll down memory lane and then get out there for some fantastic spring skiing, summer will be here before you know it!
Ski jumper, Buffalo Hill Ski Jump, Banff, Alberta, 1924Skiing on Mount Norquay near Banff, Alberta, 1930-1949Nels Nelson, world champion ski jumper, Banff, Alberta, 1920-1939Members of ski club, Cereal, Alberta, 1914Lars Maland, jumping at ski hill, Fram ski club tornament, Camrose, Alberta, 1912Artificial snow at Happy Valley, Calgary, Alberta, 1963Paskapoo ski hill [Canada Olympic Park], Calgary, Alberta, 1977Models showing off ski fashions, Calgary, Alberta, 1971Competitor in ski meet, Camrose, Alberta, 1962Sunshine ski lodge, Simpson Pass, Alberta, 1936-1937Skiers above Sunshine lodge, Simpson Pass, Alberta, 1936-1937Mary Reid on horseback, en route to ski at Sunshine, Simpson Pass, Alberta, 1935-1936Hank Samuelson skiing at Sunshine, Alberta, 1930sBrewster cabin at Sunshine, Banff National Park, Alberta, n.d.Ski lodge at Mount Norquay, Banff National Park, Alberta, 1930sSki mountaineering in the Canadian Rockies, Alberta, 1930sSki lodge, Banff National Park, Alberta, 1920sSkiers, Banff, Alberta, 1905Skiers, Banff, Alberta, 1905Ski-jumper on the ski-jump, Calgary, Alberta, 1921Ski tournament, Edmonton, Alberta, 1925Two young men on a ski lift, Calgary, Alberta, 1970sJeff Knight skiing on the north hill, Calgary, Alberta, 1979Skiing at Mount Norquay, Banff National Park, Alberta, 1944Mount Norquay ski hill, Banff National Park, Alberta, 1944
If you’re interested you can read more of my skiing (and snowboarding) related posts including profiles of a Snow Groomer, Snow School Instructor, Mountain Safety Manager, and Avalanche Rescue Dogs. The photos above were collected from the Glenbow Archives. Additional information can be found for each photograph on the Glenbow website by searching the identification number that is printed on each photo. There is also the option to purchase a high resolution copy. Stay tuned for additional posts featuring historical photos from Alberta. We’d love to know what you think in the comment section below.
Tyler is originally from Saskatchewan, and yes he cheers for the Roughriders, but don’t hold that against him as Calgary has been his home for the past eight years. He is a teacher working at a wilderness-
based treatment program for youth working to overcome addiction. Tyler is also a volunteer with the GOT Parks initiative, which aims at reconnecting Canada’s youth with our national, provincial, and territorial parks. During his time away from work, Tyler enjoys outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, and snowboarding, team sports, travelling, photography, spending time with good friends, and being at home with his wife and German Shepherd, Rome.
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