AvenueCalgary.com 55Luge photograph by Tanya Koob; Skating photograph courtesy of Alberta Parks
What to do
GO DOWNHILL SKIING AT HIDDEN VALLEY
From the beginning of December to the end of
March, Hidden Valley Ski Resort returns you to
the blissed-out days of small-hill skiing from
when you were a kid. The vibe recalls former
family-friendly ski areas such as Wintergreen
near Bragg Creek or Pigeon Mountain at Dead
Man’s Flats, however, the snow at Hidden Valley
is consistently better. It’s not uncommon to see a
dump of thick, fluffy powder in early March —
and there are practically no line-ups. With 656
vertical feet (200 metres), the resort offers gentle
beginner slopes, some good intermediate cruisers
and a couple of more challenging runs, plus aMORE WINTER ACTIVITES IN THE HILLS
In addition to downhill skiing, Cypress Hills has
a good variety of other winter recreation activi-
ties as well. There are more than 30 kilometres
of groomed Nordic ski trails in the area. Spring
Creek Cross-Country Ski Trail System, a 10-km
loop located just a short drive from Elkwater, is
one of the most popular Nordic-skiing destina-
tions in the region and fat biking is permitted on
all groomed and track-set ski trails in the system,
with the exception of the Spring Creek loop.
Ice skaters can take a twirl or play hockey on
Elkwater’s outdoor skating rink or glide along the
Old Baldy Campground loop, a 1.5-km skating
trail that is flooded and groomed during the
winter months.
Kids will love the luge, a banked snow slide
in front of Alberta Parks’ Learning Centre, which
serves as a warming centre in winter with free
hot chocolate on weekends. The nearby Visitor’s
Centre also rents skis, skates, snowshoes and
kick sleds.
If you’ve got a sport-fishing license, you can
ice fish for rainbow trout at Reesor Lake, Arctic
grayling, walleye and brook trout at Spruce
Coulee Reservoir and northern pike and yellow
perch at Elkwater Lake. Or, try your luck with
Battle Creek’s brown trout.
cypresshills.comterrain park that’s great fun for boarders and
two-plankers alike.
Started by locals in the 1960s, Hidden Valley
is now run by Alberta Parks, which took it over in- “People don’t think about coming from west
to east to ski, but it’s an affordable way to have a
weekend away,” says Mike Ractliffe, head of visitor
services for Alberta Parks in Cypress Hills. Lift
tickets are $40 for adults, $35 for youth and $30
for children. The resort’s Mountainside Café in
the day lodge serves good salads, soups, burgers
and, of course, fries, while the upstairs Snowflake
Lounge is a cozy spot for an après-ski beverage.
skihiddenvalley.net
TOP RIGHT The Alberta Parks’
Learning Centre grounds feature
a banked snow slide during the
winter months.RIGHT Skating at Old Baldy
campground loop.