Located in the heart of the beautiful Jasper National Park, Marmot Basin Ski Resort is a hidden gem tucked in the Canadian Rockies. Jasper National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest national park in the Rocky Mountains.
The ski resort’s name can be rather confusing, with both Jasper Skiing and Marmot Basin being used. Jasper (which is more commonly used) refers to the resort’s traditional mountain town. Marmot Basin is the resort itself. Whichever name you call it, though, you’re bound to have a fantastic time on the slopes.
The Marmot Basin Resort has spectacular sceneries that inspire lasting memories, situated in a compact but varied area. The resort’s terrain is blanketed with ample, light, and fluffy powder that is a blast to ski and snowboard on.
Despite its fantastic terrain and snow, the resort is a low-key winter destination. This often causes it to have limited crowds which is a delight if you like a quiet winter holiday, with the slopes virtually to yourself. The Marmot Basin Ski Resort slopes have something for everyone and will keep all riders entertained, whether passing by while exploring the park or in for an extended period.
The skiing and snowboarding experience at this resort is augmented by the spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. The national park is a thrilling destination by itself, with different kinds of interesting wildlife. Riding up the Eagle Ridge and Knob chairs treats thrill-seekers to spectacular views of the park and the surrounding landscape below.
The resort is a great and affordable winter escape option if you’re on a shoestring budget. Skiing here is cheaper than in the nearby Sunshine, Mt. Norquay, and Lake Louise resorts. In fact, in 2020, this resort was ranked as HomeToGo’s Best Ski Resort in North America for its affordability. The award is based on price comparisons on lift tickets, equipment rentals, lunch, and accommodation.
In addition to regional and international visitors, Marmot Basin Ski Resort is a popular weekend snow destination for residents of Edmonton.
What Marmot Basin Ski Resort has to offer section
Services
Mountain Features
Resort Features
Marmot Basin OPEN DATES AND TIMES
According to the Marmot Basin Resort’s website, the Ski Field is estimated to be open
Between the dates of November 15 2022 and estimated to close on May 03 for the 2022 season.
Ski life Services at Marmot Basin open as early as 9:00 AM and last to close is at 4:00 PM.
Marmot Basin Ski Resort features 1,675 acres of dynamic skiable terrain. It features 86 runs that are located on slopes with a 914-meter vertical rise. On a scale comparison, Marmot Ski Resort is twice the size of the Sunshine Village and 9 times larger than the Banff Norquay resort. However, it is 2.5 times smaller than Lake Louise.
The resort’s ski area is both above and below the tree line. This offers thrill-seekers the best of both worlds, featuring some breathtaking views of the landscape. The resort’s dynamic terrain has a blend of thrilling features including tight trees, alpine bowls cliffs/rock features and chutes, moguls, glades, and pleasant groomed runs.
The resort’s slope stats according to ability level stand at:
Beginner Terrain
Marmot Basin has fantastic beginner terrain that is also friendly for learning skiing and snowboarding. It has two areas dedicated to beginner lessons, taught by qualified and seasoned professionals. The named slopes on this area are quite long and include the School House, Tranquilizer, and Home Run.
The beginner terrain is serviced by a magic carpet lift and the School House Chair lift. It is also easy to get to, as it can be accessed even from the highest point of the mountain. This means that beginners can also enjoy the rest of the mountain, aided by the Eagle Ridge and the Canadian Rockies Express chairs.
Intermediate Terrain
Most of Marmot Basin’s terrain suits intermediates, with plenty of groomed blue slopes accessible from the Express Chairlift. There are also pleasant single black diamonds that intermediates can progress to.
When the conditions are right, you’ll find fantastic groomers at Show Off and Highway 16. Here, there are lots of fun snow activities in the bowls after a fresh snowfall and at the Knob Chair.
Advanced Terrain
The resort has thrilling advanced terrain with lots of exciting snow sports activities and features. In particular, there are lots of interesting slopes down at the Eagle Express Quad. You’ll also find great snow at the Cornice and Marmot Peak which can be accessed through a pleasant hike. The recent additions to the resort’s skiable areas, the Tres Hombres and Caribou Knoll are great locations if you’re on an adventure hunt for freshies.
The Marmot Basin freestyle terrain
The resort has two terrain parks, the mini rail park, and the mid-mountain park. The mid-mountain park has a great blend of boxes and small rails that are pleasant to ride on. The main terrain park is closer to the base of the resort and has a medium to large jump line as well as boxes and rails.
The resort has a small network of conveniently placed lifts that allow riders to access different slopes according to their ability and level. The lift collection features 7 lifts that include chairlifts and a surface lift.
The lift infrastructure features both new and older lifts. The Canadian Rockies Chairlift is the premium lift in the fleet, providing the fastest ascent from the base of the mountain. The Knob Chairlift is slower but allows access to some of the best slopes on the mountain.
As the resort is mostly crowd-free, you’ll rarely find a lift queue.
The following are the named lifts at the resort:
The lift tickets at this resort are generally inexpensive compared to those in the nearby resorts. The tickets can be purchased from the Marmot Basin Ski Resort website at your convenience. If you purchase your tickets in advance, you may save money on great midweek flash sales and discounts.
When you purchase Single/Multi-day lift tickets online (at least 24 hours in advance if you’re visiting soon), you can collect your physical card at one of the Pick-Up Boxes on the mountain. This way, you get to skip the line and proceed to the slopes at your convenience.
You can find the Pick-Up boxes outside the lower chalet, near the Outer Limits retail store. You can also pick up the scannable card at the Marmot Sales Centre or at any of the ticket windows on the mountain.
In 2021, Marmot Basin moved to RFID which made mountain access contactless. The way this works is, that all the tickets that you purchase are loaded onto a card that you put into your winter jacket’s left-sleeve pocket. As you go through the lift gates, the card gets scanned.
You can purchase the following lift types at the resort:
Single and multi-day lift passes
These can be purchased online and include:
Season Passes
With this ticket type, you can find great discounts on Jasper hotel accommodations and other facilities. To get your season pass, follow the procedure on the season pass page.
If you change your mind before the season’s opening day, you’ll be given a full refund, no questions asked.
The other ticket types include:
Curious to know what the snow is like today at the Marmot Basin Ski Resort?
The following is a live webcam feed of the slopes at the Marmot Basin Ski Resort. We’ve curated the best views to show you the current snow conditions from around the resort.
The resort receives an average seasonal snowfall of 450 centimeters. The resort’s high base elevation combined with low temperatures help keep the snow quality high and ensures a longer snow sports season.
To complement the natural the resort has snow-making ability that covers about 5% of the slopes.
In the following live graphic, you can see the current estimated snow depth for the Marmot Basin Ski Resort
Knowing the projected weather conditions at and around the resort can help you plan your trip better. The following graphic shows an updated forecast for Marmot Basin Ski Resort’s weather.
The Marmot Basin Ski Resort has no on-mountain accommodation or ski village. However, you’ll find great places to stay and dine in the nearby Jasper Town, about 30 minutes away.
Jasper Town is charming and quieter than the nearby Banff and offers lodges and dining options for individuals, groups, and families, at both deluxe and pocket-friendly prices.
Some of the convenience services at Jasper include a ski rental, sale, and repair shop, ski lessons, gift shops, and plenty of restaurants, lodges, and bars. There’s also a nursery for children between 19 months and 7 years, a hospital, and a first aid area.
Some great places where you can dine, stay and have fun include:
The Marmot Basin Ski Resort has no on-mountain accommodation or ski village. However, you’ll find great places to stay and dine in the nearby Jasper Town, about 30 minutes away.
Jasper Town is charming and quieter than the nearby Banff and offers lodges and dining options for individuals, groups, and families, at both deluxe and pocket-friendly prices.
Some of the convenience services at Jasper include a ski rental, sale, and repair shop, ski lessons, gift shops, and plenty of restaurants, lodges, and bars. There’s also a nursery for children between 19 months and 7 years, a hospital, and a first aid area.
Some great places where you can dine, stay and have fun include:
Marmot Basin is located in Alberta, in the Canadian Rockies, within the magnificent Jasper National Park. It is the northernmost ski area in the Rocky Mountains.
The resort is about 308 kilometers away from Edmonton and 426 kilometers from Calgary.
The two closest airports to the resort are Edmonton and Calgary international airports. Edmonton International Airport is the closest airport from where you can board a shuttle or rent a car to the ski field. If you’re coming in from Europe, you’re, however, most likely to find affordable flights to Calgary.
The drive to the resort is long. However, a journey on the Icefields Parkway is a great experience and has been voted among the top ten most scenic drives in the world. As the resort is located within a national park, you’ll need to pay to be granted access.
When you get to the resort, you’ll find ample parking for your vehicle. It has 4 on-mountain parking where you can park for free. However, keep in mind that the parking is offered on a first come first served basis.
The resort is nestled within the Jasper National Park in Alberta, in the Canadian Rockies.
The resort receives an average of 4.5 meters of average seasonal snowfall, complemented by artificial snowmaking on 5% of the slopes.
The resort has 1,675 acres of dynamic skiable terrain and features 86 runs with a 914-meter vertical rise.
Yes, there is ample parking at the resort, with four distinct parking areas where you can park for free.
The resort is a great place for beginners with lots of gentle slopes. It has dedicated ski school areas and also includes equipment rentals, sales, and repair.
Yes, if you’re driving up the alpine areas in Alberta, the local administration requires that all vehicles carry fitting snow chains.