Hotel Sawridge, Jasper

Jasper/Marmot Basin is right out in the beautiful wilds of the Eastern Rockies, three and a half hours from the nearest international airport in Edmonton. As with a lot of Canadian skiing, accommodation and entertainment are to be found in the major town of the area, Jasper, while the skiing is offered by a local domain, Marmot Basin.

Marmot Basin has over 1000 acres of slopes, is great value and provides good skiing for all abilities. It is particularly suitable for better intermediates, who will enjoy the several black pistes that the resort has to offer. The ski school, based in Jasper, has a great reputation, as well as offering snowboard clinics for those who want to spend less time on their bums. The scenery is wonderful and the skiing is typically North American - stress-free and user-friendly. Boarders have a particular soft spot for the place.

Jasper, which is 30 minutes from the skiing, is a world-famous resort in its own right, with great access to some of the best scenery and mountain terrain in Canada. It has plenty of quality accommodation for all budgets. The nightlife is reasonable, although some boarders seem to disagree! Because of its location, access to a car is invaluable. Then if you don't feel like skiing or travelling to other ski domains (for example Panorama), you can hit the open road and explore this stunning area. There is also the Jasper in January festival, which often has cheap deals on lift passes.

Overall, Jasper/Marmot basin is a wonderful place to experience Canadian mountain life and scenery, with plenty of great skiing – if you're into that sort of thing…