Snowy Nakiska set to open on Saturday

Nakiska, Calgary, is preparing to open to the public on Saturday, December 6th for the 2008/09 winter season. The ski resort, known as “Calgary’s Closest Mountain”, has been busy being in the spotlight this season as an ideal training site for a number of international ski teams. Nakiska has hosted hundreds of athletes since early November, and was named an official Alpine Canada Alpine National Training Centre earlier this fall.

A number of improvements have been made at Nakiska over the past 18 months, enhancing the skiing and riding experience as well as the overall look and feel of the resort’s facilities and lodges.

Nakiska is known for its smooth, corduroy-perfect conditions. This year, thanks to new pumps and equipment, Nakiska has increased its snowmaking capacity by 33%. Transformations have taken place at the main Daylodge, including a new deck, roof, washrooms and floors. The Finish Line Lounge, located on the upper level, has been completely re-furbished. Come and relax in style! New racks and computer kiosks in the rental shop will help guests retrieve their equipment and get up on the mountain faster, and Nakiska’s new “North Axe” meeting space caters to groups of up to 50 people.

Ski clubs now have a place to call their own throughout the season, as the new Mapmaker Race Centre is a dedicated racing run available for clubs and teams to train all season long. Nakiska is the preferred pre-season homebase for ski teams from Canada, Norway, Switzerland, Italy, France and more, thanks to its world-class facilities, snow and dedicated race track.

Nakiska was also recently named as a key stop along the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay Route.

Snow storms this week have brought 35cm of new snow to the upper mountain, 25cm at mid-mountain, and 15cm at the base. Combined with Nakiska’s world-class snowmaking system, conditions are expected to be very good for opening day.

For details of ski packages, log on to Skircr.com/vacations.

Visit skinakiska.com for ski condition updates and applicable rates for opening weekend.