Skiers and snowboarders that live in Calgary, Alberta, typically drive to the Banff area to hit the slopes, but that hasn’t always been the case. The area has a rich history of local downhill skiing, with several small areas popping up and ultimately closing from as early as the 1920s to as late as the 1980s. Skier 72 explored the region’s fleeting history of ski areas.
1920s-1930s
- The first ski facility in Calgary popped up in around 1920 with a 40-foot ski jump built overlooking the Elbow River. The jump hosted several competitions but was unable to gain lasting popularity, and the ski club was later dissolved by the mid 1920s.
- In the 1930s the Calgary Ski Club saw a rebirth, with members organizing trips to distant resorts like Mount Norquay and using gold fairways for skiing before being kicked out.
1940s-1960s
- In 1949, part of the Shaganappi Golf Course was converted into a small ski area with a rope tow by the Calgary Ski Club, using the gold clubhouse as a base. Eventually, damage to the golf course from vehicle ruts, burst pipes, and more led the city to end the agreement after a few seasons.
- In 1952, the club relocated to land leased from Bowness Golf & Country Club along the Bow River, bringing the same rope tow from Shaganappi. The initial clubhouse was destroyed in a fire but operations continued, offering gentle terrain for beginners. By the late 1950s there were more sledders than skiers, and the hill closed in 1960.
1960s-1970s
- 1961 saw the opening of a privately developed recreational complex west of Calgary, with entrepreneur Ernie Loots building a ski hill with platter lifts, snowmaking from the Bow River, and four runs. Happy Valley thrived initially, offering youth ski schools, but changed ownership multiple times and failed grand redevelopment plans. The area closed after the 1979 season, though the remnants of the runs are still visible.
- In 1971, a privately funded second attempt at turning Shaganappi Golf Course into a ski hill featured portable rope tows and later a T-bar, night skiing, snowmaking, and a small terrain park. It was successful in the mid-1970s, but struggled with warm winters and limited terrain. In 1978, the city gave operations to a different company which went bankrupt after a snowless 1978-79 season.
