Saskatchewan — Similar to the American Midwest, Saskatchewan isn’t known for its ski areas. However, there is one mountain with decent skiable acreage that is now abandoned.
In Skier72’s latest episode of The Lost Resorts series, he breaks down the history of Ochapowace. The video analyzes the history of the ski resort, why it closed, what it looks like today, and how it skied. Click here to watch more episodes of his series.
History of Ochapowace
Situated less than two hours from Regina, it was operated by four First Nations’ tribes. It first opened in 1968 as a modest rope tow operation and grew in the 1970s. A quad chairlift was installed in the 90s, giving it a bigger operational capacity.
Factors such as a lack of government support, warm winters, and the lack of investments near the end of its tenure led to its demise. The ski area last operated in 2007. Interestingly, the lodge and chairlift have been repaired and operate to some extent. However, there are currently no plans to reopen it for skiing and riding.
Image/Video Credits: Skier72 (Prairie Past), Skimap.org
