There's an air of unspoilt charm in Jasper and its local ski area of Marmot Basin, with great skiing and stunning parkland. Many visitors skiing here will have arrived in town via the spectacular Icefields Parkway road through protected national parkland from Calgary, one of the most scenically stunning drives on earth, and this great ski area and the ski town of Jasper, are the icing on the cake.

Marmot Basin itself is an excellent mid-sized ski area that has grown organically over the past 45 years, gradually upgrading lifts and expanding its terrain. The area is famed for its open powder slopes, suited to all ability levels, and for ‘elbow room' being one of the least busy ski areas on earth.

Guest stay in or near the atmospheric town of Jasper, 20 minutes away, which has a good range of shopping and dining and the same strong community spirit evident on the slopes which differentiates the area from many of the more corporate resorts of North America.

Resort elevation: 1,062m (3,484ft).

Top elevation: 2,612m (8,570ft).

Base elevation: 1,697m (5,570ft).

Number of lifts: 8.

Number of runs: 86.

Average annual snowfall: 4m (19.2ft).

Marmot Basin is located in the Canadian Rockies of Western Alberta, within the Jasper National Park and 19km (12 miles) from the town of Jasper. It is surrounded by spectacular, pristine mountain scenery.

Marmot Basin's northerly latitude and high altitude means the snow falls earlier and lasts longer, with the area claiming one of the longest ski seasons in the country, from early December through to late April each year. 

Marmot Basin's terrain has kept growing over the years and now extends over four mountain faces. The ski area has a deserved reputation for its uncrowded slopes, meaning you spend more time skiing and less time queuing to ride back up. An on-going investment in an increasing number of high-speed lifts means you don't spend long on the lifts themselves either, although with spectacular scenery all around it does pay to stop and take it all in at least once in a while. The Canadian Rockies Express chair lift is due to open for the 2009/10 season and will carry riders almost 2,000 vertical feet (590m) in just over 7 minutes, making it the longest high speed chair in the Alberta Canadian Rockies.

All ability levels are catered for, and the good news is that each level will find a run to suit them off every lift, making it possible for different ability groups to ride the same lifts then ski down separate trails and meet at the bottom.

Although the resort has a strong reputation for families, a third of the terrain is graded intermediate, with runs up to 5.6km (3.5 miles) long and experts have 40% of the mountain to call their own with lots of double black diamond terrain in the Eagle East area, accessed by the Eagle Ridge quad chairlift.

Freestyle boarders and skiers will enjoy the attractions of the Rogers Terrain Park placed in the lower area of the mountain where it is accessible to all and benefits from Marmot's state-of-the-art snowmaking system.

Marmot Basin has three on-mountain chalets for refreshments, with all services including rentals, ski school, nursery and a ski shop in the Caribou Chalet complex at the base of the slopes.

There is a lot to do in Jasper and the surrounding area. The main indoor sports facility is the Jasper Activity Centre, 303 Pyramid Ave, with adjacent Aquatic Centre - home to squash courts, ice rink, climbing wall, weights room and swimming pools. A visit to the Jasper Yellowhead Museum, 400 Pyramid Lake Road, will provide some background on David Thompson, the explorer who mapped out Canada's fur trade route through the area.

Staying outdoors you can try ice fishing, ice cave explorations, winter horse riding or climbing a frozen waterfall. At Maligne Canyon you can try canyon crawling through its suspended frozen waterfalls. 

If you visit in the last two weeks of cold, dark January you can enjoy the added fun of the annual Jasper in January Festival when the town comes alive with events and activities like snow sculpting, wine tasting and the famous annual chilli cook off.

On the slopes, Marmot Basin has a strong family-friendly atmosphere and a ski area design which allows families to ski apart and then get back together quickly, easily and safely. The Little Rascals Nursery provides supervised day care for children aged from 19 months up to 6 years. A ski school is available from age four with full day Kids Kamp being an option for six to 12 year olds.

Jasper is a very family friendly town too and children will have fun in the Aquatic Centre, 303 Pyramid Avenue, complete with a swimming pool, a water slide, hot pool, whirlpool and steam room. Right next door is the Jasper Activity Centre with raquetball courts, aerobics, weight room, sauna, curling and indoor ice skating.

Lovers of quirky, atmospheric shopping will delight in Jasper, where there are around 50 shops, mostly concentrated around a couple of blocks in the town centre. The Jasper Marketplace, Patricia and Hazel Street, is typical, with several outlets under one roof including the Truffles & Trout specialty bakery and the funky Counterclockwise Emporium. In general just expect lots of character-filled shops and very few chain stores.

Apres ski kicks off in downtown Jasper as soon as the lifts close and skiers and boarders head down the mountain en masse. As with all things Jasper, the scene is largely laid back and with more variety than you might expect, with several dozen bars and nightspots to choose from.

Amongst the options, Champs Sports Lounge in the Sawridge Inn, 82 Connaught Drive, features over 50 styles of classic and contemporary martinis and there's  karaoke here every Wednesday night. The Whistle Stop Pub, 105 Miette Avenue, has a nice fireplace, pool table, video jukebox and six big screen sports satellite TVs. Later on the Atha-B Nightclub, 510 Patricia Street, is the place to be.

There are around 30 places to eat in Jasper and there's an eclectic mix of styles with a general onus on friendly, good honest service and quality food. You'll find regional styles including Chinese, French, Indian, Italian and Japanese here alongside local specialities, and everything from small cafès like the Bear's Paw Bakery, 4 Cedar Avenue, to fine dining gourmet establishments. Vegetarians should check out Coco's Café, 608 Patricia Street, which has a daily vegan special and serves up a hearty vegetarian chilli. Serious carnivores will prefer the De'd Dog Bar & Grill in the Astoria Hotel, 404 Connaught Drive, where the specials include grilled Alberta steaks, signature game burger and blackened wild salmon on baguette.

If you're based in Jasper you'll find much of the resort walkable from your door. A ski shuttle operates daily from hotels to the ski slopes (19km/12 miles away) and tickets for this can be purchased at the hotel's front desk. There are no other major ski areas within two hours drive of the town but a daily shuttle service does link Jasper to Banff, about three hours south.

The Insignia Spa within the Jasper Park Lodge, Old Lodge Road, offers the Edith Cavell Experience. This "ultimate spa experience" lasts more than four hours and includes body wrap, full massage, facial, manicure and pedicure.

Luxury

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
The Jasper Park Lodge is made up of many smaller lodges spread over more than 900 acres surrounding frozen Lac Beauvert and has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Old Lodge Road
Tel: (780) 852 3301.
Website: www.fairmont.com/Jasper

Moderate

Lobstick Lodge
Located in the town of Jasper, within comfortable walking distance of the "downtown" area, shopping and restaurants

94 Geikie Street
Tel: (780) 852 4142.
Website: www.mpljasper.com

Budget

Whistler Inn
Small quaint inn located smack in the centre of the town. It features a friendly pub, popular with locals, the Whistle Stop Pub and a very nice restaurant, Cassios' Trattoria, all at a very affordable price.

Jasper
Tel: (780) 852 3361.
Website: www.whistlersinn.com

Nearest airports: Edmonton (YEG); Calgary (YYC).

Distances to resort: 360km (225 miles); 400km (250 miles).

Driving times: 2 hours 30 minutes; 4 hours.

Intermediates, Snowboarders, Experts, Families, Beginners, Snow reliability