WE have two kids, a 3 yr old and a 5 yr old, which makes it tricky. We arrived in Nov and didn't really ski until Christmas due to loads to do. We have also hung up our skis a tad early due to finances and other kids summer stuff.

We skied 23 days, from UK with kids we used to ski 6 days and pre kids maybe 6-12.

Gryph

Although skiing can be on your doorstep depending on where you live in Canada, it is really going to be how much you want to make to the effort. I take my skies to work and clatter our the door with all my kit to catch the bus to night skiing after work. It is a bit of a hassle but much preferable to sitting on the sofa watching TV (but for that note we don't have a TV because we try make the most of the beautiful place we live and all it offers us to do).

Same for days skiing at the weekend, getting up at 6am.

This season (our second) we did:

15 days at Whistler (2-3 hours)
4 days at Sun Peaks over Christmas
2 days at Big White
2 days at Silver Star
3 days at Apex
1 day at Mnt Baker (Washington)
2 days at Mnt Washington
1 night of skate skiing at Cypress

On top of this I teach one night a week at a local ski hill to Vancouver, so that was 8 night skiing sessions. I also did about 10 instructor training night sessions, I did a 5 day instructor course, 2 day instructor development course.

We also instruct for Vancouver Adaptive Snow School, so I did about 3 days of training with them, and taught about 6 lessons.

The one weekend that we weren't skiing we went snowcaving instead.


Skiing in the winter and sailing, and mnt biking in the summer are the main reasons we moved over here. But we are able to do far more than I ever dreamed would be possible. But at the same time, if you aren't motivated, it would be as easy not to do any of them.

i'm further away from the mountains, a good 3hr drive. this restricted me to only a couple of trips, rather than the cost as i think compared to europe its very cheap. we did manage at least twice a month though to get to the slopes in and just outside the city. these are not great by any means, but for a beginner they are fine, and it beats not going at all. i have found family and the ususal stuff restrict the time to go, motivation as put above is the key. all depends on how into it you are i suppose.

Thanks guys for all the replies.Just trying to make the dream and reality and great hear so many of you have looking at this years skiing hols pictures and dreaming.

We have season passes for Sunshine, and have done so since we arrived....we basically go every weekend, if we get bored of never any sunshine, we go a little further to kicking horse/Panorama...lake louise (We hate, too icy on the front and huge lines at the lifts on the backside). We took a trip to Fernie this season and it was fab.

We're big skiers..the kids board so for us our location is great for getting to the hill ...not as good as canmore and banff...but then some of us have to earn a decent crust to enjoy our hobbies.