SnowBuzz
White August: First snow at Canadian resorts
The Canadian winter of the 2026/27 season has sent its first signal earlier than expected: snow fell on Sunday at higher elevations at Banff Sunshine in Alberta and Kicking Horse in British Columbia. Accumulation was recorded above an elevation of about 2,286 meters, while a mix of rain and snow fell at lower elevations.
Photo: Banff Sunshine
The timing is unusual for the region. In Alberta, the first measurable snow typically arrives between late September and early October. At Kicking Horse, too, the first measurable snow usually appears in October, meaning the white scenes in late August arrived ahead of the seasonal schedule.
Banff Sunshine spans three mountains: Goat's Eye, Lookout, and Standish. The resort's base sits at an elevation of 1,658 meters and its summit at 2,730 meters. It has 3,358 acres of skiable terrain and receives an average of about 914 centimeters of snow annually.
The resort, located in Banff National Park, is known for its long season and relatively consistent snow. Winter operations there typically run from early November through late May, placing it among the ski resorts with the longest seasons in North America.
Photo: Banff Sunshine
Kicking Horse is located about 13 kilometers from the town of Golden, on the eastern slopes of the Purcell Mountains. The resort is surrounded by six national parks and overlooks the Rocky Mountain Trench. Its vertical drop reaches 4,314 feet, and its skiable terrain spans 3,486 acres.
Kicking Horse has more than 120 runs, including over 85 steep chutes within the resort boundaries, as well as five alpine bowls. The stated breakdown is 20 percent for beginners, 20 percent for intermediate skiers, 45 percent for advanced skiers, and 15 percent for experts. The summit rises to 8,218 feet, and the resort receives an average of more than 24 feet of snow annually.
Despite the excitement, the snow cover is expected to be temporary. Local forecasts for both resorts indicate temperatures will rise above freezing, so the early snow may disappear quickly. Nevertheless, with fall approaching and the possibility of a powerful El Niño developing, the snowfall provides an intriguing opening ahead of the season.
Want to keep reading?
The rest of this story is available in the SnowBuzz app. Open the app or install it to continue from the exact point where you stopped.