Nakiska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nakiska Ski Resort |
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Slopes of Nakiska on Mount Allan in March 2007
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 Nakiska Ski Resort
Location in Alberta
Nakiska Ski Resort
Location in Canada
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| Location | Mount Allan, Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada |
| Nearest city | Calgary: 83 km (52 mi) |
| Coordinates | 50°56′38″N 115°08′49″W / 50.944°N 115.147°W |
| Vertical | 735 m (2,411 ft) |
| Top elevation | 2,260 m (7,410 ft) |
| Base elevation | 1,525 m (5,003 ft) |
| Skiable area | 1,021 acres (4.13 km2) |
| Runs | 64 16% - Easiest 70% - More Difficult 10% - Most Difficult 4% - Expert |
| Longest run | 3.3 km (2.1 mi) |
| Lift system | 4 Chairlifts - 3 High Speed Quads - 1 Double 1 Magic Carpet |
| Lift capacity | 8,830 / hr |
| Snowfall | 250 cm (100 in) |
| Snowmaking | Extensive, 75% |
| Night skiing | No |
| Website | skinakiska.com |
Nakiska is a popular ski resort located in western Canada. It's in the beautiful Kananaskis Country area of Alberta. This resort is about 83 kilometers (52 miles) west of Calgary. You can find it on the east side of Mount Allan. The name "Nakiska" comes from the Cree language, and it means "to meet" or "meeting place."
Nakiska is a special place because it hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics! Today, it's a great spot for skiing and snowboarding, with many trails for all skill levels.
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Skiing and Snowboarding Fun
Nakiska offers a fantastic experience for skiers and snowboarders. It has 64 different trails to explore.
Trails for Everyone
The trails at Nakiska are designed for various skill levels:
- Easiest: 16% of the trails are perfect for beginners.
- More Difficult: 70% of the trails are for those who have some experience.
- Most Difficult: 10% of the trails are challenging for advanced skiers.
- Expert: 4% of the trails are for very experienced skiers looking for a thrill.
The longest run at Nakiska is about 3.3 kilometers (2.1 miles) long. The highest point you can reach by lift is 2,258 meters (7,408 feet) above sea level, and the base of the mountain is at 1,479 meters (4,852 feet).
Lifts to the Top
To get up the mountain, Nakiska has several lifts:
- 3 high-speed quad chairlifts, which are super fast!
- 1 double chairlift.
- 2 magic carpets, which are like moving sidewalks for beginners.
These lifts can carry many people up the mountain quickly, so you can spend more time skiing.
History of Nakiska
Nakiska was built especially for a very important event: the 1988 Winter Olympics!
Olympic Beginnings
The location for Nakiska was chosen in 1983. The resort officially opened for skiing in the fall of 1986. This was to get ready for the 1988 Winter Olympics held in Calgary. Before the Olympics, some important ski races were held here to test the slopes.
During the 1988 Winter Olympics, Nakiska hosted all ten Alpine skiing events. It also hosted Freestyle skiing moguls, which was a demonstration sport at the time. This means it was shown off but not yet an official medal event. The Olympic flame still burns at the entrance to the resort, reminding everyone of its special past.
Becoming a Training Center
In 2008, Nakiska became the official training center for Alpine Canada (ACA). This means that ski teams from all over the world come to Nakiska every year to train early in the ski season.
To make it even better for training, many improvements were made:
- Snowmaking systems were upgraded to make more snow.
- A new 100-meter (328-foot) Monster Magic Carpet was added.
- A special training run called "Mapmaker" was created.
New Lifts and Trails
In 2009, more upgrades happened to prepare for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. A brand new high-speed quad lift, called the Gold Chair Express, was installed. This new lift cuts the ride time to the top by more than half!
Also in 2009, new ski trails were added. These included the "Monster Glades," which are fun trails through the trees.
Who Owns Nakiska?
Nakiska is owned by a company called Resorts of the Canadian Rockies. This company also owns several other well-known ski resorts, including:
