By Richard Pennick
Snowboarding and skiing in Western Canada is now more affordable with the addition of several new backpackers' hostels - some right on the slopes.
A single website, www. canadianskihostels.com, lists all the new accommodation options in the interior of British Columbia and Alberta - recognised as some of the best powder skiing in the world.
A number of brand new ski-in, ski-out hostels have been built in central BC. Also new is the first downtown backpackers' hostel in Banff, in a former four-star motel, with daily shuttles to the area's three ski resorts.
Skiers and snowboarders around the world will now have a budget accommodation option with the backpackers' hostel in Banff while riding world-famous mountains like Sunshine Village and Lake Louise.
Located in the retro Fernie township is a new 180-bed hostel, again converted from a motel, and only five minutes drive from the Fernie ski resort. A 60-bed hostel is only 75 minutes away in the Bavarian theme town of Kimberley, and again only five minutes from the local slopes.
Rounding out this year's expansion are new facilities in Nelson, BC and downtown Kelowna.
The website offers online bookings to all seven facilities featured, with dorm beds going for around C$20 (about R112) a night. Most of the hostels are operated by Samesun Travel Hostels and/or Global Village Backpackers, with the latter also providing a convenient gateway hostel in Vancouver for long-distance travellers.
Guests from around the world flock to western Canadian ski hills during the winter months because of the low dollar, great skiing conditions and long seasons.
For more information regarding CanadianSkiHostels.com contact Craig Kelley at (091) 250-878-8250 or e-mail: [email protected], or visit the website: www. canadianskihostels.com
For information on Western Canadian Ski Resorts check the website: www.skicanadawest. com
For info on Canada visit the website of the Canadian Tourism Commission on: www.travelcanada.ca