Ski Mighty Peace with mighty people
Mighty Peace, Alberta People make the place. They also set the vibes, and in northwest Alberta, that vibe is mighty and peaceful—just like the name—and full of good times on skis and snowboards.
If it wasn't for a strong collection of local legends, this part of the province wouldn't be home to six thriving ski hills. Allow me to introduce you to some of the finest people at the core of the ski and ride scene across Mighty Peace, and your next epic ski trip full of mighty awesome vibes.
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Manning Ski Hill
Meet Kaitie Koch, president of the Manning Ski Club. Along with her hubby Dallas aka "Cookie” driving the snowcat, she leads operations for this little gem of a ski area, servicing a community of about 1,100 people.
Being club president comes with a lot of responsibilities, but Koch loves her work.
"It can be a bit stressful being in this position," she admits, "but not to sound too cheesy, when we open and are welcoming skiers to our hill, you see the smiles, you see the impact you are having and it brings a lot of joy to my heart."
You can follow Manning off their Facebook page.
Misery Mountain
If you've been a snow seeker for a while, you have heard of Paul Lavoie. As one of Alberta's top adventure travel photographers, Lavoie chooses to live in the same city as the local ski hill of Misery Mountain, where he draws inspiration from its winter beauty and northern lights—and the shred scene.
"I couldn't think of a better spot to allow my 7-year-old boy, Finn, to gain confidence on the snow and start to learn the sport."
Open for day and night skiing, Misery's operations include a stunning 180-degree view of the Peace Valley below, overlooking the city of Peace River and its namesake waterway. Check out Misery details here via Facebook.
Little Smoky Ski Hill
Originally set in the Peace Region's south (150 km NE of Grande Prairie), Little Smoky moved North to its existing spot in 1987, where they have been keeping the ski area's awesome tradition alive for going on 40 years.
"My kids love skiing here," says fifth-year Smoky team member Jenny Veraart, who simply brings her kids to work; they ski while she helps the next wave of skiers and riders into the sport.
Rowan Napier, rental assistant at Little Smoky going on four years, adds, "[you] do feel the excitement of those coming here to ski."
Check out the run Beeline, a rolling "black diamond" of a run looking out over the river valley carved by the Little Smoky River. Find ski area info via Little Smoky's Facebook page here.
(In the summer, you can canoe the river with the helpful info in this Mighty Peace River Guide.)
Fairview Ski Area
When skiing or snowboarding at Fairview Ski Area (an hour north of Grande Prairie), you won't lose out on the view, nor will you go hungry, thanks to the dedication of 30+ volunteers.
People like Lorna Bourget, a professional chef, who bounces around the day lodge filling any gaps. The day I visited she was cooking up delicious cinnamon buns and taco wraps. Looking out over the valley, Bourget says, "the views here are beautiful."
"I lived here since 2001 and never knew the hill was even here," says Dan Viel, now a volunteer Fairview ski patroller.
Shred the Mighty Peace with mighty people
Ski and ride the six local hills on a Mighty Peace ski trip
“This the perfect tailgate ski hill – position your truck in the parking lot, pop down the tailgate, fire up the BBQ and sit & look up at the hill. Around here we lead a farming version of life, bush parties, country music and tailgaters.
Never better if that tailgater is looking up at a ski hill.”
Connect to Fairview Ski Area via Facebook here.
Whispering Pines Ski Hill
Teaching 2,000 people how to ski isn't just a fact, it's Lloyd Ross's passion volunteering at Whispering Pines Ski Hill.
"My wife and I don't go to Arizona for the winter," explains Ross, "so for the past eight years we've taught skiing here, welcoming people from all over the world."
The morning I caught up with Ross, he was working with his latest pupils, including Gaby Luna from Guadalajara, Mexico.
Feast on decent terrain and a stop at Whispering Pines café to fuel up on the daily offerings from their volunteer kitchen. The best bacon and potato soup with a cheeseburger on the side? Yes please!
(The secret to their scrumptions burgers is they bake the burgers before storing them in their signature BBQ sauce). For more on Whispering PInes, check out its Facebook.
Spring Lake Ski Hill
The excitement was palpable last year when I visited this gem of a community offering. After 10 years closed, Spring Lake Ski Hill returned to weekend operations in 2024 and is going strong about an hour northwest of Grande Prairie.
That excitement level has reached new heights this season, given the team at Spring Lake is growing, which saw them add three new runs.
"We are bonded in brotherhood through the passion for the sport of skiing or riding," explains volunteer operations manager Wayne Krushell.
As he explained over our shred session, "Everyone on our team has a signature talent and coming all together, it creates magic."
Through the support of Grande Prairie and Saddle Hills County, Spring Lake provides 10 youth with employment at the hill (with operations supported by 16 volunteers).
Check in for Wayne's "first run" videos on their Facebook page.
When you go
Tying together a few of these ski areas or even all six across Mighty Peace is the perfect road trip for a beginner or intermediate set of skiers or riders.
Perhaps in your next ski or ride trip you are looking to relax the "go-go-go" intensity of a traditional ski trip? You can ease off the gas with a Mighty Peace winter adventure.
Here's how.
Itinerary
Hit all six over a week, or check off two or three over a long weekend road trip.
Nights 1-2
Stay at the Gateway Inn in Worsley
Day 1-2
ski or ride Spring Lake Ski hill and Whispering Pines Ski Area
Ski area stats:
- Spring Lake Ski Hill: 1 t-bar sering 5 runs with ## vertical
- Whispering Pines Ski Area: 1 t-bar, 1 triple chair and a magic carpet serving 19 runs with ## vertical
Nights 3-5
basecamp in Peace River, AB via a host of accommodation options
Day 3-6
from Peace River, ski or ride Fairview Ski Area, Little Smoky, Manning Ski Club & Misery Mountain
Ski area stats:
- Fairview Ski Area: 2 t-bars, 2 palma lifts serving 15 runs with ## vertical
- Little Smoky Ski Area: 1 t-bar and a handle tow in beginners' area serving seven runs with ## vertical
- Manning Ski Club: 1 t-bar serving 5 runs, with ## vertical
- Misery Mountain: 1 quad chair, 2 t-bars serving 35 runs with 645 feet vertical
Ski area & Mighty Peace info
Mighty Peace Tourism has you sorted to source the stoke in a #mightypeace ski or ride trip with this guide to skiing the Mighty Peace.
Apres tips
Stop in at Peace River Brewing for the best Caesar you've ever had, featuring a house-made dill pickle vodka!
Or how about in Fahler, Alberta, make a stop to see the world's largest bee, score some local honey and perhaps you'll be back in the summer for their honey festival (contests include who can make the biggest bee beard… with live bees).
For some extra Mighty Peace-ful moments on your trip, stop by the Historic Dunvegan Bridge for more valley views that will wow you. Also be sure to keep your eye on the aurora forecast as the Mighty Peace is known for its amazing northern lights displays!
Lastly, be sure to share the Mighty Peace experience, let us know what you find, include #snowseekers and #mightypeace in your social media posts so we might be able to showcase your discoveries.