Edmonton Ski Club, Edmonton

Like a snowboarder hurtling end over end through cold mountain air, Edmonton Ski Club displays a nifty aerial view. The club's 25 acres of snowy terrain lie just 5 minutes outside downtown Edmonton, and the city skyline rises up on the horizon much like craggy peaks do at other ski destinations. Five ski runs twist over the frigid slopes, presenting skiers and snowboarders with options for any desired degree of difficulty. The Bunny Hill is where youngsters and novices can learn proper technique by imagining pizza and fry shapes and blocking the mental image of corkscrew pasta, while the Black-Diamond Twin Birch run challenges more seasoned slalomers with steeper pitches and a fair share of bumps. Even more thrills can be found at the Terrain Park—a gauntlet of jumps, rails, bars, and tubes serviced by two lifts.