Ski season in Alberta just days away, with several resorts set to open

With recent snow in the mountains, some alpine resort operators are preparing to open their terrain within daysand avalanche forecasters have issued the first backcountrybulletin of the season.

MountNorquayis set to open for publicskiing on Thursday, while Lake Louise anticipates opening on Friday.

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Sunshine Village has set Nov. 11 as its opening date, dependent on snow and weather conditions.

Nakiska tentatively plans to open on Saturday for weekend skiing,with a full-opening date set forDec. 4.

Castle Mountain has picked Dec. 11 as its opening date.

Backcountryconditions

For backcountry users, Avalanche Canada issued its first bulletinof the season this week, following heavy snow in the Kananaskis area.

Up to 30 centimetres of snow has been observed in alpine areas, according to the bulletin, and recent winds have created pockets up to a metre deep in lee areas.

The snowpack is not yet complex but Avalanche Canada is reminding backcountry users to always pay close attention and examine local conditions carefully.

"The ground can be a problem layer in itself so be sure to keep your hands in the snowpack checking for stiffness in slabs overlying the ground looking for weaknesses," the bulletin advises.