North America Snow Report & Forecast

With next season just around the corner, is this the year you promise yourself you’ll finally get into the terrain park? Maybe it’s landing your first 180, nailing a box slide, or simply working up the confidence to drop into the park for the very first time. But somehow, every ski day goes the same. Cruising down a blue run, spotting the arrow pointing towards the park, and … keep going. Next run, you tell yourself. Next trip. Next season…. Because let’s face it, when it seems like everyone is effortlessly launching into backflips or gliding down rails, the park can be intimidating. Especially when it’s perfectly placed right under the busiest lift. But at Norquay Ski Resort in Banff, one group is not letting these fears stop them. Meet ‘Quay Queens’, the inclusive, all-female-led community group encouraging women, LGBT+ individuals and “anyone who identifies as a queen” to slide into the terrain park with confidence. Image Credit: Ali Field (@truenorthali) InTheSnow spoke to the leaders of this baggy-trousered, sporty sunglassed and pink hi-vis-wearing group (not mandatory but certainly encouraged) about how their community has reshaped what it means to be a female rider in a traditionally male sphere. A Royal Welcome “We started the Queens to create a sisterhood voice and a unity for individuals to come together to celebrate their love for mountain sports” co-founder Faith Nickel says, a feat especially important to her amongst the mayhem of mountain-town life. “Living in a ski town is so fun, but it can also be chaotic … we hope people come together at our meetups and find some happiness and balance that allows them to figure themselves out a bit more”. Image Credit: Ali Field (@truenorthali) The group started as informal Friday night sessions amongst Norquay instructors back in 2025 who simply wanted to ride together after work. And maybe also have an excuse to drink some slopeside shafts together too (if you’ve never tried this creamy coffee cocktail, consider this your sign to add one to this season’s bucket list, as well as a rest day off afterwards). Jibbing > judging But over the last year, the Queens have gone from strength to strength, with a group chat of over 200 people. They now hold regular ride days throughout the season where complete beginners can train alongside experienced park riders without any fear of embarrassment. And it’s not just about nailing the tricks. Sometimes the most important part is just showing up. “Every time you attend, no matter what, you are one step closer to becoming more confident and familiar with the park”, co-founder Ken Barber says. But when someone does stick a stunt? There’s a gleeful gaggle of girls waiting just at the landing spot. Image Credit: Ali Field (@truenorthali) “Nothing beats having fifty girls cheer for you when you finally land a trick, no matter what level you’re at”, Ken continues. “It’s that feeling of being able to show up unapologetically as yourself”. Cool girls try Having this space to try without judgement was something the group thought was missing from Banff’s ski scene. They identified a gap, content coordinator Amelia Weber explains, that they knew needed filling. “We knew there were lots of women in the community who wanted to get into park or were into it already but just didn’t have that space to progress or try something new.” In a ski town where it feels like everyone is an expert/park rat/lacks any sense of fear, having the room to simply try creates a huge difference, as Amelia found out. “No one’s going to see somebody trying and think they look silly or ridiculous. Trying is really cool”. And judging by the group’s collective affinity towards an oversized plaid button-up and pink bandana, they certainly know a thing or two about what’s cool. Image Credit: Ali Field (@truenorthali) The mental mountain But naturally, throwing yourself onto some slippery steel comes with a certain amount of fear. Banff’s top three landmarks can be classified as Mount Rundle, Cascade Mountain and the skier on crutches you’ll inevitably pass on Banff Ave. For program lead Brier Gyles, showing up doesn’t necessarily mean sending it. “You might be scared and you might be having an off day” she says. “Of course, listen to your body. If you feel off, don’t push yourself to do something that isn’t safe”. Whilst the Queens advocate for knowing your own limits, they also encourage attendees to have the strength to work through the fear, which is difficult even for seasoned riders like Brier. She admits the mental battle is always there, saying “sometimes your brain is your worst enemy.” So, her advice? “You can probably do more than you think you can. I have to tell myself this all the time, but having friends who are there to pick you up when you fall makes it all feel a lot better.” Image Credit: Amanda Owen (@amanda.owen.photography) Off the features Ask the Queens to describe what these meetups feel like and the adjectives come thick and fast: “euphoric”, “inspiring”, “high-energy” and “wholesome”, to name just a few. Yet perhaps the best way to capture what makes this community so special is through a moment Faith recalls. “There was a time where I had to step away from the park, just to take a moment and look at everything, see all the smiling faces and just cry because it’s an emotional thing to see your dreams come true. I moved to this loud, crazy town young and scared, and these girls took me under their wing and showed me there’s potential in anything you want to do in life.” Image Credit: Amanda Owen (@amanda.owen.photography) Now, heading into their third season with a Calgary International Film Festival nomination in tow (Anna Andrew's amazing short film ‘Quay Queens: Cultivating a Community’ can be watched here), the Queens aren’t slowing down. Or if they are it’s in a purely physical sense so they can pay more attention to the minutiae of their park skills. The group are planning more meetups, more pink-accented merchandise and more moments of belonging for girls who are determined to show that gender doesn’t determine who can crush it in the park. Even if the girls have the cooler outfits… (any disagreements can be debated in the Instagram comments). Image Credit: Amanda Owen (@amanda.owen.photography) So, at the core of Quay Queens is a simple message: you don’t have to be the best rider in the park to be there. Your Sign to Send It Consider this your sign to stop skiing past the terrain park pretending you “missed the entrance”. Go on — there’s a rail slide in you somewhere. Even if your trousers are slim-fitting. Hero Image Credit: Amanda Owen @amanda.owen.photography)

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