CASTLE MOUNTAIN RESORT CHAMPIONS CONSERVATION AS ALBERTA’S FIRST WHITEBARK PINE FRIENDLY SKI AREA

Castle Mountain Resort, Alberta (June 8, 2026) – Castle Mountain Resort is proud to announce its designation as Alberta’s first Whitebark Pine Friendly Ski Area. Located in the heart of the South Canadian Rockies, the resort is taking meaningful steps to help protect and restore whitebark pine—an endangered keystone species critical to alpine ecosystems.

Whitebark pine plays an essential role in maintaining mountain biodiversity, stabilizing soil, regulating snowpack, and providing food for wildlife such as birds, squirrels, and bears. However, the species is under threat due to a few factors, most notably white pine blister rust. Castle Mountain Resort has joined a growing network of organizations working to ensure the long-term survival of this vital tree.

As part of its Whitebark Pine Friendly initiative, Castle is actively integrating conservation practices into its operations. These efforts include protecting existing stands of whitebark pine, supporting restoration projects through seed collection and planting programs, and raising awareness among guests about the importance of alpine conservation. Educational signage across the resort encourages visitors to recognize and respect this threatened species while enjoying the mountain environment.

“Castle has always been deeply connected to the surrounding landscape,” said Chris Salhany, President. “Becoming a Whitebark Pine Friendly Ski Area reflects our responsibility to help preserve the natural environment that makes this place so special.”

Through this initiative, Castle Mountain Resort reinforces its identity as an independent, community-driven destination that values sustainability alongside exceptional alpine experiences. Guests visiting the resort are invited to be part of this effort by learning about whitebark pine and supporting conservation-minded practices during their time on the mountain.

For more information, please visit /whitebark-pine/.

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About Castle Mountain Resort
Celebrating 60 years of operation, Castle Mountain Resort recently expanded its lift infrastructure with the addition of the Stagecoach Express Chairlift, enhancing access to the resort’s renowned terrain and improving the guest experience. Located in Alberta’s South Canadian Rockies near Pincher Creek and the Crowsnest Pass, Castle is known for its abundant snowfall, short lift lines, and authentic independent mountain culture.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Cole Fawcett
Sales & Marketing Manager
cole.fawcett@skicastle.ca
403-627-5101 X 244

Prior to joining Castle Mountain Resort, Chris held leadership roles across the ski and tourism industries, including serving as a resort General Manager and consultant. He has also founded and operated several successful outdoor recreation and tourism businesses focused on mountain operations, recreation programming, destination development, consulting, and property management across Canada.

“Chris brings extensive operational experience, a strong track record in resort leadership, and a deep appreciation for the culture and character of independent ski areas,” said Board Chair Dean Prodan. “His background in complex mountain operations, combined with his strategic approach to guest experience and long-term development, positions him well to lead Castle as we continue to strengthen our operations and advance development opportunities.”

Chris is known for his collaborative leadership style and passion for authentic mountain experiences. He is committed to supporting Castle Mountain Resort’s continued growth while preserving the independent spirit, strong community culture, and exceptional skiing experience that define the resort.

“Castle has built something truly special — a passionate community, incredible terrain, and an authentic mountain culture,” said Salhany. “I’m excited to join the team and help guide the resort through its next chapter.”

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About Castle Mountain Resort

Celebrating 60 years of operation, Castle Mountain Resort recently expanded its lift infrastructure with the addition of the Stagecoach Express Chairlift, enhancing access to the resort’s renowned terrain and improving the guest experience. Located in Alberta’s South Canadian Rockies near Pincher Creek and the Crowsnest Pass, Castle is known for its abundant snowfall, short lift lines, and authentic independent mountain culture.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Cole Fawcett
Sales & Marketing Manager
cole.fawcett@skicastle.ca
403-627-5101 x 244

After arriving at Castle in summer 2024, the lift underwent a comprehensive retrofit and has now been fully commissioned to provide guests with access to terrain formerly reserved for Castle’s world-class cat skiing operations. This monumental expansion adds some 25% to the resort’s lift-accessed, skiable acreage, increasing the run count from 94 to more than 115.

“The introduction of our first high-speed lift is a major milestone for Castle and a meaningful step forward for the resort,” said Cole Fawcett, Sales & Marketing Manager. “This expansion opens up some incredible new terrain, dramatically improving the amount of skiable acreage and the diversity of trails, and allows more guests to experience more of what makes this place so special. As we mark 60 years at Castle Mountain Resort, this investment reflects both how far we’ve come and our commitment to the future of the mountain.”

As the largest infrastructure project in the resort’s history, the Stagecoach Express is expected to enhance capacity, improve overall flow, and support sustainable long-term growth. Increased visitation will help enable future capital improvements, including the phased modernization of Castle’s legacy lift network.

The Stagecoach Express is now the longest aerial lift in Castle’s network, at 1423 meters, gaining 558 meters of elevation. At a line speed of up to five meters per second (approximately 18 km/h), this lift runs at approximately double the speed of any existing, fixed-grip lifts at the resort.

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About Castle Mountain Resort

Now celebrating 60 years, Castle Mountain Resort is the second largest mountain resort, in Alberta, by acreage. Nestled in the South Canadian Rockies region, adjacent to the communities of Pincher Creek and the Crowsnest Pass, Castle Mountain Resort boasts 115+ runs across 3592 acres of terrain. Known for its abundant snowfall and short lift lines, Castle Mountain Resort remains an independently owned, down-to-earth, authentic Rocky Mountain destination.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Cole Fawcett
Sales & Marketing Manager
Cole.Fawcett@skicastle.ca
403-627-5101

CASTLE MOUNTAIN RESORT RECOGNIZED AS A POTENTIAL ALL-SEASON RESORT

Castle Mountain Resort, Alberta (December 10, 2025) – Castle Mountain Resort (“CMR”) has been recognized as being located within one of Alberta’s “All-Season Resort Areas”, under the Government of Alberta’s new All-Season Resorts framework. While the resort will continue to operate under its existing Crown land lease for the foreseeable future, this area designation provides Castle with the opportunity to propose establishing the resort as a year-round destination, beyond just winter activities.

This designation builds on the All-Season Resorts Act (ASRA), passed in December of 2024. The act establishes a clear and consistent legal framework for reviewing potential all-season resort proposals, on Alberta’s provincial Crown land – something which did not exist beforehand. The designation does not require nor does it guarantee that Castle Mountain Resort become an all-season resort, merely that CMR is eligible to become an all-season resort.

Castle Mountain Resort’s board and leadership team are continuing to evaluate opportunities to ensure CMR’s future sustainability. The resort continues to study the ASRA to better understand the requirements, impacts, and outcomes of becoming an all-season resort. Deliberation will continue and, if the resort submits an all-season resort proposal, an additional announcement will be made.

ASRA is a crucial piece in helping Alberta to grow its visitor economy while ensuring that development is transparent, community informed, and aligned with environmental and land-use laws. The act is expected to help the province’s tourism industry achieve its goal of growing the tourism sector to $25 billion in annual visitor expenditures by 2035. The ASRA will create numerous economic and recreational opportunities for Albertans.

“We have been following the All-Season Resorts Act with great interest and are excited to have been identified today as a potential all-season resort,” said Dean Parkinson, General Manager, Castle Mountain Resort. “We appreciate the Government of Alberta recognizing the incredible potential of all-season resorts, in Alberta, and look forward to continuing the conversation.”

For more information on All Season Resorts in Alberta, please visit https://www.alberta.ca/all-season-resorts.

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About Castle Mountain Resort

Now celebrating 60 years, Castle Mountain Resort is the second largest mountain resort, in Alberta, by acreage. Nestled in the South Canadian Rockies region, adjacent to the communities of Pincher Creek and the Crowsnest Pass, Castle Mountain Resort boasts 115+ runs across 3592 acres of terrain. Known for its abundant snowfall and short lift lines, Castle Mountain Resort remains an independently owned, down-to-earth, authentic Rocky Mountain destination.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Cole Fawcett
Sales & Marketing Manager
E: Cole.Fawcett@skicastle.ca
P: (403) 627-5101

Castle Mountain Resort, Alberta (December 4, 2025) – This winter, Castle Mountain Resort is thrilled to be celebrating its 60th season – reflecting six decades of authentic alpine experience at this hidden gem ski destination beloved by Albertans. With the upcoming commissioning of its first high-speed chairlift and access to expansive new terrain, the resort is entering a dynamic new chapter for the 2025/26 season, which is set to officially kick off on Friday, December 5. Guests will have immediate access to Green Chair and Buckaroo Carpet, with snowmaking efforts underway to facilitate the opening of Huckleberry Chair as soon as possible.

After off-season upgrades made in 2019 and 2021 significantly improved snowmaking coverage and expanded accessible terrain, Castle has laid the groundwork for this season’s major lift upgrade. Building on this momentum, Castle has undertaken a foundational investment with the procurement and refurbishment of the Stagecoach Express, a new-to-Castle high-speed chairlift (formerly the Angel Express quad from Sunshine Village), which will open to the public early in the new year.

Following the lift’s arrival at Castle at the end of summer 2024, it underwent an extensive retrofit and is now in the final stages of installation in the area previously occupied by the resort’s world-class cat skiing operations. Cat skiing has now been indefinitely paused to make way for this exciting new addition, which will provide all guests with access to an immense new section of terrain. This monumental expansion will add 21 runs to Castle’s existing portfolio of 94, bringing total runs to more than 115.

The new high-speed lift remains Castle’s top priority for enhancing guest experience and delivering value. By improving access and increasing volume, the resort aims to generate sustained revenue that will facilitate the upgrading of its older lift infrastructure in the years ahead.

“We are incredibly proud to be celebrating 60 years of Castle Mountain Resort,” said Cole Fawcett, Sales & Marketing Manager. “Castle has always been a place built by skiers, for skiers – a community grounded in authenticity and passion for downhill recreation. The addition of our first high-speed lift will not only open up incredible new terrain to all of our guests but also mark the start of a new era for the resort. It’s an investment in our future that we hope will reinforce Castle’s legacy of delivering uncrowded slopes, deep snow, big terrain and a friendly, down-to-earth atmosphere.”

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About Castle Mountain Resort
Now celebrating 60 years, Castle Mountain Resort is the second largest mountain resort, in Alberta, by acreage. Nestled in the South Canadian Rockies region, adjacent to the communities of Pincher Creek and the Crowsnest Pass, Castle Mountain Resort boasts 115+ runs across 3592 acres of terrain. Known for its abundant snowfall and short lift lines, Castle Mountain Resort remains an independently owned, down-to-earth, authentic Rocky Mountain destination.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Cole Fawcett
Sales & Marketing Manager
Phone: (403) 627-5101 x 244
E-Mail: Cole.Fawcett@skicastle.ca