Mission Ridge going strong heading into 2026 season

About 15 freshly-groomed snow trails are now officially opened at Mission Ridge Winter Park in Fort Qu'Appelle.

Fifteen freshly groomed snow trails are now open at Mission Ridge Winter Park for those across southern Saskatchewan to enjoy.

Located in Fort Qu’Appelle, the winter sports resort receives between 30,000 to 50,000 visitors from across the province every year.

“Being able to just see people out having fun, I mean, it’s tough to have a bad day when everybody here is here to enjoy themselves, right? It’s pretty rewarding,” said Anders Svenson, who serves as the park’s business manager.

Although man-made snow is required to prepare the various ski runs, Svenson said snowfall in mid-December also played a role.

“Everything you see out there is man-made. We’ve had some natural snow from Mother Nature, more actually than normal for this time of year. So that’s an awesome bonus, but we don’t rely on that,” Svenson explained.

“We don’t often get enough to open the resort without a massive amount of input of snow from us.”

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So far, the site has gained traction from families who have travelled from as far as Weyburn and Swift Current.

As the park wraps up its holiday season, Svenson encourages people at all levels to come for a visit whether its for skiing, snowboarding or even snow-tubing.

“Our beginner areas are often times larger than most areas out west. The ability to take a lesson from a certified instructor at a really reasonable rate in comparison is for sure one of the biggest selling points about Mission Ridge,” Svenson explained.

“We’ve got [ski] train that will challenge people. We’ve got race clubs out today training and they’re training here to go race out west. You can always improve your skills no matter where you are.”

Starting on Wednesday, one of the resort’s trails Sitting Bull Park will be receiving a facelift by Arena Snowparks to rebuild the area which will be re-opened to the public by Sunday, Jan. 11.

Mission Ridge’s remaining trails and runs will be open for the season.

However, Svenson recommends those looking to enjoy snow filled and speedy activities should check the park’s website before heading out.