Cliff White

Clifford White I (1902–1964) was the architect of ski culture in the Canadian Rockies, inducted into the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame. His father, Dave White, established the family’s general store in Banff in 1886. Clifford was the first generation to view the mountains primarily as a recreational playground rather than a commercial resource; a “builder” of sport who turned Banff from a summer-only railway stop into a winter destination.

Norquay and Skoki. With Cyril Paris, White established two foundational ski institutions in Banff National Park:

Mount Norquay: In 1928 White and Paris organized the Mount Norquay Ski Club and built the mountain’s first ski cabin, creating a social hub that shifted the town toward winter recreation. White organized the Western Canadian Championship there in 1928, drawing over 2,000 spectators.

Skoki Lodge: In 1930 White and Paris explored the Ptarmigan and Skoki valleys and selected the site. They built Skoki Lodge, which opened in 1931 as the first commercial ski lodge in the Canadian Rockies; now a National Historic Site.

Selling the alpine dream. White used photography and film to market the park. In 1931 he assisted the National Parks Branch in producing promotional films such as Skiing in Cloudland and Sunshine and Powder Snow, helping convince a global audience that Banff could rival the Swiss Alps as a winter destination. He is the grandfather of the ecologist Dr. Cliff White.