It may seem hard to believe, but when it comes to heading off on a ski trip, when it’s your job, you’re sometimes not as excited as you ought to be.
I’ve clocked up 35 years of skiing now and visited more than 300 resorts; I know, it’s a tough life, right ? But sometimes, when you hear you’re going back to a place, you think “Yay !” but then you sometimes think, “Ah yes, but …”. And that “but” is you know you can only get there via a bad airline, or you’re going to be stuck in a horrendous check-in queue, or you have to go through some complex immigration process, or the last time you were there it rained the whole time. Or some other detail. I know, your heart bleeds …
I say this because I’ve been lucky enough to visit Banff and Lake Louise four times in the past decade or so, and I’ve yet to see a downside. On the contrary, my heart sings when I know I’m going back. It’s one of the few places that still give me that buzz after all these years.
So where does it all go right ? Well, starting back in London, we have the convenience of a great BA service from Heathrow to Calgary, daily, non-stop. So that’s a good airport terminal in the UK, tick, good airline, tick and Calgary airport is also a great airport to fly in to. There are even people here just waiting to welcome you to Canada with a friendly smile and any advice you need. It’s revolutionary !
Oh actually, before we even take off, Canada is even better this year as the pound is back to the levels it was against the Canadian dollar before “the crash”, so when you’re getting your currency, you’re getting around 20% more buying power than a few years ago, in an already highly affordable country, tick and tick.
Now things get really exciting. It’s a very smooth and easy drive from Calgary airport to Banff and Lake Louise in around 2 hours on wide, straight dual-carriageway roads, whether you self-drive or take a shuttle. You go south through the city then west, and it’s here that you get your first big “wow” factor and your first indication you’re not just on a nice ski trip where everything is going as you hoped but this is something more, something better.
As you approach the 0.6 million ha of unspoiled wilderness that is Banff National Park – Canada’s first National Park and the third-oldest park in the world – you see the massive wall of the Rocky Mountains towering above the plains ahead of you. This is really epic-movie stuff (ironically, far more so that the sometimes less impressive peaks south of the border), and it is why we shouldn’t undervalue the word “awesome” as it is truly needed here. Big tick.
Banff National Park is pristine, rugged and utterly awe-inspiring with its towering peaks, glacier-fed lakes and (tick) the driest, lightest snow imaginable.
The area is home to not one but three ski areas – Mt. Norquay, the Lake Louise Ski Resort and Sunshine Village – and two quaint mountain communities – Banff and Lake Louise.
Banff is an authentic mountain town and also a world-class resort with a vast range of accommodation from hostels and motels up to 5★ establishments including the iconic Banff Springs (many ticks). There are over 100 bars and restaurants here and a similar number of shops, so you’ll never be wondering where to go (still more ticks). Lake Louise, about half an hour further up that dual carriageway through ever more stunning scenery, is a smaller, looser affair of accommodation complexes, again with a good choice from family motels up to another world-famous hotel, Chateau Lake Louise.
Credit – Banff Lake Louise Tourism Paula Zizka
The three ski areas, all famed for their snow surety, snow quality, uncrowded slopes and very long seasons from early November to mid-May (four more ticks) are all included in one convenient, tri-area ticket. Each has its own appeal. Both Lake Louise and Sunshine (which is located approximately equidistant from both Banff and Lake Louise hotels) are large, world-class resorts and among the biggest in Canada. Each offers snowsports for all abilities, fast modern uplift and that stunning scenery. Norquay, located near Banff and celebrating 90 years in operation this winter, is a smaller affair but nonetheless manages to fit in runs for all and is a great favourite with Banff locals as well as its worldwide fans (the tick list is off the scale now; I’d better stop …).
Combined, the three resorts boast 3237 ha of skiing and riding served by 28 gondolas and chairlifts with an average 9 metres of feather-light, dry Canadian Rockies powder annually, all accessible with that one tri-area lift ticket.
Credit – Banff Lake Louise Tourism Craig Douce
And even if you don’t fancy skiing, at least not every day, there’s a whole plethora of winter wonderland non-ski activities in which to indulge, perhaps a little dog sledding, ice walking or snowshoeing for example. There’s also skating on frozen lakes or, at the other temperature extreme, natural hot springs and luxurious spas to enjoy.
It’s all located in protected National Park land, which really means there’s virtually no human development outside the two resort towns and the three ski areas. So essentially nature rules and wildlife roams free.
Credit – Banff Lake Louise Tourism Paula Zizka
Oh, you want something new too? Well Sunshine Village will start the 2015–16 season with the hottest chairlift in Canada.
They’re replacing the dear old Tee Pee Town double chair with a new high-speed quad which will feature a pull-down protective screen and comfortable heated seats – the first of its kind in Canada.
The fast lift offers access to blue runs with expansive views of Mount Assiniboine off of the Continental Divide while also opening up challenging black and double black terrain like the Shoulder – a local’s favourite— as well as the popular Tee Pee Chutes.
Lake Louise, meanwhile, have a focus on ever better dining choices and this winter sushi will meet the mountains there with a new Sushi Bar within the Lodge of Ten Peaks. This new outlet will incorporate the traditions of quality sushi while creating the individual presentations that utilise the elements of the Canadian Rockies and will feature AAA Alberta beef tataki, nigiri, sashimi and custom maki rolls designed and named after classic runs and terrain from around the resort.
Credit – Banff Lake Louise Tourism Paula Zizka
And at Mount Norquay, along with those 90th birthday celebrations, all season long there’ll be a new terrain park including a two-jump large line featuring a 30’ jump and a 40’ jump. The intermediate rail line also has everything your hard-core jibber would love featuring a seven-
rail and box line that lets people get all kinds of wacky as they tear through the middle of the park. The park also caters to the little shredders with a small to medium line followed by small boxes.
So I think that’s all boxes ticked and no crosses? Everything you could possibly want from a winter-sports holidays. I can’t wait to go back.
Banff Lake Louise In Numbers
3 ski resorts – 1 tri-area pass
290 powder runs
180-day season
3514-foot max vertical
7–11 November Opening date of Lake Louise for season
198km of runs
9m of powder
5-mile longest run
9000 human residents
130 bars and restaurants for happy après
130km from Calgary airport
banfflakelouise.com
