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Thread: how to ski banff
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01-11-2018, 10:42 AM #26Registered User
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Driving from Spokane, you do have to drive past the park entrance so no way of not paying. I guess you could say you’re there for a day and not pay for all the days you are there...
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01-11-2018, 03:47 PM #27Registered User
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At a minimum you should have snow tires to go to Revy. I did it for years with nothing more than a late 80's Honda Civic on cheap all season tires and never had any issues, but requesting a rental with snow tires shouldn't cost any more. The road is usually well maintained up to Lake Louise. The next 100 km to Golden are usually OK as well. Things start to get dicey around Rogers Pass. The biggest risk is avalanche closure on the road, which can last more than a day and typically occurs several times per winter. Depending on the location of the closure, the alternative routes add many hours. For example, the most frequent closure is between Golden and Revy (this is the stretch that includes Rogers Pass). The detour is to head south from Golden to Cranbrook, adding about 6 hours.
If your phone is unlocked, you can buy a pre-paid SIM card, such as this one: https://www.speakout7eleven.ca/sim-c...3in1-card.html
You need a park pass to stop anywhere in the National Park. As another poster pointed out, if you parked underground at a hotel and took a shuttle, you would likely get away with no pass. Otherwise, Parks Canada does random checks, but especially at Sunshine and Louise. The ticket would likely get back to the rental company, which will charge your credit card along with a substantial mark-up.
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01-11-2018, 03:53 PM #28
Parks won't leave a ticket on a vehicle without a pass or send one later in the mail to you or your rental company. Although you may get stopped at a compliance check and would have to pay there.
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01-11-2018, 03:54 PM #29Registered User
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Banff/Jasper/Kootenay/Yoho only have five entrances:
1) Highway 1 near Canmore into Banff - by far the busiest
2) Highway 93 at Radium into Kootenay
3) Highway 1 on west side of Kootenay (about 35 km east of Golden)
4) Highway 16 on east side of Jasper
5) Highway 16 on west side of Jasper entering BC
From Spokane, you would likely enter at Radium. It is not like US parks. Because these are through highways, there is only a fee if you are using (aka stopping in) the park. Enforcement is through random checks all over the parks, not at the gates.Last edited by Doug from Calgary; 01-12-2018 at 03:07 PM.
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01-11-2018, 05:28 PM #30
If you come here respect our country, province and community. Buy a F'n park pass and don't be so cheap. Blast you local F's telling people how not to pay. Its like telling people that go to a food establishment not to tip. WTF. Tourists come here and pay huge to private business but then pretend they can't afford the entrance fee-? Yes they can bloody-well afford to pay the fees. The fees are there for a reason- to pay for the services to help protect the park, furthmore to help assist with costs in the event of a rescue within the park. If they don't pay you dumbasses well eventually will pay more to cover the tourists that you are enfluencing to scam us. Go figure.Last edited by teamdirt; 01-11-2018 at 06:05 PM.
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01-11-2018, 05:49 PM #31
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01-11-2018, 10:28 PM #32
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01-11-2018, 11:23 PM #33
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01-12-2018, 06:33 AM #34Registered User
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Yeah ok, and I have paid both times when I visited but I felt like I was one of few who paid and had the pass visible on the windshield.... seemingly locals at grocery stores / private driveways didn’t have any. Do locals who live there don’t pay?
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01-12-2018, 09:08 AM #35
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01-12-2018, 02:44 PM #36
Growing up in Calgary/Banff, the vast vast majority of people have legit passes displayed on their cars in the park year-round. At least that was my experience, and they did somewhat frequent checks in various parking lots and entrances to the ski hills.
Agree about getting real winter tires if you want to go past Lake Louise. Note that most rentals at YYC have shitty all seasons, not even "M&S" rated. In my opinion 4WD/AWD doesn't matter for HWY 1 from Calgary to Revy, real snow tires are fine, braking/cornering traction is much more important on the highway than accelerating.
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01-14-2018, 12:43 AM #37
Just pulled into Banff with the GF - planning to stay at least through Tuesday. We have MC passes so will be skiing LL/Sunshine the next few days. Would love to link up with anyone around for some turns / beers - who's here/skiing?
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01-14-2018, 02:54 PM #38
I'm flying in & driving up tonight and will be at LL tomorrow.
I read the road to Sunshine will be closing tomorrow briefly for Avalanche control work.
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01-14-2018, 05:23 PM #39Registered User
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Skied SSV on Friday. They were checking for passes at the front end of the parking lot. Could buy your pass there.
Even though usually I am passing through on my way to Panorama, I still buy a Park pass every year. It is the right thing to do, IMO.
Also, in case you were not aware, when you buy the pass at the Park gate, you can request the form that you send in with the requisite documentation and nominal (like $15) and you can get a second tag for a second vehicle. You have to prove that it is in the same household as the first pass. Technically, you can’t have both vehicles stopped in the park at the same time, but if you use two vehicles to travel in/through the national parks, it saves the full freight of a second annual pass.
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01-14-2018, 06:15 PM #40
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01-14-2018, 07:51 PM #41
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01-17-2018, 09:06 PM #42
Banff kicks ass. Had my second day at SSV today and had fun with the few centimeters of new snow. Conditions are thin in places (got a few new gouges) but it adds to the spiciness.
Was lucky on Monday to have clear and warm weather which softened up the south chutes off of Goats Eye. Took the hike to check out Delirium Dive and it looked like it would be lots of fun in the right conditions. Still wouldn’t go for the line in your video, though mtlion.
Going back to Lake Louise tomorrow for my last Banff ski day. Looking forward to getting back into the paradise side, but not the steep icy poma ride.
We’re staying at the Rocky Mountain resort and loving it: first on and off the shuttles and 2 big hot tubs. We have a kitchen so don’t need to go into town to eat at the restaurants. Suits me fine.
I am in constant gaper mode checking out the scenery. Truly an amazing place.
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01-18-2018, 07:18 AM #43
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02-08-2018, 06:33 PM #44Registered User
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Looking into chasing winter and using our MC pass. Currently trying to figure out the best place to stay when using the shuttles. Is there a risk of them being full by the time they get to the Ptarmigan Inn stop? Leaving 20-25 min later in the morning is an easier sell to the family. Thanks in advance.
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02-08-2018, 06:36 PM #45
no rush, lots of shuttles avail.
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02-13-2018, 09:47 PM #46
Goodstuff! Currently @ KH and possibly headed to ll/banff in a few days - living in our van - any intel on van lots etc.
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02-13-2018, 10:21 PM #47Registered User
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02-15-2018, 05:32 PM #48
^^so it would make sense for me to head to KH/rogers for the weekend? I'm in fernie and headed somewhere that direction. MC pass blah blah. Also truck living. In a cab over camper, so less covert than others. Also curious about parking zones. Stayalert, y'all touring? I'd be down to do some mellow exploring this weekend if y'all want to avoid the family weekend crowds at banff/LL. Or maybe crowds aren't actually that big of a worry?
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02-15-2018, 06:00 PM #49Registered User
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02-15-2018, 07:09 PM #50
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