So this is how to ski the banff area.
Few basic assumptions: you are a good skier, you have a medium budget.
getting to banff: If you are just skiing banff, and flying into calgary take a shuttle. If not rent a car, and try to get AWD and/or winter tires.
Once you are in banff its free shuttles to the hill(pick up at most hotels, drop off at ski area front door, enjoy a beer before coming home, drink a coffee and watch the sun rise on the way to the hill) and town is all walking distance. cabs are $15/ride max
Skiing: go to both Sunshine Village (SSV) and Lake Loiuise (LL) most locals will have a favourite, but you should check out both
SSV: high elevation, more snow, if the freeride zones are not open, less high end terrain. Check out standish as a play ground. TP town for longer steeps, and go explore goats eye. If freeride zones open (call 403-762-6511) or twitter, Go do the dive lap. No mandatory air, but you CAN get into trouble fast if you expore. Take it easy, look up at things first. DONT rush, its not squaw valley/whistler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6zBCZczEqg (go to 2:00 for a “sporty lap”)
LL: front side is lower elevation (ice, less snow) but locals will use the summit platter, and paradise chairs. Basic “lap” is up summit, down the headwall, up summit, down backside (white horn 2, A-I gullies) and up paradise, down ER3, 6 or 7, and up paradise and back to summit. Repeat until legs fall off
also check out norquay: Ride the “big chair” its one of the 10 oldest lifts in north america, have lunch in the top/tea house, go rip a few groomers on mystic. Great for a 1/2 day to get the legs warmed up, or before you fly out, or when you are hungover
Shuttles avail to panorama and kicking horse for $100/ticket&ride Reve or Fernie is 4 hours away, and might have road closed due to Avi control (Revel-stuck)
Food:
http://taximike.com/specials.html (usually close to accurate, but call restaurant to confirm)
https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restauran...k_Alberta.html (close to the best of the best)
for bakery/coffee: whitebark is best in town for treats JK bakery.
Skis: locals are usually on 100mm and a bit longer sidecut and length. We have a LOT of alpine terrain so a big, fast, lazy turn is common. You can tour from the lifts, into the park.
Its a national park, so you need to buy a park pass, This helps to fund the parks, covers your rescue, and keeps the views amazing.
non-skiing stuff:
https://www.banffadventures.com/ (booking for everyone in town, plus their own hockey tours)
https://www.banfftours.com/ (they do a LOT of tours etc)
http://www.fairmont.com/banff-springs/willow-stream/ (full spa service)
http://backatitmassage.com/ (massage and no pools, etc)
Bookmarks