Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine
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22 ❖ MIDWEST SKIER 2009/2010 DIRECTORY ❖ www.skicmsc.org 22 ❖ MIDWEST SKIER 2009/2010 DIRECTORY ❖ www.skicmsc.org B By April Lenoir Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest national park. Located in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, it a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as “Canada’s Protected Playground.” Skiers flock to Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise Ski Area and Sunshine Village, three resorts that com- prise Canada’s largest ski destination. The region offers 7,700 skiable acres with 274 trails. Originally discovered in the late 19th century along the Canadian Pacific Railway and built up as a railway resort, Banff-Lake Louise is one of the most popular ski destinations in Canada. The park will be celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2010. Mt. Norquay is the pioneer resort of Banff National Park and the only one to offer night skiing. It offers 28 runs for beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers. Lake Louise Ski Area is called the “Giant” of Canadian skiing. With 4,200 skiable acres spread over four moun- tain faces, it is Canada’s largest single ski resort. Skiers of all levels can find trails to their liking at Lake Louise. Experts enjoy some of Canada’s most challenging terrain. Sunshine Village is Canada’s highest elevated ski resort, with a base of 5,440 feet and the highest peak topping out at 8,954 feet. It is known for its lengthy season, running from mid-November through late May. Sunshine is the only resort where skiers can go through two provinces (Alberta and British Columbia) in one run. Spread across three mountains and 3,358 skiable acres, Sunshine Village has 12 lifts, five high-speed quads and a high-speed gondola. Sunshine Mountain Lodge, the only ski-in, ski-out accommodation in the area, will open 30 new luxury suites in November. The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, a rambling structure styled after a Scottish baronial castle, is on the original resort property in Banff National Park. It is supposedly haunted with a secret room and a ghost bellman. Visitors claim to have seen the bellman in the halls and some have even been helped by him. The town of Banff boasts 109 other hotels. Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine recently introduced a free, all-hybrid electric bus system and was named one of the “Top 10 ‘No Car Needed’ Resorts” by OnTheSnow.com in 2008. Banff National Park offers much more than skiing. Besides taking canyon trails that lead to frozen waterfalls, visitors can enjoy snowshoeing, ice skating, ice fishing, dog sled- ding and horse-drawn sleigh rides. A tour leads to under- ground chambers and a pool grotto inside Rat’s Nest Cave. Sulphur Mountain Hot Springs and Upper Banff Hot Springs offer a relaxing and magnificent experience. In 2008 downtown Banff went through a complete rejuve- nation, making it even more attractive to visitors. The town brims with brand-name clothing boutiques, candy shops, bookstores, art galleries, cafes, pubs and fine din- ing restaurants. Also experience the culture of Canada and Banff while visiting the area. Canadian Ski Museum, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Buffalo Nation Museum and Banff Park Museum National Historic Site are among the attractions. The 2010 Winter Olympics will be held in the Vancouver area, and Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine Village is inviting travelers to venture over to Alberta to experience the Big 3. Contact: 877-754-7080, www.skibig3.com Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine ❖ Destination Report: West
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Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest national park. Located in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, it a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as “Canada’s Protected Playground.” Skiers flock to Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise Ski Area and Sunshine Village, three resorts that comprise Canada’s largest ski destination. The region offers 7,700 skiable acres with 274 trails.
Transcript of Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine
22 � MIDWEST SKIER 2009/2010 DIRECTORY � www.skicmsc.org22 � MIDWEST SKIER 2009/2010 DIRECTORY � www.skicmsc.org
BBy April Lenoir
Banff National Park is Canada’s oldestnational park. Located in the CanadianRockies of Alberta, it a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site known as “Canada’sProtected Playground.” Skiers flock toMt. Norquay, Lake Louise Ski Area andSunshine Village, three resorts that com-prise Canada’s largest ski destination.The region offers 7,700 skiable acreswith 274 trails.
Originally discovered in the late 19thcentury along the Canadian PacificRailway and built up as a railway resort,Banff-Lake Louise is one of the mostpopular ski destinations in Canada. Thepark will be celebrating its 125thanniversary in 2010.
Mt. Norquay is the pioneer resort of Banff National Parkand the only one to offer night skiing. It offers 28 runs forbeginner, intermediate and advanced skiers.
Lake Louise Ski Area is called the “Giant” of Canadianskiing. With 4,200 skiable acres spread over four moun-tain faces, it is Canada’s largest single ski resort. Skiersof all levels can find trails to their liking at Lake Louise.Experts enjoy some of Canada’s most challenging terrain.
Sunshine Village is Canada’s highest elevated ski resort,with a base of 5,440 feet and the highest peak toppingout at 8,954 feet. It is known for its lengthy season, running from mid-November through late May. Sunshineis the only resort where skiers can go through twoprovinces (Alberta and British Columbia) in one run.Spread across three mountains and 3,358 skiable acres,Sunshine Village has 12 lifts, five high-speed quads and a high-speed gondola. Sunshine Mountain Lodge, theonly ski-in, ski-out accommodation in the area, will open30 new luxury suites in November.
The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, a rambling structurestyled after a Scottish baronial castle, is on the originalresort property in Banff National Park. It is supposedlyhaunted with a secret room and a ghost bellman. Visitorsclaim to have seen the bellman in the halls and somehave even been helped by him. The town of Banff boasts109 other hotels.
Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine recently introduced a free,all-hybrid electric bus system and was named one of the“Top 10 ‘No Car Needed’ Resorts” by OnTheSnow.comin 2008.
Banff National Park offers much more than skiing. Besidestaking canyon trails that lead to frozen waterfalls, visitorscan enjoy snowshoeing, ice skating, ice fishing, dog sled-ding and horse-drawn sleigh rides. A tour leads to under-ground chambers and a pool grotto inside Rat’s NestCave. Sulphur Mountain Hot Springs and Upper Banff HotSprings offer a relaxing and magnificent experience.
In 2008 downtown Banff went through a complete rejuve-nation, making it even more attractive to visitors. Thetown brims with brand-name clothing boutiques, candyshops, bookstores, art galleries, cafes, pubs and fine din-ing restaurants.
Also experience the culture of Canada and Banff whilevisiting the area. Canadian Ski Museum, Whyte Museumof the Canadian Rockies, Buffalo Nation Museum andBanff Park Museum National Historic Site are among theattractions.
The 2010 Winter Olympics will be held in the Vancouverarea, and Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine Village is invitingtravelers to venture over to Alberta to experience the Big 3.
Contact: 877-754-7080, www.skibig3.com
Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine�Destination Report: West
British ColumbiaRevelstoke Mountain Resort in British Columbia reports a number of new developments, including 56 additionalsuites, a new full-service restaurant and lounge, and newcafe at Nelsen Lodge condominium hotel. The first phase ofNelsen Lodge opened in March with 59 units. Suites blend
natural materials like leather, granite and rich wood stainswith stainless steel appliances and brushed nickel fixturesand hardware. A gourmet bakery and deli, media room,workout facilities, hot tubs and a pool are other amenities atthe hotel, located at the new village base area. An upgradedheli-ski service departs from the hotel’s front door. To kickoff the 2009-2010 ski season, the resort will launch theRevelstoke Outdoors Centre. Set at the foot of RelevationGondola at Nelsen Lodge, it will be the headquarters for edu-cation programs, including courses in heli-skiing, avalancheawareness, backcountry touring and cat skiing. Private home
construction at Revelstoke began thisspring at MacKenzie Landing Estates. (revelstokemountainresort.com)
CaliforniaNorthstar-at-Tahoe Resort will have twonew lifts this season. The eight-passengerHighlands Gondola will connect the Villageat Northstar with the new Ritz-CarltonHighlands, Lake Tahoe, which opens Dec.9. The Bear Paw double at their beginnerarea has been replaced with a realignedfixed grip quad. The new quad will provideski-in, ski-out access to the Ritz-Carltonfrom mid-mountain and improve access tothe beginner teaching terrain, which hasexpanded to three times the previousteaching area. The 170-room Ritz-Carlton,the first new-build resort in the Tahoe areain decades, will feature 170 guest rooms,23 private residences and 25 fractionalownership units, plus a spa/fitness centerand Manzanita, the resort’s signaturerestaurant created by San Franciscocelebrity chef Traci Des Jardins. (northstarattahoe.com, ritzcarlton.com)
Colorado The new Viceroy Snowmass Resort &Residences, the first LEED-certified hotelin Aspen/Snowmass, opens in Decemberwith the Viceroy brand’s fusion of glam-orous style, provocative design and inno-vative culinary experiences. Occupying aski-in/ski-out location, Viceroy Snowmassis the signature hotel of Snowmass’ newBase Village, located minutes from down-town Aspen. Its 173 guest rooms and resi-dences range from studios to four-bedroomunits. (viceroysnowmass.com)
Transformation of the Steamboat SkiResort base area comes to life this winterwith the completion of One SteamboatPlace development, a pulse gondola and nearly $2.5-million in on-mountain
New & Noteworthy in the West
Canada’s Protected PlaygroundTM
Contact your preferred
tour operator or contact us
for a group trip quote
1-877-754-7255
m
www.SkiBig3.com/ch
Perhaps it’s our steep & deep powderthat’s calling your name. Maybe you’reafter )ne dining & world-class spas.Or maybe it’s all about cruising blue runsunder blue skies with friends and family.Whatever your group’s desire, you’ll besure to )nd it in Ban(-Lake Louise, in theheart of the Canadian Rockies.
Come and visit Canada’s Protected PlaygroundTM
and make your next group trip truly memorable.
24 � MIDWEST SKIER 2009/2010 DIRECTORY � www.skicmsc.org
improvements. One Steamboat Place, scheduled to open in December, is a ski-in, ski-out destination immediatelyadjacent to the resort’s gondola. A public plaza connectsdirectly to the slopes and Gondola Square. It includesretail shops, the new Truffle Pig restaurant, a tranquil Zen-inspired spa, fitness & yoga facility, outdoor pools and 80 residences. Wildhorse Gondola, opening in February2010, will link Trailhead Lodge with the new base areaplaza; the pulse gondola, covering a 2,000-foot distance infour minutes, is not on the skiing mountain. A new Ski &Snowboard School ticket office, a new first aid facility andexpanded Kids’ Vacation Center also are on tap. (steamboat.com)
IdahoThe Roundhouse Gondola opens this winter at Sun ValleyResort. Carrying 1,800 passengers per hour up 9,150-foot Bald Mountain, the resort’s first-ever gondola willtravel 2,000 vertical feet in eight minutes from River RunPlaza to the Roundhouse Restaurant. The 56, eight-pas-senger cabins will service skiers, snowboarders and footpassengers. With 19 lifts (nine quads, 4 triples, threedouble and three surface) and now a gondola, Sun Valleyclaims more uphill capacity per skier than any other ski area. It offer 75 total runs on 2,054 skiable acres.
Sun Valley’s Dollar Mountain, one of the best teachingmountains in the world, recently installed two new high-speed quad lifts, a tubing hill, beginner terrain park andthe unique Wundercapret that whisks children of all agesto the top of the run. (sunvalley.com)
Utah Solitude Mountain Resort this season will introduce anew fixed-grip chairlift that replaces the aging Powderhorndouble. The $1.5-million Powderhorn II installation comeson the heels of two high-speed, detachable chairliftsinstalled on the lower mountain last season. But instead of starting in the base area near pedestrian-only SolitudeMountain Village, as the original mid-1970s Powderhorndouble did, the new Powderhorn II will start at mid-moun-tain below the top of last season’s new Moonbeam Expresslift. Located in the Wasatch Mountains, Solitude is 45 min-utes from Salt Lake City. (skisolitude.com)
The Waldorf Astoria Collection has opened its first skiresort, the Dakota Mountain Lodge & Golden Door Spa, inPark City. The ski-in, ski-out luxury lodge is located at thebase of The Canyons Resort, with 175 elegantly appointedguestrooms, world-renowned Golden Door Spa and award-winning Spruce restaurant. (dakotamountainlodge.com)
