With three resorts to choose from—Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise and Sunshine Village—a Banff Lake Louise ski vacation is sure to please every type of skier from novices looking for cruisers to extreme-seekers looking for some challenging inbounds terrain.
Those in search of serenity and quiet are sure to enjoy a trip to this beautiful region as the ski resorts are next to the protected wilderness of Banff National Park, which encompasses the town of Banff and Lake Louise and all three of the area's ski resorts. Banff's inland locale—on the border of interior British Columbia and Alberta—ensures light, fluffy powder which makes skiing in Banff and Lake Louise even more fun.
...in the charming mountain town of Banff or on the shores of Lake Louise.
...at a top elevation of 8,650 feet on Lake Louise ski resort.
...by flying into Calgary.
…breathtaking views of the Canadian Rockies.
…the surrounding Banff National Park wilderness by snowshoe.
…130+ restaurants.
…yourself to ritual at the Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Banff Springs.
…Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and ice hockey—some of Banff Lake Louise’s many winter activities.
Skiers and boarders have more than 8,000 acres of skiable terrain spread over three world-class ski resorts and accessed with one tri-area lift ticket. With more than 274 named trails, every level of skiing is well represented at Banff’s three resorts. Mt. Norquay, which is located just minutes from the town of Banff, is considered a family-friendly resort and offers weekend night skiing for those that just can get enough time on the slopes. The whole family will love learning about Mt. Norquay’s history as an Olympic and World Cup training ground.
Boasting 4,200 acres of skiable terrain, Lake Louise Ski Area takes the cake for “biggest” Banff skiing. With 25 percent beginner terrain and a green run accessible from every chairlift, 45 percent intermediate terrain and 30 percent expert terrain, the Lake Louise skiing suits every level and type of skier and is ideal for large groups or families. Plus, it’s probably the most conveniently located Banff ski resort because the Village at Lake Louise, which features restaurants and lodging options, is just minutes from the ski area.
Sunshine Village Ski Area is nestled in Banff National Park and 15 minutes from the town of Banff. Sunshine Village sits higher up than the other two resorts and allows skiers and boarders the chance to not only ski and ride on the Continental Divide, but also in two Canadian provinces: Alberta and British Columbia. Because of its slightly higher elevation and remote location, Sunshine often gets the most—and fluffiest—snow of all three. While nearly 75 percent of the terrain is designated as beginner or intermediate, Sunshine also boasts some of the area’s best expert and extreme terrain, with two off-piste zones atop the Continental Divide chairlift.
Banff National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage and one of Canada's most beloved treasures. This protected wilderness is home to some of the world's most beautiful sights, including crisp turquoise lakes, like Lake Louise; breathtaking peaks, like Mount Assiniboine; and a long list of wildlife. The fact that this beautiful Canadian gem is convenient to world-class restaurants, hotels, nightlife and spas makes it the ultimate mountain destination.
Mountain Stats
2805'
Vertical Drop
5412'
Base Depth
8553'
Summit Depth
TERRAIN
7748ac
Total Acres
31
Total Lifts
0mi
Longest Run
Trails
Activities
TerrainPark
No
Tubing
No
Night Skiing
No
Great place to visit
Had a nice time in Banff. The mountains are beautiful and dynamic.
Stunningly beautiful
A photo around every corner! Easy to travel to and from. Super nice people everywhere. Skiing is excellent! So many things to do! It can get a bit cold in the winter so bring good gear and dress in layers. Loved the Rose and Crown, The Balkan, and especially Ramen Arashi for meals!
All inclusive vacation
It was our first vacation to Banff and we loved our vacation and our kids loved the skiing! It was during the New Years Break and we were thrilled to have really good snow. We booked with ski.com. The agent took care of everything for us! We didn’t have to worry about renting skis or car! We loved it! We tried several wonderful restaurants at Banff and the shopping! We especially enjoyed the Beaver tail (fried dough)! It was so good! We had an amazing time and would return again without a doubt!
pretty great.
My son and I had never been to Banff. We were overwhelmed by the beauty. We were fortunate for several reasons. First, Banff received 2-3 feet of snow a day before our arrival. That left ski conditions near perfect (8-9/10). We could not decide if we preferred Lake Louise or Sunshine. Each is unique and worthy. Second, we brought our skates and sticks just in case. Upon our arrival in the afternoon, we spotted the ice rink next to the high school. The Zamboni was cleaning the ice! Then it was time for an old time shinny. The clear evening sky, mountain range, and tons of kids made it memorable. Lots of good food within a block of everything.
Bucket List Items
This trip has been on my list for about 20 years now. I finally decided to 'just do it'. I am glad I did. What an amazing place. Loved the skiing, the lodge, the food and drink. Can't wait to go back. There really is no better place to ski on this planet that I know of. There were skiers from all over that stated the same thing.
Lake Louise and the Lake Louise Inn
The Lake Louise Inn is located in the village, halfway from the Chateau to the ski hill. The rooms are well maintained and clean and we found the staff to be very friendly. The breakfast and lunch dining room did a great job and had reasonable prices. The two in-house dinner restaurants had typical bar food and pasta that wasn't the best in the world but it was pretty good. Two good points about the location are that we could catch the ski bus at the front door and that the village had a variety of stores and restaurants that could supply any necessities.
Fabulous snow and trip organized so well
Thank you Kristine Bell for setting up this amazing vacation. We had a simple transition from Houston to Calgary, shuttle to Banff and great accommodations at the Caribou Lodge. Temps were -25 on the top of Sunshine on Monday and very cold several other days with snow almost every day. POWDER skin on Friday and making first tracks is something I will never forget. We had a great time and the scenery all over Banff is amazing and worth hauling the nice SLR camera with you. If you want a full service ski vacation, contact Ski.com and ask for Kristine Bell...
5 Kentucky Guys on a 4 Day Ski Trip to Banff
We had an excellent time, the skiing was awesome, the views are absolutely gorgeous, the people are friendly. The food and dining experiences were good! I would highly recommend it to anyone!!
Skiing in Area; Dining Options
My hip is going out as a 60-year old, so most of my comments come from my sons, ages 21 and 13. They liked Sunshine better. Snow was better; skiing is at a higher elevation than Lake Louise. Further problem was lift lines at Lake Louise on Good Friday. Lots of people came up for the Easter holiday. We hadn't been counseled on places to dine, so we ended up staying at the Lake Louise Inn without a lot of dining options. There are far more dining options in Banff, approx. 30-45 minutes away. Beautiful drive on the TransCanada Highway though.
Lake Louise and Sunshine Village offer variety
Sunshine Village is a bit spread out as it encompasses 3 peaks so some advance planning to pick your way to a different area is do-able but can be tricky. Lake Louise's layout is very easy to negotiate with some very nice, long runs. The snow was a bit lacking when we were there (early/mid-March) which is apparently fairly normal. Being from Michigan we are used to icy, scraped conditions so we were somewhat at home on more than a few runs. We'd expected more powder than what we had. The shuttle bus service that was included with our ski pass (provided by Brewster Transportation) was very well run and PROMPT. We never made it to Mt. Norquay, the locals told us that they didn't have enough snow to make it worth our while due to their lower elevation. Still overall a gorgeous place to ski
Banff - lots of choices
Good
5.0 4.0 5.0 5.0 4.0 5.0 5.0 3.0 4.0 4.0 3.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 3.0If you are staying in Banff, you have easy access to three very different ski areas on your SkiBig3 lift ticket. Norquay - the local mountain - is only 10 minutes from Banff. It is the smallest of the three ski areas, but is somewhat of a hidden gem. It is surprisingly large, with lots of medium length runs to enjoy and an excellent tubing hill.
Sunshine is about 15 minutes from Banff. From the base area, you have a 20-minute gondola ride up to the resort. From there, you can access a huge amount of terrain of all levels. Sunshine doesn't have much snowmaking, because they don't need it. They get so much snow that they actually "farm" it to keep the skiing conditions at a high level. Their season typically runs from early November until May.
Lake Louise is about 40 minutes from Banff and offers a huge variety of terrain. Blessed with very reliable snow and incredible scenery, Lake Louise will have you torn between wanting to race down the nearest run or stopping to take more photos. If you are looking for the perfect lunch, check out Kuma Yama in the main lodge - amazing sushi!
Banf/Lake Louise, 3 ski areas set amongst spectacular scenery!
I wasn't prepared for the jaw-dropping scenery when I toured Banff and Lake Louise! Everywhere I looked, the Canadian Rockies towered above me.There are 3 ski areas near Banff and I was able to tour them all. Norquay is the closest ski area to Banff and it is the smallest of the 3 areas. Sunshine Village has the only ski-in, ski-out lodging in the Banff and Lake Louise area, and it is truly unique. The only way to get to the Sunshine Mountain Lodge is by taking a lift, riding up on a snowmobile or in a snowcoach! It is located halfway up the ski mountain. Lake Louise, with 4,200 skiable acres is the largest of the 3 ski areas. There is a common lift ticket for all 3 ski areas and a good mix of terrain for all levels of ability at each. We stayed in the iconic Banff Hot Springs Lodge and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, both of which are truly grand hotels. We also toured the Rimrock Lodge, which has stupendous views. The hotel is built into a cliff. I didn't have time to visit the Banff Hot Springs, so that is still on my bucket list. Either way, I would definitely go back to Banff. Call me at ext 3692 or email Bill@ski.com and let's discuss a trip to Banff and Lake Louise.Good
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