Update: This sweepstakes is now over, but stay tuned for more great giveaways on our Facebook page!
Editor’s Note: We have so many excellent questions about Banff and Lake Louise, we enlisted help from our friends at Ski Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine. They fielded some of the great questions that didn’t quite make the Legends’ list but are still very important when planning a Banff and Lake Louise ski vacation! If you haven’t entered to win, visit our Facebook and ask your question! Â
All questions are answered by long-time locals, Ski Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine staff!
Best options to take teenage beginners? (asked by Crissy Cecil)
Yes and yes. The fact you have three resorts to choose from in Banff-Lake Louise means you’ve got a lot of varied terrain to suit whatever ability you’re at and feel comfortable with. The resorts offer everything for first timers to seasoned pros and so much in-between.
The Lake Louise Ski Resort actually has a beginner or intermediate runs from every chair! So this means you can still get around the mountain as a group or a family while the runs provide safe learning.
A longtime favourite for beginners at Sunshine Village is the runs from the Strawberry chair. The feeling of getting onto the easily accessible chair lift on your first or second day really boosts the confidence of beginner skiers and boarders, plus the shorter runs lead right back to the daylodge for anyone needing to rest their newly found ski legs!
Learning to ski or board can be exhausting when you’re not used to it. Mt. Norquay is only 10 minutes from the town of Banff and is great if you want to spend a few hours skiing and riding compared to a full day at the resort.
When is the peak time of the year for skiing? (asked by Belvia Williams)
First up, it’s good to know that the winter season in Banff-Lake Louise is our LOW season. Summer is our peak season, so come winter, our runs are open and lift lines non-existent! Weekends obviously tend to be a bit busier at the ski resorts, but you’d be surprised what we classify as busy (think: no longer than 5 minutes in a lift line during busy periods).
Also the unique location of Banff-Lake Louise means we have one of the longest, non-glacial ski seasons in North America. Open mid-November until late May (yes, May!) means you’ve got a huge window to experience the three resorts.
We boast amazing early-season events (World Cups, ski racing and Snowboard Cross) which are open to all skiers and boarders to watch, free of charge! Christmas time is a winter wonderland in Banff National Park. January and February are host to the fantastic Ice Magic and Snowdays Festivals. Then March, April and May are consistently full of snow and sunny weather. Spring skiing in April and May doesn’t mean slushy snow; the resorts still have our famous dry and light powdery snow as well as live music, champagne and oyster bars and big events.
When and where on the mountain is it, when you feel as if there is not a worry in the world? (asked by Mark Luoma)
It’s different for every skier and boarder, Mark! Some say it’s at the top of Goats Eye at Sunshine Village as you see fresh snow on Mt. Assiniboine, the Matterhorn of the Rockies. Others would argue it’s when you’re on the Top of the World chairlift at Lake Louise Ski Resort filled with wonder and excitement as you make your ascent to the peak, where you can look over to the famous Lake Louise or behind at the stillness of the powdery back bowls. Or at Mt. Norquay overlooking the town of Banff that has been dwarfed by the sheer size of Mt. Rundle beside it.
We always like to think Banff-Lake Louise means something a little different to everyone; it’s so awe-inspiring, it’s hard not to forget your troubles here!
Yes, as another person asked, (as we love fine dining), which are the best restaurants in Banff and Lake Louise to visit please? (asked by Nolan Preen)
We’re foodies too, Nolan, and with more than 125 pubs, restaurants and bars to choose from, it really depends on choosing somewhere that suits your culinary tastes.
The resorts offer great lunch and après ski dining options, whether you want a full meal or a quick drink after a day on the slopes. Not forgetting the only on-mountain accommodation in Banff National Park, Sunshine Mountain Lodge, has great evening dining for those staying overnight.
Local favourites in the town of Banff include the Elk and Oarsman as well as the Banff Avenue Brew Pub, which brews its own beer! Wild Bills (a western-style venue) offers good food and entertainment with concerts, free line dancing during winter and a mechanical bull. For finer dining, try the Maple Leaf Bar and Grille or The Bison restaurant.
The town of Lake Louise is home to great food at the Deer Lodge, which sources game from their personally owned ranch in Alberta!
Excuse us, our tummy is rumbling.
If you’d like to ask your own question and enter to win, visit Ski.com’s Facebook page.
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