By Jennifer Broome, Travel Journalist and TV Personality
Visiting Banff in the Canadian Rockies might be on your summer travel bucket list, but here are a few reasons to add a winter trip to the epicenter of Canada’s snowy wilderness. Lift lines and crowds are non-existent on the nearby slopes. Banff’s elevation is 4,537 feet, so the odds of battling altitude sickness are lower. It’s easy to get to on a 1.5-hour drive from Calgary International Airport. Banff, Lake Louise and three ski resorts are in Banff National Park. Established in 1885, it’s the oldest national park in Canada and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Whether you ski expert terrain or are more of an expert in après [after skiing activities, typically food and drinks], unique experiences fill this powder paradise, from going on an ice walk to riding a gondola for an evening of soundscapes. Step into Banff’s snow globe, and you’ll see why it’s one of my favorite winter destinations.
Before hitting the slopes, you need gear and a great base camp. Rent gear from the SkiBig3 Adventure Hub. They even deliver and pick up from some hotels. Enjoy a downtown suite stay at Peaks Hotel and Suites. Banff’s newest “peak” garners rave reviews, including from me. The modern style of my loft suite was the perfect place to recharge after adventurous days. For a resort experience close to town, stay at Canada’s “Castle in the Rockies.” While I stayed at the legendary Fairmont Banff Springs, I thought it could easily pass for Hogwarts Castle in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Make sure to book a spa appointment to relax and recharge. After a day of skiing, your tired muscles will thank you.
Canada’s Skiing Trifecta - Ski Big 3
There are over 7,700 skiable acres in Banff National Park and complimentary ski shuttle service from downtown Banff to the three world-class resorts. The closest slopes to town are at Mt. Norquay Ski Resort which opened in 1926. On the 4-mile drive to Norquay, keep an eye out for bighorn sheep and elk. This ski racers’ mountain is known for some of the most challenging slopes in North America, with a ski racing heritage dating back to 1929. Olympics and World Cup athletes frequently train here. If you’re like me and prefer green and blue runs (easy and intermediate), there’s plenty of gentler and rolling terrain at this small family-friendly resort. This is the locals’ mountain. You can easily do ski laps here without any lift lines. After 7.5 inches of snow overnight, I giggled with glee while having some runs completely to myself on a powder day. Friday and Saturday nights, Norquay also has the only night skiing in the Canadian Rockies. Book a session at Tube Town to ride the longest and fastest tubing runs in Western Canada. If you want to tube under the lights, the eight lanes are open Friday and Saturday evenings from early January to mid-March.
Sitting high on the Continental Divide, Banff Sunshine is about 15-20 minutes from Banff. From the parking area, you ride a gondola to get to Sunshine Village, sitting at 7,200 feet. Sunshine has three mountains with more than 3,300 acres of skiable terrain. Black diamond skiers will love Goat’s Eye, while beginners and intermediate skiers who are fans of rolling terrain will enjoy Mount Standish. From Lookout Mountain, the uninterrupted views of the Canadian wilderness will take your breath away. While on the slopes, jump on TeePee Town LX, Canada’s first and only heated chairlift, for a cozy ride to some incredible intermediate and expert terrain. With a seven-month season, from early November to late May, Sunshine is home to the longest non-glacial ski season in Canada. Sunshine has a weather phenomenon I dubbed “Sunshine Sparkle.” Water crystals seem to sparkle in the sunshine in the cold, dry air, especially during a sunset run to après ski at Mad Trapper’s. It was established in 1928 and has walls lined with old ski pictures and artifacts, making it a fun spot to belly up to the bar.
Lake Louise Ski Resort is called Canada’s friendly giant. With over 4,200 acres, it is one of the largest and most scenic ski resorts in North America. This is skiing with a view, especially as you come off the Top of the World chairlift and see one of the most spectacular mountain ranges I’ve ever seen. On a bluebird sky day [a sunny day with no clouds], the view literally stopped me on my skis the first time I saw it. On my most recent visit, I skied with Jamie Robinson, a private ski instructor and SkiBig3 adventure guide. We carved turns for over four hours thanks to a snowy day giving us free powder re-fills. We only stopped for a quick lunch break at the Powder Keg Lounge with a pub-like ambiance. I noshed on a wild mushroom flatbread to fuel me for more turns on the long, cruising ski runs Lake Louise is known for, along with its wide-open bowls.
Experience Lake Louise
For an ultra-romantic place, it’s hard to beat the grand mountain elegance of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. It’s a fairy tale setting in a winter wonderland about 40 minutes from Banff and 10 minutes from Lake Louise Ski Resort. You’ll feel like an A-lister staying here. Previous guests of this luxury resort include royalty and legends of the silver screen. During my stay, I sipped coffee while watching the first light of day shine on the majestic Victoria Glacier towering over Lake Louise. This view is arguably one of the most spectacular in the world. Whether you’re a hotel guest or a day visitor, walk out on the frozen lake, go ice skating or cross-country skiing, take a sleigh ride or book a snowshoeing tour to hike through the stunning scenery of the majestic wilderness. One of my favorite activities was playing Bavarian curling. You toss what looks like a giant weighted Sorry game piece across the ice. It’s more of a cross between bowling and bocce ball than the curling you see in the Olympic Games. Post-game, stop in the Ice Bar for a boozy hot chocolate or mulled wine. If you’re a hotel guest, grab dinner at lively Alpine Social. It’s a great place to try a shaft, a traditional Canadian mountain cocktail of coffee, vodka, coffee liqueur and Irish cream. For an elegant experience, make a reservation for afternoon tea. It’s open for hotel guests and day visitors.
Go for an Ice Walk
Dress in lots of warm layers for an ice walk in Johnston Canyon off the scenic Bow Valley Parkway; it's an icy adventure led by Discover Banff Tours. Johnston Canyon is one of the most popular trails in Banff National Park in summer, but in winter, it’s a wonderland of ice and snow without crowds. The temperature was minus 6 degrees Fahrenheit as my group followed our guide Jeff through the trail archway. I couldn’t stop saying “wow,” as we rounded every corner walking on steel catwalks, going deeper into the canyon. At our first big stop, Jeff told me to go first for a little solo exploration crossing a bridge and going through a tunnel. One by one, everyone in the small group got a moment of solitude at Lower Falls. As we continued on the trail, we passed Twin Falls and Stella Falls before a last upward push through the short steep section to the viewpoint for Upper Falls. While sipping hot chocolate, we marveled at an ice climber in the breathtaking scenery of snow, ice and water. The hike to Upper Falls is 3 miles roundtrip. Transportation and ice spikes are provided on the tour.
Sip, Shop and SnowDays
Have dinner or at least a cocktail at the world’s first and Canada’s only distillery in a national park. Specializing in “glacier to glass,” Park Distillery uses water in its spirits that is sweeter because of the calcium from Bow River’s limestone-rich riverbeds. That’s just one interesting tidbit I learned on the distillery tour. They pair their glacier water spirits with campfire-inspired cuisine that makes for a fun dinner. If beer is more your thing, head to Three Bears Brewery and Restaurant. Their retractable roof is perfect for stargazing, and you’ll discover critters from birds to bears with wildlife art in unexpected places in this brewery that feels like it’s in a forest. In the morning, grab a latte and a mouthwatering baked good at Wild Flour Bakery. I went multiple times for morning coffee and afternoon tea. For homemade soups and made-to-order sandwiches, have lunch at JK Bakery Café. Both Wild Flour and JK are local hotspots.
Stroll the streets of downtown and pop into a few of Banff’s boutiques, shops and galleries. My favorites were Paper Den, featuring prints, cards and other items created by two local artists, and Jolene’s Tea House, a locally owned organic tea company housed in the historic Crag Cabin dating back to 1888-1890.
If you happen to visit Banff in mid to late January, don’t miss the annual SnowDays festival. One of the highlights is an outdoor gallery of giant snow sculptures created over several days. While sipping a hot tea from Wild Flour, I followed the trail from Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies on Bear Street to Banff Avenue Square, watching the snow sculptors hard at work. My favorite one, titled “Spreading Joy,” was of a young girl blowing bubbles as a reminder to enjoy simple pleasures and beauty all around us. SnowDays Play Zone is open Wednesdays through Sundays during the festival. It has a sledding hill, ice slides, fat tire bike track, cross-country ski track and more, with winter activity rentals available.
Take a Gondola Ride and Soak in Hot Springs
Combine cold and hot adventures for a romantic date night or a fun evening. As you ride Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain to Nightrise, you hear a wonderful story told by voices from the Stoney Nakoda Nation. At the summit, Nightrise is an immersive experience of lights and sounds in four digital art installations. I was particularly captivated by the twinkling snowflake lights in the Diamond Dust exhibit and then mesmerized by the view of Banff’s twinkling lights from the rooftop deck as I listened to “sonic binoculars” filled with sounds ranging from chinook winds to healing waters. For a dining experience at Nightrise, book ahead of time to eat at Northern Lights Alpine Kitchen or Sky Bistro.
Next to Banff Gondola is Banff Upper Hot Springs. Sitting at 5,200 feet, it’s the highest operating hot springs in Canada and has attracted soakers since at least the 1880s. The water flows from the mountain at 129 degrees Fahrenheit and is around 104 degrees Fahrenheit in the hot spring pools. The steamy therapeutic water is a wonderful way to relax, decompress and wind down as you experience the magic of winter in Banff.
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