"Ironically, some people come here but never go outdoors," says
André Fabbri, director of sales for Ski Banff
Lake Louise. "They'll
have breakfast by the window and look out - that's enough majestic
glory for them."
If, on the other hand, you crave your majestic glory at 30 mph,
here are three cool places to experience Banff on skis.
LAKE LOUISE: THE SCENIC RESORT
For those who crave excitement and beauty, the slopes of Lake
Louise,
Canada's largest and most scenic ski resort, await. Four
thousand acres of skiable terrain stretch across four mountain
faces, including 105 marked trails and thousands of acres of open
bowls. All the runs are tied together by 11 interconnecting lifts
dotting the hills of pristine champagne powder.
"To an aficionado, this champagne powder snow is a skier's heaven.
The fluffy stuff is easier to ski in, and if you fall, you're
falling on soft snow," says Fabbri, who credits the better snow
conditions to their drier weather.
Lake Louise plays host to the Men's and Women's
World Cup Downhill
and Super-G races, held at the resort in late November and early
December. The event kicks off the World Cup ski circuit on terrain
littered with black and double black diamonds. Novices shouldn't
worry, though - the resort promises at least one easy run from
every lift on the mountain, a relief to those of us who spend
considerable time on our backsides.
BANFF MOUNT NORQUAY: HOMETOWN HILL
Conveniently located minutes from downtown Banff, Banff Mount
Norquay is the most affordable of the three ski resorts. At 31
runs, it's considerably smaller than Lake Louise. But like a
daredevil little brother, it makes up for its diminutive size with
reckless abandon. The emphasis here is on speed and challenging
terrain, like the five super-steep, mogul-studded freefalls that
welcome visitors upon arrival and the dynamite double black diamond
duo, Upper Lone Pine and Gun Run, favored by regulars. (Word has it
that the Snow Cats need to be hoisted up by a winch to the top to
groom the steepest runs.)