The skiing at Banff (Banff)

Member Name: tdjackson

Product:	Banff
Date:	19/01/02 (300 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Size, Shortish airport transfer, Good snow

Disadvantages: Bus journeys everyday

I stayed in the Banff Springs hotel over Christmas and the New Year with my family on a skiing holiday. The flight to Calgary lasts about 8 1/2 hours but the only company that fly direct from England are Air Canada, which costs 700 pounds per person. The bus to Banff takes just over 1 3/4 hours and if you go without a tour operator, as we did, I would recommend the Banff Airporter service.
The skiing in Banff is terriic, with a reputation for good snow and late skiing, although having to take a bus to each of the ski resorts is a bit of a hassle - especially to Lake Louise which is 3/4 of an hour away in the coach. The buses are very regular to be fair and run every half an hour or so and are always on time. The drive to Sunshine and Lake Louise is very scenic.
For beginners I would recommend going to Lake Louise because the slopes are wide and narrow and there is a green run down from the top of every chair in the resort. Sunshine has less skiing for beginners and the third resort, Mount Norquay, is just one steep mountain.
For more advanced skiiers, the blues and blacks of Sunshine are terrific and Goats Eye Mountain at Sunshine is great.
The toughest runs can be found at the Back bowls of Lake Louise and there is some good off piste and powder skiing to be found there. Overall, Lake Louise is by far the biggest resort and Mount Norquay (which is only 5 minutes away from Banff) is the smallest. Sunshine, at 20 minutes away and being a good size is the best compromise of size and distance.
Banff itself is great and the Banff Springs was very good. I will soon be writing a review about the town itself and the hotels.

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