 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
We took our twin six year olds to Big White this year. Having started them in the Alps last year we wanted somewhere a bit more kid friendly and less crowded.
Big White was awesome in terms of ski school/friendliness but disappointing in terms of:
- connection times (horrible wait for the on-flight to Kelowna which you don't notice yourself so much but when you have children is a nightmare)
- weather (very foggy and often near white out on I'd say a third of our 13 days)
- size of the mountain (bit limited after a week for me anyway)
We're looking around at the moment and our eyes have alighted on Lake Louise on the basis of direct flights to Calgary and plenty of skiing.
Can anyone advise:
- is the weather likely to be sunnier than it was in BW?
- are there any decent condos/apts which people can recommend? We don't mind a 10-15 minute drive in the morning but the available accommodation seems to be hotels, which aren't really suitable with young kids.
Would greatly appreciate any advice/thoughts.
rgds
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There are virtually no condo's in Lake Louise, the only accommodation is hotels. Sunshine Village is probably a better resort for kids with accomodation either on the hill on in Banff. There are daily shuttles to both Sunshine and Louise from Banff. And yes the weather is likely to be better, Big White is also better known as the Big White Out.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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northernsoulboy, What time of year? Although you will get more clear skies that area can be extremely cold especially in January.
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Yes to clear skies. Transfer up from Calgary can be ghastly as the european flights tend to get you in bang on rush hour once you've cleared customs.
There are a few limited condos in Lake Louise, sorry can't remember the name off the top of my head but the info is out there. If you're hiring a car you might also look out for something in Field (10 miles or so up the road in the direction of Golden).
I'm going to say stay the heck away from Banff, I've been going there since 2002 and this is the first season I've no interest. The town now has the highest drug problem per capita in Canada and it's turning into chav central for Brits. Field is where the locals/staff live...
It's a big enough mountain for a fortnight that's for sure!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I'f your schedule premits and you're self-orgainising, I'd strongly recommend staying the night in Calgary before travelling to the mountains. It adds very little to the cost of your trip as it's easy to get a cheap bed in Calgary, and it means that you'll be fresh for the drive and when you arrive in the resort. You can use the extra day to sort out your equipment, register with the ski school and generally chill out.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks everyone, much appreciated.
We're thinking of going March 15 for two weeks, we tooi are steering clear of Banff for reasons stated and I think an onite in Calgary is a good idea, thanks.
I'll have a look at Field.
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northernsoulboy, if you were going a little earlier in the season, I'd recommend Panorama as being a near-perfect family resort with plenty of advanced intermediate skiing for the adults (not so good for timid intermediates, though, as you'd soon get bored with the limited selection of groomers there). But, based on recent late season snow there, the last two weeks of March would be too risky.
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northernsoulboy, Ok - I disagree with quite a lot of the advice above!
The Lake Louise Inn hotel is a 5 minute free busride to the slopes, where there is an excellent ski school/creche where both our kids have had a lot of lessons. The hotel has condos/suites as well as straight forward rooms. They are excellent value and usually you can negotiate a deal with their excellent buffet breakfasts. Shopping nearby is... limited... one supermarket and one liquor store, but there are 3 restaurants in house and another 3 within 5-10 minutes walk. If you don't want hectic nightlife this is a really cushy way of having a stress free North American holiday with kids.
No point in a night at Calgary at all, you will spend half an hour getting to the hotel and have two hotels worth of stress. Spend the money instead on chartering a taxi/van from airport shuttle express which will get you from the Airport (which is one of the Best International ones we have used) to the hotel in a stress free 2 hours. You then do not need a car at all. Avoid Banff with kids. But you can ski Kicking Horse or Sunshine on buses from outside the hotel.
The weather will probably be ok - but it can get cold there, but we have had 4 great family holidays there with kids in the 1-8 year old range. pm me if you need any more info.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Had a similar experience with Rocky Mountain Shuttle myself going to Fernie. Despite me ringing them the day before to confirm, my shuttle from Calgary was cancelled (I suspect not enough punters) no-one there to help just a sign on the desk - cab into Calgary hang around bus station for a midnight bus arrive in middle of night. I wasn't a happy camper.
I think you'd go mental in Field its not a resort town more a collection of houses. If you want condos then there are plenty in Banff & Canmore as well as the suites suggested in LL
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yes... I had a long wait for RMS the one time I used them, and a slow drag through Banff and Canmore. So did it differently the next time!
Never had any problem with airport shuttle express with personal charters, which are as cheap as shuttle tickets if there are 4 of you...
oh and Helen LS, hows this?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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northernsoulboy is travelling with a party of at least four. I'd be gobsmacked if it's cheaper to take an airport bus rather than hire a car or take a personal charter; certainly, from a convenience point of view it's not great to hang around waiting for buses with kids. Myself, I'd go with a hire car: it's good to be in control - especially after hearing horror stories like Helen LS's - and for a two week trip it becomes much easier to take the odd excursion if the kids need a break from skiing.
As for staying overnight in Calgary, I stand by my advice. The best way to fly to Calgary is with BA (those personal TV screens would be Good News with 6 year old twins) and their flight leaves the UK mid afternoon. That's pretty convenient on the UK end of the trip but by the time you arrive in Canada it's the middle of the night UK time and driving for a few hours, possibly in adverse weather conditions, isn't a great plan if you have children; if I didn't have kids or if I took an earlier flight I admit that I might feel differently, though. Last year we found a cheap hotel with a swimming pool and a pretty impressive water slide that kept the kids amused for a couple of hours the next morning. We followed up with an enormous Canadian brunch and the holiday was off to a great start. After several North American family skiing trips, I certainly wouldn't plan on a full day skiing with children the day after arrival - tiredness and jet lag are too much for them to cope with.
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You know it makes sense.
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stoatsbrother, amazing but I am not techy
still angry with Rocky mountain shuttle and how much they cost me 
V impressive !
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Left field or in this case south field.
Keystone, Colorado
Everything you asked for:
direct flight
same transfer distance
great resort to base yourself at
plenty of resorts nearby
snow at that time of year
challenge
ski school
sunny days
price will be comparable to Canada
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks again, everyone, for your help and advice.
I've looked into shuttles - great tip re the Rocky Mountain Shutle people, ta - and would probably do that... the problem with Big White wasn't so much the transatlantic flight or the drive to the resort, the kids could have coped with both of those, it was the three hours at Calgary and the hour connecting flight that wiped them out (plus there were suggestions on the night that the Kelowna connection might be cancelled because of cloud inversion).
Re Keystone, I don't think there's a direct flight from the UK Mike?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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London or Manchester to Denver with Crystal /Thomson.
Then approx 2-3 hrs depending on snow conditions to the resort.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks a lot Mike. You're right and I'm completely wrong - there are others too. Cheers.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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northernsoulboy,Have a look at Kimberley we went two years ago. We all said it was was the place to take kids for a week . we then went to Banff nice if you stay in the right hotel we did not. We then hired a car, to save all the messing with the bus(four adults no problem with cost) Great skiing, once you get there.
ps we went with Inghams. Great value for money
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FAQ
Heard soo much good stuff to about the place.
) because others have already commented, but after 12 years everything has been so perfect that we have now moved here and have no significant desire to ski anywhere else ever again (well except for the other local resorts of course 
)