 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All,
I'm planning my first North American ski trip for this winter and have been considering Banff due to its ease of access from the airport to cut down travel time for 1 wk break. What I wanted to get views on are the timing of the trip and information on organised off piste possibilities.
Firstly, on timing I've been thinking about Mid-March to avoid some of the harshest winter conditions, but is there normally still decent amount of new snow fall in March in places like Sunshine and Lake Louise?
Main reason go over the pond is to experience some deep snow (would have wanted to go to area around Nelson but too far for 1 wk).
Secondly, apart from Delirium Dive in Sunshine havent really found any info on mountain guiding and organised off piste groups for banff area (similar to ones I've done in Europe, basically hired a guide and avalanche kit for a small group - however this time I'll be traveling alone). Do these exist and any idea who to contact? Also are there any Cat Ski operations in Alberta or relatively near Banff, so that could do a day or two of this?
Thanks in advance!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Banff is 2.5 hours from Calgary airport iirc.
I've only ever been there in March and it has been fine.
Don't know about catskiing, but we did heliskiing out of Panorama if that helps.
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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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Bones, I was there in March in a particularly bad year and the snow was still great fwiw.
As for terrain, just as an example, everything in this photo at Lake Louise is 'in bounds'. This one too. All accessible straight off the top of lifts apart from the bowl in the distance above 'Larch' Area which is an 'in-bounds' hike.
Kicking Horse has even more scope in bounds especially with the opening of Superbowl.
Not sure how many times I've done the transfer but it can be anywhere between an hour and a half and two hours depending on if you are driving or taking a transfer bus.
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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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hrc, Transfer is about an 1-1.5 hours
There is a first tracks programme at Lake Louise which you can book on for that gives you firts access to the slopes and powder bowls normally with the top trainer for the ski school
Kicking horse is well worth the trip and they do group guided courses. All the inbound stuff is avalanched controled and does not always require a transcevier and shovel etc. Think the only reason they make you do it at Delerium is for Marketing purposes.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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hrc,
Welcome to 
March is an excellent time to visit Banff. You'll benefit from the season's accumulation of snow, and the weather's a lot milder than midwinter. Also, the days are longer, so the lifts are open longer. I've had excellent fresh powder in late March.
You shouldn't need generally need guidance or avi-precautions for off-piste since anything within the resort boundaries that isn't a marked trail is patrolled and avi-controlled. Access to Delerium Dive at Sunshine is via an access gate, and you'll need (i) a partner (ii) a helmet (iii) avi beacon + shovel (unless they've relaxed the regulations since my last trip...it's been a while).
It's not a bad idea to join a ski school/guidance programme like the Club Ski programme. - It's a 3-day programme that visits each of the local areas on successive days. If you're in the top level group, you're likely to be shown some of the more extreme terrain by a kamikaze Japanese called Atsushi.
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I wouldn't sweat the transfer time. After all you'll be on a bus to/from the slopes 1 to 2 hours a day. Its a good intro to Canadian skiing though.
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Fattes13, respect if you've done YYC to Banff in one hour. 140 odd km.
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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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Some of this is repeated above but easier to type everything.
North American resorts are different to Europe in that it is either "in-bounds" or out-of-bounds.
Anything in-bounds is normally avalanche controlled and so you are free to ski everywhere (unless they sign something up to the contary)
An exception to this rule is Delirum dive at sunshine where it is still controlled to some extent but you can't go in there unless you + partner have a beacon / probe etc. Sunshine has ski guides that will show you good stuff in Sunshine.
If you out of bounds you are in uncontrolled areas and this is ski touring. There are plenty if ski touring opportunities but they are organised through mountain guide companies. A big one is Yamnuska in Canmore but there are others. This is very much ski touring though and you will have to earn all your turns but you will be (hopefully) really out there. It is possible to do ski touring from Sunshine but you don't get any discount on the lift tickets!
There are no cat or heli operations near Banff partly because it is a national park. The closest operators are in Panorama (RK Heli ski) and Golden (So basically Kicking horse resort but I forget the name); some of them do day trips and some are longer trips only.
If you are coming purely for powder I would actually recommend driving past Banff and doing the slog to Golden and staying in Golden. My reasons are:
1) Further towards BC in general means more stable snow pack and more snow.
2) While it is a longer initial drive Banff is actually ~1 to 1.5 hours from the ski resorts so you do have to drive a lot anyway. (Yes Sunshine is close but you have to take a Gondola to actually get to the skiing) Golden is closer to Kicking horse in hotel to slopes sense.
3) More operators of cat skiing etc near Golden
You can always drive back towards Banff on the way home if conditions look good.
Calgary airport is about 1.5 hours from Banff unless you
a) Exceed the speed limit a lot.
b) Don't get stuck on 16th AVE in rush hour.
I reckon on getting from Calgary Olympic park to Banff in ~1 hour but CoP is on the Western side of Calgary.
Hope this helps.
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sweaman2, Lake Louise is about 45 minutes and Norquay a sold 15 fwiw. I agree with everything else you said though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks all for the great tips you gave for the Banff trip we're planning for March.
Have now booked all the travel and now looking into options doing 1 day of heliski as well (choice between RK heli in Panorama or Purcell in Golden - if anyone has experience let me know). Cant wait until March! Thanks again.
Ps. if anyone is skiing in Banff area and want company for 'off piste' between 14th and 18th March let me know
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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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Hi mate,
we are just back from Banff after a couple of weeks ice climbing/skiing.
Spent most of the time at sunshine but the first week, it was a solid minus 25 to minus 33 for about 7 days so too baltic to ski, went climbing instead. Plenty of snow about though, so much the closed route 1 for the night at one point.
A word of warning if you're heading to Sunshine at all. The last day we went skiing (last Wednesday), only 3 of the areas were open and no one would tell us why.
Anyway, it turns out one of the Ski Patrollers caught the son of the resorts owner out of bounds so he sent him off the mountain. Next day, the SP was sacked so all the SPers called in sick shutting most of the runs down.
Apparently there is bound to be more trouble ahead due to the conditions they work in, according to my friend who is a snowboard instructor occasionally there.
On the day when it was limited to the 3 slopes, they issued all the day passes with a 20 dollar food voucher and didn't issue the season holders any which caused absolut hell for the PR office. We have a funny headcam video with a really pissed off skier really having a go at one of the managers and then more people coming in on the conversation. Trying to get my mate to post it to you tube, but as he works there occasionally, think he is dithering a bit!
You'll have a good time :0)
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Just to let everyone know who hasn't been to Banff recently. The Stoney Trail has now opened and that makes transferring at rush hour quicker.
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You know it makes sense.
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we skied Banff and Lake Louise in the first week of April a couple of years ago and there was still plenty of snow and we even had a couple of fresh powder days. nothing to worry about on the snow front, especially this year... they've been absolutely battered with snow.
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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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Denni - Are the Sunshire buses picking up at the hotels or just in town? I've been told that Lake Louise and Nakiska are picking up at a number of the hotels again.
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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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HarryOK
Hi mate,
As far as I could see, the sunshine buses were only picking up in town (picking up and dropping off on the main street, just up from the Ski Hub) and not at all the hotels.
We used our own car to get back and forth. They were definatley picking up for Louise at the hotels, they were outside our hotel (Charlton Cedar Court) every morning and last thing at night. I think they varied between hotels for pick up/drop off as most of them are on the same strip.
Hope you have a grand time, we picked up hitch hikers every day from town and from Sunshine so you could always try that!
Den
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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HarryOK, I'm in Banff now. The buses for sunshine leave from behind the mount royal hotel (which is just a little bit too far from my hotel for my liking-hence we have spent 80% of our time at lake Louise! ) I think the bus also stops outside melissas restaurant and the Brewster bus depot. Really inconvenient carrying skis etc I've seen people trekking 1km plus in boots with skis and rucksacks. Hats off to them, I'm just too lazy probably.
If I'm honest, the shenanigans with the bus have probably put me off coming here again, or at least hiring a car will be a big priority. The lake Louise bus still picks up at the Banff av but then you have to spend 1.5hrs plus a day on the bus. sunshine one is a pain with the walking like I mentioned.
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FAQ
. Lake Louise is great too for fun terrain.
