 Poster: A snowHead
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Possibly gonna try Sunshine next season. Is there enough area in Sunshine to opt purely for the sunshine pass. Or is the tri area pass advisable. Anyone skied sunshine only?
Thanks 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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tri area not much difference in price if any
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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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colian, I can have a sunshine area pass included with hotel booking, so wondering whether it's ok to have that on its own or a tri area also
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Duplicate post.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Fri 6-07-12 7:47; edited 1 time in total
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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 wouldn't want to miss out on Lake Louise tbh. When I went I had 4 days each at LL and Sunshine with a day at Norquay also. Are you staying at the Sunshine hotel?
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graeme, depends how long you're there for I guess but Sunshine on its own might only keep you happy for a few days. Think it would be mad to go that far and not do Louise and Norquay, the latter being my fave. So tri area.
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Where are you planning to stay? If at Sunshine Lodge, then a Sunshine pass makes sense, but I'm not sure a whole holiday up there sounds so good. Otherwise, a tri-area pass will generally be best, particularly if you aren't hiring a car, as the tri-area includes the shuttles.
Although Sunshine is my preferred of the three areas, I wouldn't want to go to Banff and not ski a few days at Lake Louise -runs like the Rock Garden are great; Norquay I can take or leave.
So, can you get your hotel for less if you don't take the Sunshine pass? ie is it free, or discounted? If discounted , does it cost more than buying a tri-area from someone like American Ski Classics? I think day tickets are pretty expensive so if the Sunshine pass is free (and you don't have to pay for buses @ $15/day, I think), that seems like the cheapest approach, but you should still go to LL for a day, at least.
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I went to banff for 14 days this year. Four days in LL, a morning at Norquay and spent the rest of the time at Sunshine. spent a good while hunting stashes of powder in the trees, so different lines on essentially the same run, then move on once the area was done or i got bored, kept me amused for days on end.
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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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Norquay is missable.
But hire a car. They're relatively cheap.
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Norquay with good snow is unmissable.
Definitely get the tri-area and stay in Banff.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Alans deep bath, Norquay, absolutely. You can lap the North American Chair time after time and see almost nobody, just because it's that bit steeper. Do it after a big dump and you'll forget other areas. The lodge is homely too.
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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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Bode Swiller, agreed, the atmosphere is great and there's plenty terrain to explore if you don't mind getting uncomfortably steep!
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I enjoyed Norquay, but wouldn't spend more than half a day there. Both times I went the snow wasn't great so I spent most of my time at Sunshine, but I agree with most posters - go for the whole area.
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You know it makes sense.
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Guess the boycott of "Scumshine" over the ski patrol sackings is running out of steam. Website dead, facebook not active. Even colosally bad PR and totally inept social media interactions can be ridden out it seems.
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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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Bear in mind - or check out - if you're staying at Sunshine it's probably best to hire a car to access the other areas. It always used to be the case that the ski buses were set up to take skiers from Banff to the three ski areas of Sunshine, LL and Norquay in the morning and bring them back in the afternoon. There may be a very limited bus service if at all from Sunshine in the morning. I have no idea though what the current ski bus situation is - as I say, best to check out if you're thinking of relying on the bus service.
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Poster: A snowHead
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A couple of nights up the mountain at Sunshine would be good I guess, but I think I'd rather stay in Banff if I was there for more than that. SUnshine was good, but I preferred the skiing at Lake Louise.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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graeme, Sunshine is great but when its really cold it gets the brunt of it and when its misty, only one area has any treelined runs. I'd buy the tri-area pass everytime, it makes up the sacrifice of not having ski in-out and long bus trips.
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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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It was -30 the first time I went there. That is about the coldest I have ever been.
As I remember it the buses were OK but the last time was about 9 years ago. I met a school friends brother on the bus going to Lake Louise. Amazing we even recognised each other.
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Each of the three areas has something different to offer. Norquay is small but has some wonderful undulating runs. Lake Louise is stunningly beautiful, and Sunshine Village is varied and fun; I loved the Upper and Lower Canyon runs and the Wolverine area.
You really should experience all three if you're there.
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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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| fatbob wrote: |
| Guess the boycott of "Scumshine" over the ski patrol sackings is running out of steam. Website dead, facebook not active. Even colosally bad PR and totally inept social media interactions can be ridden out it seems. |
Does anyone know when the court in Canada is due to hear the case brought by the patrollers for unfair dismissal? Hopefully the truth concerning the events will come out and we can then judge who is in the right and whether Sunshine Village warrants a boycott.... 
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musher, just got to know where to go when the snow's half decent.
RichardB, Goats Eye is treed on the bottom half, around Jack Rabbit and Wolverine is tree lined and so is Wawa..
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Alans deep bath, Yep. And the bottom half of the runs to Teepee Town chair. And everything from the top of Wolverine down to the car park - some entertaining bits there.
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Alastair Pink, Don't know on the court cases but the original documents filed in the court have been linked here in the past so individuals can form their own judgements. I'd suspect it's been mired. Also don't forget that Sunshine tried to eliminate discussion of the event on internet forums by use of threatening Cease & Desists.
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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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Alans deep bath, my memory slipped. Haven't been for 2 years but I should really remember this, I always did the run down to the car park! 
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fatbob, I'm well aware of Sunshine Village's owners attempts to stifle discussion of the case on the skiing internet forums, and certainly based on what I've heard from both sides my sympathies currently lie with the sacked ski patrollers. On that basis, personally I wouldn't ski at Sunshine Village until the court case is settled.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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graeme, There is tons of skiing in Sunshine if you look for it but I really would find it hard to justify traveling that far and not skiing Lake Louise and even Kicking horse.
For Sunshine warm up - Lap wa wa lap a few piste in and out of the trees and then hit Paris bowl for the first off piste of the morning.
couple of laps on the Standish quad, hitting headwall, the garbage chutes and then heading to Goats eye
Off goats eye lift turn right and aim for the icy little piste staying left. then follow the traverse, drop in at any point but the further over you go the better!
Alternatively take the hike above Goats eye for some serious nice off piste.
Then to top it off you still have Delerium and Lookout mountain to enjoy
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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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graeme, If you haven't booked your hotel yet surely you would choose one in Banff for the evenings and general buzz? It's central and outside of there it's hick country is my impression.
Anyone know if the busses are running properly again from Banff to Norquay Sunshine and L. Loise ?
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Farley Goode, According to the current Inghams brochure, they are running from all hotels Inghams use; I suspect that means pretty much a full service again.
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You know it makes sense.
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when i was there last year there seemed to be a fairly comprehensive pick up routine. Three or four busses to SS/LL, maybe one less to Norquay, picking up from maybe 8 spots along the main drag, then probably three times to return........ semmed fine to me.
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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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Thanks, YP and rogg. Reassuring.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Graeme,
I stayed in Banff last December to ski the tri area
Busses do run from Banff, not really sure about the Sunshine-LL route, you may need to go to Banff first. Really unless you want to miss valuble slope time you should go for car hire.
Try Canadian Affair, I've used them 3 times, prices seem pretty good, hire a car works well, lift passes are nicely discounted.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Bob wrote: |
| ........Try Canadian Affair............ |
+1,
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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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| Bob wrote: |
Graeme,
I stayed in Banff last December to ski the tri area
Busses do run from Banff, not really sure about the Sunshine-LL route, you may need to go to Banff first. Really unless you want to miss valuble slope time you should go for car hire.
Try Canadian Affair, I've used them 3 times, prices seem pretty good, hire a car works well, lift passes are nicely discounted. |
I suspect the bus works out well if you're travelling solo, as there are fewer people with whom to share the car hire cost - and you may meet people to ski with on the trip (c30mins to Sunshine, I think, and c50mins to LL?). This year, we hired a car, however, and it was nice to have that bit more flexibility. I'm pretty sure there is no way from Sunshine to LL unless you drive - I'm not sure that's relevant, though, since we don't know where the OP is planning to stay.
If driving, the main thing to be aware of is the value of arriving early - at busy times, the parking at Sunshine can be a couple of miles back down the road, with a shuttle running to get you to the gondola.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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on a powder day, I'd pick norquay over either of the bigger areas
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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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| graeme wrote: |
| colian, I can have a sunshine area pass included with hotel booking, so wondering whether it's ok to have that on its own or a tri area also |
Can't you negotiate to have the tri pass instead ?
If not, you are probably staying at the sunshine mountain lodge. As others have suggested, I'm not sure how you would get to Banff to catch a bus elsewhere. I think the earliest bus from Sunshine to Banff is around midday. For the record , if you can get to Banff, the buses to both Lake Louise and Norquay were $15 return (despite the difference in journey time - 50mins vs 10mins respectively). Probably best to hire a car for the week if you are staying in sunshine and want to ski elsewhere.
Last season, I skied Lake Louise on Mondays, Norquay on Tuesday, Sunshine village on Wednesday and Thursdays. Weekends I skied either Lake louise or sunshine. I skied once at Kicking horse which is fantastic but I was a little too hungover that day to make the most of it (the day after st. paddy!).
Lake Louise - big and beautiful. When the sun is shining the view towards the lake is unreal. On powder days, the back bowls are excellent
Norquay - great for practising your carving. Surprisingly steep and generally quiet slopes (don't go on their annual $ day promo- lift pass costs about a $ or something and its packed unsurprisingly). The biggest overnight dump I experienced last season, over 50cm, hit Norquay on a Monday night when I skied the Tuesday. The American chair was awesome that day but got tracked out quickly and being a slow , 2 man chair and the fact that everyone locally decided they were too sick to go to work that day, the queues were a bit of a pain in the morning at least. Great views by the way at the top of American. Oh and great ribs upstairs in the lodge.
Sunshine Village - If you are 'stuck' here, you will still have plenty to get on with as 'fattes13' described. I really enjoyed lapping the south side chutes of Goats eye (just watch your step getting to the far ones!). The glades in powder were awesome and you also have delirium dive and wild west if they are open and if you're all avi geared up.
Not sure I'd want to stay at Sunshine Lodge all week though. There are a couple of bars in the hotel I think and Trappers bar is decent atmosphere but it shuts from around 5pm to about 8pm although I wasn't there in the evening.
Banff is awesome for pubs, restaurants etc. Good times. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I always thought Sunshine Lodge was effectively designed for weekend stays and that it was only British TO suckers with their ski in/out mentality that would actually want to stay there longer not realising the sacrifice it would mean for other stuff possible in the area. Staying in Lake Louise is bad enough, although doable - proximity to skiing in the morning and the availability of a Greyhound bus home from Banff late at night make it feasible.
I would have thought staying at Sunshine you'd really need to be keen on the "get away from it all" aspect and unless you visit the area frequently be prepared to miss out on other things from ice skating on Lake Louise to Kicking Horse trip and the nightlife and dining/shopping options available in Banff.
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