Banff - recommendations

Hello All,

I am helping to plan a trip to Banff in late January. We will be focused on in-bounds sking mostly though I am interested to hear about backcountry stuff around there as well.

Which resorts do y'all recommend? Lake Louise seems like a no brainer but perhaps I am just believing the hype

Good places to stay? Experiences (ski-related and otherwise) not to be missed?

Thansk for any info you might have.

Michael

Ahhh, Banff... Good stuff up there. My wife and I spent a month up there 5 or 6 years ago, living out of our van. It was September, so I can't give you much ski advice except to say that the folks we hung out with in Canmore really like Sunshine and Fernie. There's quite a bit of easily accessible touring that I'd love to go back and check out as well. As for other recommendations...

Canmore's a neat town -- not as fancied-up as Banff. We hung out there more than anywhere else, b/c it was more relaxed. Good breakfast joints and coffee spots -- the Summit Cafe comes to mind. Banff has lots of good food as well, but it's more expensive and touristy.

Not sure if the road is open in the winter, but if you can get up above Canmore to the saddle by Chinaman's Peak (I can't remember the PC name) there are some beautiful lakes and forest which would be pretty, blanketed in snow. Also some exceptional steep sport-climbing, though it might be a little frosty right now...

Sunshine was nice I'd give that a try. But you might also want to consider spending a day or more in Golden, just W of the Banff area (maybe a :45 drive). That's where Kickinghorse is and its an outstanding little hill (well not that little, its got 4k vert...) with great skiing and some lift served BC options. Being in Golden also puts you in striking distance of Rogers Pass for BC day trips. There's tons of touring there (I think there's a recent thread about Roger's Pass).

I've heard is that not many folks tour in Banff until March or April because the snowpack is often so shallow and cold and harbors all kinds of nasty layers. I can recall being there in February on an ice climbing trip and hearing all kinds of eerie settling and wompfing noises all around the valley the day after a storm. It was spooky. We actually got 'locked in' at a hostel on the Ice Fields parkway a day later because of avy hazard. The road was clear, but they had to bomb dozens of targets for several Ks in each direction and it took all day to get to everything. We sat at a high point in the road near the hostel with a case of beer and the other 8 trapped guests and watched the show. What a great rest day that was.

I'm sure folks do tour there but I think its tougher to do in Jan.. Maybe someone has/is a local contact with better info. I think the CAC is in lovely Canmore (it is a cool little burg), maybe its worth a call to them.

Good luck Michael.

Ive heard the bit about the shallow snowpack in a few places now. Any idea if the ski areas are still decent in January. If kicking horseis only 45 minutes away that sounds like a now brainer.
Thanks for all the info,

Michael