If you’ve ever wanted to ski in a Canadian National Park, skiing in Banff is for you. Located within Banff National Park there are three distinct ski resorts: Mt Norquay, Banff Sunshine Village, and Lake Louise Ski Resort. The area is considered a must visit destination for skiers and snowboarders.
How long does the skiing season last in Banff
The season starts early and ends late. It’s one of the reasons why the area is so renowned. Running from late November to early and sometimes even late May, the snow in Banff is reliable and abundant. Once you add in the amazing scenery, you’ll understand why so many speak breathlessly about Banff.
What are the three ski resorts in Banff National Park?
The three Banff ski resorts are:
Banff Sunshine Village
Skiable acres – 3,358
Vertical – 3,510 ft
Lifts – 12
Runs – 137 marked
Ability breakdown – 20% beginner, 55% intermediate, 25% expert
Lake Louise Ski Resort
Skiable acres – 4,275
Vertical – 3,250 ft
Lifts – 11
Runs – 164 marked
Ability breakdown – 25% beginner, 45% intermediate, 30% expert
Mt. Norquay
Skiable acres – 190
Vertical – 1,650 ft
Lifts – 6
Runs – 60
All three resorts are accessible from the town of Banff, Lake Louise Village, and the nearby town of Canmore. Best of all, Banff and Lake Louise are only a couple hours detour off the Powder Highway.
Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert Skiing in Banff
If you’re skiing or boarding with a group of mixed levels, you’ll be happy to hear that all three resorts have something for everyone, from total beginner to deep and steep avalanche-gear-needed terrain.
How to get to Banff for Skiing
Banff National Park is in Western Canada, boarding two provinces, BC and Alberta. It’s a mere 100 km west of Calgary and if you’re flying internationally, the Calgary airport, YYC, is the airport you’ll want to hit up. From YYC, it will take about 1.5 hours on the Trans Canada Highway (aptly named Highway 1) to reach the town of Banff. We recommend renting a car (with snow tires!), but you can also use a bus service.
Do I need a parks pass for Banff when skiing?
Yes, any vehicle stopping in Banff needs a valid parks pass. You can buy it online ahead of time on the Parks website or right at the gates to the park. You can get either a Day Pass, which is best if you’re not going to be skiing for too long, or you can get a Discovery Pass which lasts for 1 year.
The Day Pass cost $11 per person per day and the Discovery Pass costs $151.25 per year for a couple or family.
Where to stay in Banff for Skiing
There are three main areas people stay when visiting Banff for skiing: Banff Township, Lake Louise Village, or the nearby town of Canmore. Budget-wise, it is going to be most expensive to stay in either the town of Banff or Lake Louise Village. There are a variety of choices from luxury hotels to simple motels. Banff has a lot of dining and après choices while Lake Louise Village is a bit more sleepy.
Personally, we love staying in Canmore. It’s a short drive from Canmore to the park and once you’re in the park, it’s not too far to all three mountains. There are a lot more accommodations in Canmore and if you’re the kind of person who likes to have a kitchen and laundry, then there are ton of vacation rentals. We especially like the Spring Creek area. Canmore is a quaint little mountain town and decidedly less busy and touristy compared to Banff.
How do you get to the Banff ski areas?
If you’re staying in Banff and you don’t have a car rental, you can take public transport or resort complimentary shuttles.
How to get to Banff Sunshine Village
Banff Sunshine Village has a free daily bus from the town of Banff to the base of the resort. If you’re driving, it’s an easy drive to the base and there’s plenty of free parking. Look here for more info on how to get to Sunshine Village.
How to get to Lake Louise Ski Resort
Lake Louise also offers a daily free shuttle, both from Lake Louise Village and the town of Banff. Like Sunshine Village, they have plenty of free parking if you’re driving there. For more info on Lake Louise, check here.
How to get to Mt. Norquay
Just like the other two, Norquay also has a free shuttle. You can take it from the town of Banff to the Norquay base. If you have your own vehicle, there’s lots of free parking. For more about Mt. Norquay, check here.
SkiBig3
What is SkiBig3?
SkiBig3 is a skiing challenge put on by Banff Tourism to encourage all ski and board visitors to go to all three mountains. You can ski all three resorts within one day, all on the Big 3 ski pass. They also have multi-day tickets for all three mountains, so you don’t actually have to go to all three mountains in one day.
SkiBig3 Trifecta Callenge
Once you visit all three mountains of Banff, you can visit the Adventure Hub in Banff or Canmore and get a SkiBig3 trifecta trail sign, patch, or sticker. You also get a coupon for a free pint of beer with purchase.
Are the Banff ski resorts on the IKON pass?
Yes. All three resorts are on the IKON pass and the number of days and blackout dates depend on which pass you get.
Which Banff Ski Resort is Best?
Personally, out of the three, we liked Banff Sunshine Village the best. Mt Norquay is a pretty small mountain and the terrain is not really varied. We went to it just so we said we did it. The next best, after Sunshine Village, is Lake Louise. When we visited, they were in a bit of a snow drought, so the snow quality at all three mountains was questionable. That being said, we definitely saw the potential of both Sunshine Village and Lake Louise.
I would say that if you like a variety of terrain, including steep, difficult off piste runs, then Sunshine Village is the place to go. It has trees, bowls, chutes, and extremely wide – literally the whole mountain wide – low to medium pitch runs. Plus, Sunshine Village has a Beaver Tails stand! There’s nothing better than a ski break with hot and fresh deep-fried dough dusted in cinnamon sugar. Oh, and you can ski between provinces on the run called The Great Divide, located on top of the Continental Divide, which boasts amazing views of Banff’s backcountry areas.
Lake Louise is more known for its long, wide open groomers and cruisers. For a wide-open scenic run with views of Mount Temple, Lake Louise, and the Victoria Glacier icefields, try Charlie’s choice. It’s a gentle blue run with to-die-for views.
That’s it! I hope you get a chance to ski in Banff. Banff is truly a national treasure. From the turquoise blue lakes to the snow covered peaks and quaint mountain villages, it’s a ski vacation you’ll never forget.
