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Ski and Snowboard Till Summer
The Banff/Lake Louise area, roughly two hours from Calgary International Airport, offers three tremendous ski areas and a season stretching almost to June. Together they feature a top elevation of almost 9,000 feet, a vertical drop of over 3,500 feet and 6,000 acres of skiiable terrain. Sunshine Village, Lake Louise and Banff Mount Norquay are all within minutes of the Banff Springs Hotel and the Chateau Lake Louise, which provide regularly scheduled shuttle service, and offer a full range of ski schools, rentals, day care and restaurants. Lifts include express quadruple chairs but, more important, no waiting for any lift. Even more amazing are the prices all-day lift tickets for adults as little $25 (U.S.) and $15 (U.S.) for children depending on the current exchange rate. There are also lift passes and shuttle service that combine all three ski areas. Three hours from Banff, up the Columbia Icefields Parkway, is Jasper's Marmot Basin. Skiing and snowboarding here goes through April, with a top elevation of over 8,500 feet and a vertical drop of 3,000 feet. Known as the "Big Friendly" because of its relaxed atmosphere and un-crowded conditions, Marmot also offers a full range of facilities and services, including a rental shop, nursery, restaurants, and ski and snowboard instruction. Prices this year at Marmot are an unbelievable $27 (U.S.) for all-day passes for adults and $11 for kids (U.S.), depending on the exchange rate. Minutes away from the Lodge at Kananaskis, the closest Canadian Pacific Mountain Resort to Calgary are another two ski areas, including Nakiska, built for the 1988 Winter Olympics. Combined with its neighbor, Fortress Ski Area, Kananaskis Country offers a top elevation of almost 8,000 feet, vertical drops as much as much as 2,500 feet, runs of more than two miles and skiing and snowboarding through April. Prices are as low as $20 (U.S.) for all-day ski passes, depending on the exchange rate. One of the great advantages to a winter vacation at Canadian Pacific's Mountain Resorts is the wide range of activities for the non-skier, apres-skier and the skier who have energy to burn after a day on the slopes. Ice skating, dog- sledding, sleigh rides, snow shoeing, ice fishing, ice canyon walks, ice climbing, snowmobile tours, museums, art galleries, luxury boutiques and stores selling the finest in outer wear are just some of the possibilities. All four resorts offer downhill and cross-country skiing and a full range of other winter activities, from dog-sledding to ice skating and there is still time to take advantage of the resorts' inclusive Canadian Rockies Experience Packages. Available through April 30, the packages feature luxury accommodations, all meals, unlimited array of sports and recreational activities, equipment rentals, all-day ski passes, parking and gratuity all at one low price. For example, packages priced for two people sharing a room at The Lodge at Kananaskis, start as low as $418 Canadian (approximately U.S. $278), depending on the room type and exchange rate. At all resorts, children under 18 stay free in parents' accommodations with nominal charges for meals and activities. Canadian Pacific Hotels Edited by Dave Shultz Photos courtesy of Canadian Pacific Hotels |
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Don't start digging in the closet for your swimsuit just yet. Instead,
take off to one of Canadian Pacific Hotels' four Canadian Rockies resorts and
enjoy some of the most spectacular ski runs in North America. Whether your taste
is downhill, heli-skiing, backcountry skiing, cross-country skiing or snowboarding, there is no better place to extend
the season as far as possible (as late as May in some cases) than on the snowfields, glaciers and upper elevations of
Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Kananaskis. 
The historic Banff Springs Hotel, Chateau Lake Louise, and Jasper Park Lodge and the newer Lodge at
Kananaskis, site of the 1988 Winter Olympic downhill skiing events, are four magnificent vacation
destinations. Each has its own distinctive character and charm. Together, they offer the
finest spring skiing in North America and, with exceptional rates and a very favorable currency exchange, they certainly
offer the best value anywhere for ski and snowboard buffs of any type or ability. With virtually endless sunny days,
temperatures in the 40's and 50's and no lift lines (no kidding!), there is no better way to celebrate the coming of
summer than on the ski slopes of the Canadian Rockies.