Tourist Office

Sunshine Village
Sunshine Village, Box 1510
Banff, Alberta
Canada, TIL 1J5

Telephone: (403) 762 6500
Website: www.skibanff.com

Description

With slopes facing in all directions, Sunshine is one of North America’s oldest resorts, dating back to 1928. Yet it has recently invested heavily in massive infrastructure improvements and renovations. It’s even added a third mountain, Goat’s Eye, served by some of the continent’s fastest high-speed detachable quad chairlifts. The resort also boasts Banff’s largest ski rental shop and the only ski-in, ski-out hotel. The snow record is so impressive that snow-making would be regarded as throwing money away. The resort has terrain to suit all abilities. For advanced skiers and snowboarders the Delirium Drive, is the ultimate front-country adventure, with pitches of 40 degrees and vertical footage of 1919 feet. Delirium will be located on the north face of Lookout Mountain.

Review

There are few true ‘ski towns’ around the world, especially those with a choice of top ski areas on their doorstep, each with independent ownership. Austria’s Innsbruck, Utah’s Park City, New Zealand’s Queenstown and Argentina’s Bariloche are some of the few examples, Aspen grew up that way but with all the ski areas nearby now owned by one company some feel the character there has gone. Not so in Banff, where the Mount Norquay is the nearest to town and offers flexible skiing by the hour if you just have a little time to spare for a few turns. If you are planning a full day of skiing or riding there is much more terrain available at Sunshine Village and Lake Louise – generally regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful ski areas. Banff came in to being in 1883 when three railway workers building Canada’s first trans-Continental railway staked a claim on the hot springs area that bubbled up there. It was named by a Canadian Pacific employee after his home area of Banffshire in North Eastern Scotland, although it doesn’t look much like it! Two years later the railway was competed and soon afterwards the Canadian Pacific railway Company built the incredible Banff Springs hotel and Canada’s first national park was established, “the rest is history”. The town has a reputation also for being extremely good value and having genuinely friendly inhabitants. It’s particularly impressive that they manage to keep cheerful when you consider the 7600 ‘Banffites’ have to keep smiling at more than three million visitors a year. The snow on the surrounding mountains is known for its quality and abundance which help Sunshine and Lake Louise to open from early November to late May every year – one of the worlds longest ski seasons. The experience of being able to spend the day in true wilderness terrain or modern ski areas and then the evenings in a lively resort also appeals to many. The success of Banff as a world leading ski destination was laid out more than a century ago when Swiss mountain guides led parties of climbers on first ascents of the surrounding peaks and traversed prehistoric glaciers. In leather bindings and wooden skis they discovered untracked snow in wide-open bowls and meadows, laying the groundwork for what was to become a viable ski industry. Settling in Banff and Lake Louise the pioneers helped build trails then roads through the raw, rugged and largely uninhabited landscape and eventually they established hotels and businesses.

keywords

Banff, Goat’s Eye, Lookout, Standish, Bow Valley, Sunshine Village, BC, British Columbia, Canada, Rockies, Rockys, The Rocky Mountains

Tourist Office

Mount Hood Ski Bowl
PO Box 280
Government Camp
Oregon
USA
OR 97028

Telephone: (503) 3372222
Email: knorton@skibowl.com
Website: www.skibowl.com

Description

The largest night skiing area in the United States, with 34 illuminated trails. Also the closest ski area to Portland. Night skiing daily to 10/11pm. The Outback offers over 300 acres of steep bowls, gnarly chutes, and open glades. A short push and a quick boot up Treviso’s traverse will take you to the top of Tom Dick Peak. Ski lifts run from 0900 to 1600 Monday and Tuesday, and 0900 to 2200 the rest of the week.

keywords

Mount Hood Ski Bowl, Oregon, The rocky Mountains, Rockys, Rockies, USA

Tourist Office

Sun Valley Company
PO Box 10
Sun Valley
Idaho
USA
ID 83353

Telephone: (208) 6224111
Website: www.sunvalley.com

Description

The original Sun Valley (there are now three others, two in Japan and one in Cyprus) is the oldest ski resort in the US and celebrated its 70th birthday in December 2006. America’s original ski resort, favoured by America’s favourite writer, Mr Hemingway, and more skiers than anyone else in the country according to some skiing magazine reader polls. Sun Valley claims to offer more uphill capacity per skier than any other ski area and is the originator of chair lifts and hot tubs, a classic.

Review

A truly unique as well as a classic ski resort, Sun Valley is one of North America and the world’s longest established ski centres, established in 1935. The resort was created at the behest of Averell Harriman, then president of the Union Pacific Railroad but during his career also a diplomat and New York governor. A fan of Swiss resorts like Gstaad and St Moritz he was looking to build an attraction to get more people to use the railways in the winter and asked Austrian noble Count Felix Schaffgotsch to go out and find him the perfect location for a ski resort. Count Felix did just that, and Sun Valley’s many fans over the years – Ernest Hemingway, Clark Gable, Errol Flynn, Gary Cooper, Judy Garland, Paul Newman, Brooke Shields, George Hamilton, Clint Eastwood and Marilyn Monroe to name a few of the better known, all attest to the astuteness of this vision.

Sun Valley was built in seven months at a cost of $1.5 million and offered luxuries then unknown in ski resorts – glass enclosed swimming pools, and orchestra playing nightly and luxurious lodging and eateries – all still trademarks today. The resort has a reputation for it’s high class atmosphere, ambience and classic ski centre feel.

Public Relations master Steve Hannagan, already famous for transforming a sand dune into Miami Beach, was originally employed to overcome the remaining obstacle to the resort’s success – the fact that Idaho wasn’t seen as particularly ‘cool’ – which he did by bringing in the Hollywood glitz, and the resort was an overnight success. Interestingly Count Felix surveyed and discounted dozens of resorts before deciding on Sun Valley – even Aspen, which he discounted because of its high base level which he felt would discourage skiers from the East whom the railroad wished to attract.

Sun Valley’s base at 1755m (5758 feet) is one of the lowest of any major US West Coast resort although the all important vertical drop remains one of the eight biggest in the US. America’s first destination resort installed the world’s first chair lift when Harriman got the railroad’s engineering department to create one, which they did by adapting a design used to load banana crates on to ships. The resort also claims to have invented the hot tub – another staple of North American skiing and today has the world’s largest computer controlled snow making system.

Sun Valley has two mountains, the best known being Baldy, which is considered by many serious skiers as one of the best skiing mountains in the US, and Dollar, a beginner’s paradise with gentle, sunny slopes, groomed to perfection. Seven high speed detachable quads , part of an 18 lift uplift facility, help to keep lift queues non existant. Indeed Sun Valley believes it has more uplift per skier than any other North American resort. Not surprising that the resort attracts so many celebrities and top sports people. Current residents include a host of US Olympic athletes.

Sun Valley’s Baldy is known for its constant pitch enabling skiers to ski smoothly all the way down. And Gretchen Fraser America’s first Olympic gold medalist in any winter sport was a Sun Valley resident. Ms. Fraser won a gold at the 1948 Olympics.

Sun Valley continues to be regarded as the best ski centre on the US or North America in various US consumer magazine reader surveys. Recent victories include ‘Best Ski Resort in the United States, in Ski Magazine in 1995, and in 1996 the readers of Condé Nast Traveler voted it the best ski resort in North America. In 1998 the readers of Gourmet Magazine voted Sun Valley as the best ski and winter sports resort in the nation.

keywords

Sun Valley, Bald Mountain, Dollar Mountain, Idaho, Wood River Valley, The Rocky Mountains, Rockys, Northern Rockies

Tourist Office

Aspen Skiing Company
PO Box 1248
Aspen
Colorado
USA
CO 81611

Telephone: (970) 9251220
Website: www.aspensnowmass.com

Description

Few can agree on the world’s greatest ski resort, but most would have Aspen in their top five, like St Moritz, just because of its reputation. Apart from being a remarkable resort, dripping with wealth, Aspen has great skiing over four mountains, a world-class lift system and more alternative things to do (underground loco pulled silver mine tours for example ) than anywhere else. Aspen Highlands, the last to comre under the joint aspen ownership, offers one of the biggest verticals in North America (Snowmass has the biggest in the US), and one of the world’s newst lift systems. A base village is currently undrer construction here. Both it and Aspen Mountain have plenty of expert terrain. Beginners have their own mountain – Tiehack. Snowmass Village is a semi-autonomous resort, 12 miles from Aspen valley. It has immediate access to the most black and double black diamond skiing in area and offers 95% slopeside lodging.

keywords

Ajax, Aspen, Highlands, Buttermilk, Tiehack, Snowmass, Pitkin, USA, Colorado, The Rocky Mountains, Rockys, Rockies

Tourist Office

Aspen Skiing Company
PO Box 1248
Aspen
Colorado
USA
CO 81611

Telephone: (970) 9251220
Website: www.aspensnowmass.com

Description

Buttermilk is one of Aspen’s four ski areas. Not lift-linked to the other three, it is a short drive from Aspen resort off the road to Snowmass and has a reoputation as a beginners ski area of a very high standard. However it also has little known powder stashes off its black diamond runs – often under used because Buttermilk does not have a toiugh mountain reputation to attract black diamond skiers. The area has also built up a reputastion with boarders, having a 3km (2 mile) long terrain park added in 2000.

keywords

Ajax, Aspen, Highlands, Buttermilk, Tiehack, Snowmass, Pitkin, USA, Colorado, The Rocky Mountains, Rockys, Rockies

Tourist Office

Ski Marmot Basin
Box 1300
Jasper
Alberta
Canada
T0E 1E0

Telephone: (780) 8523816
Email: info@skimarmot.com
Website: www.skimarmot.com

Description

Heaven on earth for lovers of unpretentious, untamed skiing with piste borders kept to a minimum, backed up by excellent accommodation and other essential resort amenities, with all the facilities of the town of Jasper nearby. It’s possible to hike up to the summit for about 200 vertical metres from the top of Knob chair to 2601m to ski the full 914m vertrical.

Review

Nestled in the Rocky Mountains of Canada, Marmot Basin is one of Alberta’s 6 major downhill resorts. Flanked by the mountains of British Columbia to the west, the prairies of Saskatchewan to the east and the State of Montana to the south, Alberta is the fourth largest province in Canada with a population of 3 million. Its larger in size than most US states and is 3 times larger than the UK.

Known throughout the world for its excellent skiing facilities, deep dry powder, miles and miles of runs and bright sunny days, Alberta is a skiers’ paradise. Marmot Basin is known as “The Big Friendly” and it lives up to its reputation for being a family-friendly resort with an easy, laid back atmosphere and some of the best glade skiing the Rockies have to offer.

In common with many ski resorts, Marmot Basin’s first wintersports enthusiasts practised cross-country and the resort was named by Joe Weiss who acted as a guide for cross-country skiers from Whistler’s Creek via Caribou Ridge. During WW2 British soldiers carried out alpine training here but it was’nt until the 1950′s that the first road was built to connect the highway with Marmot Basin. By 1961 Marmot’s first rope tow, constructed from the remains of an old army truck, was installed on Paradise run and developments seemed to take off with the resort gaining a licence to operate and more facilities being added yearly.

Marmot Basin’s nearest town is Jasper, in the heart of the Jasper National Park. Established in 1907, its the largest and wildest of Canada’s mountain parks and contains a superb backcountry trail system as well as 10,878 acres of mountain wilderness and the Columbia Icefields, one of the only icefields in the world accessible by road. Internationally renowned for wildlife viewing, it is home to some of North America’s rarest animals, including healthy populations of grizzly bears, moose, caribou and wolves.

Jasper is one of many communities which can trace it’s history back to David Thompson’s explorations. In January 1811 he made an epic winter crossing of the Athabasca Pass, the first recorded trip by a European through the Jasper area. This expedition established the fur trade route, subsequently used for decades as the most practical passage overland to the Pacific.

The first ever sighting by a white man of a Bigfoot, or “Sasquatch” as they are known locally, was in Jasper. Bigfoot are to the Rockies what the Yeti are to the Himalayas with several mentions of them in Native American folklore. On his travels in this area David Thompson was recorded to have found some strange footprints, fourteen inches long and 8 inches wide, with 4 toes!

keywords

Jasper National Park, Marmot Basin, Alberta, Canada, Rockies, Rockys, The Rocky Mountains

Tourist Office

Lake Louise Ski Resort
Box 5
Lake Louise
Alberta
Canada
T0L 1EO

Telephone: (403) 5223555
Email: info@skilouise.com
Website: www.skilouise.com/

Description

Lake Louise is a stunningly beautiful place to visit summer or winter, but especially vibrant during the ski season. Located in the vast wilderness expanse of Banff National Park in the heart of the romantic Canadian Rockies, Lake Louise offers world-class ski terrain. With 4200 skiable acres, Lake Louise is one of the largest ski areas in North America. The layout accommodates every ability, with novice, intermediate and expert runs from every chairlift.

Review

For scenic grandeur, imaginative terrain design, and sheer size, the Lake Louise Ski Area ranks with the finest ski resorts in the world. Encompassing eleven square miles, spread over four separate mountain faces interconnected by a lift and trail system that is comparable to the European ski circuit concept, this is the largest ski area in Canada. Visitors from Europe, who may have been somewhat disappointed by the rather gentle rolling hills on which some of North America‘s most famous ski resorts are located, will be mesmerized by the spectacular beauty of the place. In addition to over 100 named runs, some more than five miles in length, Lake Louise offers thousands of acres of open powder bowls, glades and chutes. When it comes to reliable snow, ‘The Lake’, is again hard to beat. With copious amounts of natural snow augmented by Canada‘s largest snow making system, Lake Louise’s season runs from early November to mid-May. Thirty years’ average temperatures see a drop to -5 degrees Celcius in December and -7 in January. With dozens of long, protected tree-lined runs, and 65% of the terrain below treeline, you can comfortably ski Louise even when it’s snowing hard up top. Skiers and ‘boarders skiing Louise usually stay either in Banff, a 45-minute drive away, or in Lake Louise village located five minutes from the lifts and linked by a free bus shuttle service. Within the village you’ll find more than 1,000 lodging units, along with twenty restaurants and bars. These thousand units include the palatial bedrooms (suites?) of the world famous Chateau Lake Louise, one of the world’s greatest hotels, built in 1890 when the railway arrived in one of the most beautiful locations on Earth for any hotel – on the shores of the lake with the Rockies rising majestically behind. The hotel was extensively refurbished for its centenary. Lake Louise itself has offered cross-country skiing since the 1890s and downhill for 80 years. The first downhillers were a group of youngsters from Banff who, having learned to ski downhill on Mt Norquay and slept the night in the Lake Louise train station, headed out onto the slopes. A decade later the same youngsters who had skied Louise in 1920 teamed up with some of the original Swiss guides who had led cross-country tours in the area for 40 years and built the Canadian Rockies’ first chalet, Skoki, in the summer of 1930. More huts followed and the first lift, a poma, was installed in 1954. A few years later, when the Trans-Canada Highway passed through the area, the gondola tramway was installed in 1958. The rest, as they say, is history. Grand plans for a big 6500-bed resort in the 1960s were blocked as ‘too big’ in 1972, largely due to the area’s location in the precious National Park. However, slow and controlled growth has continued with new lifts gradually bringing the resort to a level where it attracts skiers from all over the world. The growth restriction is considered by many to be a major asset and helps Lake Louise to remain so special to its many fans.

keywords

Banff, Lake Louise, Ski The Rockies, Alberta, Banff National Park, Canada, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, Rockies, The Rocky Mountains