Banff: Ski Canada's World Heritage Site

Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise and Sunshine Village Ski Resorts in Banff

There are many outstanding places to ski in Canada, but one spot seems to have it all - breathtaking vistas of snowy mountains, waterfalls, ice fields from long-ago glaciers, deep canyons and cold water lakes with mirror-like surfaces. Skiing within Canada's first national park (and, since 1984, a World Heritage Site), that place can only be Banff. Not only is this majestic park famed for its beautiful landscape (sitting astride the Continental Divide), its skiing possibilities are outstanding.

Banff's History

Just west of Edmonton, Alberta, Banff (together with Jasper and Yoho National Parks, along with several smaller parks) form an area known as the Rocky Mountain Park World Heritage Site. As such, it is one of the largest areas of protected land in the world, and for its stunning beauty and geological importance, well worth protecting. Banff itself began as Canada's very first national park in 1885, a mere 10 square miles at that time. Since then, the Rocky Mountain Park Area has grown to more than 2,500 square miles.

Its most famous sights are Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, both of which are surrounded by towering Rocky Mountain peaks. Those seeking out a less commercialized view of the area would do well to visit Moraine Lake, where this beauty spot offers great hiking in a tranquil lake setting. To the southeast is Johnson Canyon, another lesser known spot with stunning waterfalls and a series of pools known as the Inkspots.

Winter Sports

Banff offers not only plentiful skiing for every level of skier, from beginner to advanced, but a plethora of other winter activities as well. Among the winter sports on offer at Banff are dog sledding, hockey and ice skating, mountaineering and ice climbing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, sleigh rides, and snowshoeing. For skiers, there's downhill, cross country, snowboarding, and for the truly adventurous, heli-skiing in remote locations.

Banff Ski Resorts