Why go? To experience some of the most dramatic skiing scenery in the world, and to try a host of mountain adventures. Lake Louise is consistently voted the most scenic ski area in North America: the backdrop is a row of 3,000-metre (10,000-ft) peaks, sheer cliffs and glaciers, towering above a valley carpeted so thick with firs that the forest looks like fur. The same lift pass covers Sunshine Village (25 minutes’ drive), and Norquay (45 minutes) above the town of Banff, a historic town that grew up around a hot spring and is now the main base for visiting the vast national park of the same name. Because high season is summer, ski holidays here are excellent value – and a wonderful chance to try activities from hiking through canyons draped with frozen waterfalls, to rides on husky dog sleds and snowshoeing. Further info: www.SkiBig3.com
Best for Skiers who rate scenery above nightlife (Lake Louise); mountain adventurers (Banff); fans of Rocky Mountain highs (both).
Best avoided The early part of the season, and the coldest midwinter chills.
Need to know It’s well worth hiring a car: for visiting the other ski areas, for accessing mountain activities, and for excursions such as the three-hour drive to Jasper along the breathtaking Icefields Parkway – one of the world’s great road trips.
Also consider Voss ( www.visitvoss.no ) Small friendly ski area above a frozen lake, with possibly the most spectacular excursion of any ski resort: Norway in a Nutshell, which includes a ride on the giddyingly steep Flåm railway, and a cruise along a fjord lined with sheer cliffs. Levi ( www.levi.fi ) Located in the Arctic in Finnish Lapland, offering typically Scandinavian child-friendliness, and thrilling excursions through pristine snow-blanketed forest: snowmobiling, reindeer-sleigh rides, ice fishing – and trips to see Santa.
Some of the content of the magazine refers to flights or prices from the UK. At Travel Counsellors Ireland we can source flights from Ireland and provide full quotes in Euros. Please call me for latest availability and prices.
