BANFF NATIONAL PARK - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 127

WINTER RECREATION
Lake Louise is an immense winter playground, offering one of the world's premier alpine
resorts, unlimited cross-country skiing, ice-skating, sleigh rides, and nearby heli-skiing.
Between November and May, accommodation prices are reduced by up to 70 percent (ex-
cept Christmas holidays). Lift and lodging packages begin at $100 per person, and you'll
always be able to get a table at your favorite restaurant.
Lake Louise Resort
Canada's answer to U.S. megaresorts such as Vail and Killington is Lake Louise (403/
522-3555 or 877/253-6888, www.skilouise.com ) , which opens in November and operates
until mid-May. The nation's second-largest winter resort (behind only Whistler/Black-
comb) comprises 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres) of gentle trails, mogul fields, long cruising
runs, steep chutes, and vast bowls filled with famous Rocky Mountain powder.
The resort is made up of four distinct faces. The front side has a vertical drop of 1,000
meters (3,280 feet) and is served by eight lifts, including four high-speed quads and west-
ern Canada's only six-passenger chairlift. Resort statistics are impressive: a 990-meter
(3,250-foot) vertical rise, 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres) of patrolled terrain, and more than
100 named runs. The four back bowls are each as big as many midsize resorts and are all
well above the tree line. Larch and Ptarmigan faces have a variety of terrain, allowing you
to follow the sun as it moves across the sky or escape into trees for protection on windy
days. Each of the three day lodges has a restaurant and bar. Ski and snowboard rentals,
clothing, and souvenirs are available in the Lodge of the Ten Peaks, a magnificent post-
and-beam day lodge that overlooks the front face.
Lift tickets per day are adult $89, senior $74, youth $62, and child younger than 12 $28.
Free guided tours of the mountain are available three times daily. Inquire at customer ser-
vice. Free shuttle buses run regularly from Lake Louise accommodations to the hill. From
Banff you pay $20 round-trip for transportation to Lake Louise. For information on pack-
ages and multiday tickets that cover all three national park resorts, go to www.skibig3.com .
Cross-Country Skiing
The most popular cross-country skiing areas are on Lake Louise, along Moraine Lake
Road, and in Skoki Valley at the back of the Lake Louise ski area. For details and helpful
trail classifications, pick up a copy of Cross-Country Skiing-Nordic Trails in Banff Nation-
al Park from the Lake Louise Visitor Centre. Before heading out, check the weather fore-
cast at the visitors center or call 403/762-2088. For avalanche reports, call 403/762-1460.