ESSENTIALS - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 550

Kananaskis Country is home to Nakiska, a resort developed especially for the downhill
events of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary. Marmot Basin, in Jasper National
Park, has minimal crowds and a maximum variety of terrain. Across the border in British
Columbia, near Golden, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is a big hill with an even bigger
reputation for its challenging terrain, while Panorama appeals to all levels of ability.
Winter is low season in the mountains, so many accommodations reduce their rates
drastically. Lift and lodging package deals at many resorts start around $100 per person
per night. Sunshine Village, Kicking Horse, and Panorama have on-slope lodging, while
the other resorts are served by shuttle buses from the nearest towns. Most resorts open in
early December and close in May.
Heli-Skiing
Helicopters are banned in the national parks of the Canadian Rockies, but two surrounding
heli-ski operators provide transfers from Banff and Jasper. One such company is R.K.
HeliSki (250/342-3889 or 800/661-6060, www.rkheliski.com ) , which is based on the west
side of the mountains at Panorama but provides daily transfers from Banff and Lake Louise
for a day's heli-skiing or boarding high in the Purcell Mountains. The cost is $740-880 per
person. The only other company that offers day trips is Robson Helimagic, based west of
Jasper at Valemont (250/566-4700 or 877/454-4700, www.robsonhelimagic.com ), which
charges $745 for a day's skiing on the northern boundary of Mount Robson Provincial
Park.
The town of Banff is headquarters for the world's largest heli-skiing operation, Cana-
dian Mountain Holidays (403/762-7100 or 800/661-0252, www.cmhski.com ) , although
the skiing and boarding terrain is accessed from 12 upscale lodges scattered throughout
eastern British Columbia. Seven-day packages begin at around $6,800 per person, rising
to more than $9,000 in the high season.
Other Winter Activities
Many hiking trails provide ideal routes for cross-country skiing, and many are groomed
for that purpose. The largest concentration of groomed trails is in Kananaskis Country.
Other areas are Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Waterton, and Yoho National Parks. The Canmore
Nordic Centre was developed for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games and is now a public
facility. The town site in Waterton Lakes National Park all but closes down for winter, but
this park is one of the most enjoyable spots for a skiing sojourn. Anywhere you can cross-