Ski holidays in Banff Mount Norquay - Canada

Ski holidays in Banff Mount Norquay - Visitors staying in Banff have to choose between four possibilities every morning - to ski Norquay, Sunshine, Lake Louise or lash out on a day's heli-skiing.

The three fixed lift ski areas together offer 6,000 acres and 200 plus trails offering skiers and snowboarders of any ability countless challenges. From wide-open bowls and tree-lined glades covered with fresh, dry powder, to meticulous groomed slopes and state-of-the-art snowmaking. Skiers and snowboarders can easily visit each ski area during their stay and then settle at the mountain that suits their style or choose a heli-ski excursion to find the truly untracked snow.

Sunshine is the oldest ski area, established in the 1930s but has been expanding rapidly in recent years with new high speed quads including the Goat''s Eye express which was the world''s fastest on opening and the Continental Divide. After a short ride from Banff, skiers hop on a gondola ride to stunning upper alpine terrain with wide-open bowls and tree runs carved through the forest. The resort has terrain to suit all abilities. For advanced skiers and snowboarders the Delirium Drive, 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. Sunshine Village also offers the only on-mountain accommodation in Banff National Park and services including pubs, lounges, dining, live entertainment and day care. The world's fastest high-speed quads dominate the three different mountain faces available to skiers. With close to 30 feet of snow each year and the longest season in the Rockies, Sunshine Village's 100 per cent natural snow is generally regarded as some of the world's best.

For scenic grandeur, imaginative terrain design, and sheer size, the Lake Louise Ski Area, 57km (35 miles) west of Banff ranks with the finest in the world. One of Canada's largest ski areas, Lake Louise offers skiers and snowboarders of all abilities virtually unlimited skiing and riding. Skiing Louise's vast terrain is over 11 square miles and is spread across four mountain faces, offering open powder bowls, glades, chutes, and over 100 groomed trails. Featuring some of North America's most exciting terrain, Louise is also a skier friendly mountain with a green, or easy run, from every chairlift on the mountain. Tied together with a system of 11 interconnecting lifts, Lake Louise has an abundant amount of natural snow (15 feet in the bowls), backed up with Canada's largest snowmaking system, Louise has dozens of long protected tree lined runs, and 65% of the terrain below treeline, you can ski at Louise even when it is snowing.

As the pioneer ski resort in Banff National Park, Mount Norquay completed its first chair lift in 1948 and has continued to change with the times. Recently fully revamped with new lifts and runs as well as an expanded fleet of grooming and snowmaking equipment, Norquay's beginner, intermediate and advanced terrain is spread over 25 tree-sheltered runs.

The brand-new lodge sports post and beam wood construction, cathedral ceilings, fireplaces and wrap-around sun decks. Night skiing is also offered every Friday.

With five lifts, including two quads, Mount Norquay is the smallest of Banff's three areas, but also the closest, only 6km (4 miles) and served by a free shuttle bus from the town's hotels. Last season Norquay opened a new section of terrain known as the American Basin - located to the skier's right of the North American run its expert terrain includes a wide open powder bowl.

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