Driving west along the Trans Canadian Highway, the landscape looked virtually untouched, even if there were three million tourists coming to Alberta Province's famous Banff National Park each year. I was on my way to learn how to ski, and learned that the beautiful scenery and friendly Canadians would make my stay wonderful, no matter how the skiing went. Sure, sore muscles and dressing for the weather were a little hard to get used to, but there was something about the cold and the stunning snow-capped Rockies that made the aches and a few extra layers worthwhile. Beginners of any age who become snowstars in Alberta will feel the same way.
Here's a look at what Alberta resorts offer novice skiers and riders.
Kananaskis Skiing & Lodging
Nakiska (
800/258-7669; 2 Mt Allan Drive, Kananaskis, AB T0L 2H0) is an ideal resort for families who have an expert skier or rider accompanying the novices. Although there were a limited number of easy slopes, the many expert and intermediate trails at Nakiska offer wonderful views from the top. Being the location of the 1988 Olympic Alpine Events, more advanced skiers can take pleasure in knowing that these trails are the same trails that the Olympians skied down. With only 28 trails, Nakiska may seem small in comparison to Alberta’s other ski resorts, but its trails are never just a straight shot down; rather, they twist and turn around the trees, with varying degrees of steepness throughout. I quickly learned the thumbs down signal to slow down the chair lift while I was learning how to use the Gold Lift. Even if a few beginners had to get on and off slowly, the lines were very short, so no time was ever wasted at the bottom of the hill. The best part about Nakiska was the lack of traffic on the slopes. Since I was just learning, I was never scared that other skiers or boarders would be zooming past me while I made my slow wedge turns.
For first-timers, the ski school provides excellent training and a variety of different types of lessons, depending on level of skill and age. My instructor was very patient as he taught me all the basic stuff, like how to tighten the ski boots and attach them to the skis. For kids, they have programs for little ones as young as 3, where the day is split between playtime indoors at the daycare center, ski lessons, and time at the outdoor playground, “Kritter World.” Additionally, parents can ski uninterrupted since the staff takes care of dropping the kids off at their ski lessons. Day care hours are from 8:30am-4:30pm daily except during off peak season, when the day care is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information, visit the
Snow School and
Day Care websites.
We stayed at the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis (866/432-4322; Kananaskis, AB T0L 2H0) in the very remote location of Kananskis Village -- a great place for a quiet and relaxing vacation. Only one hour from Calgary, many Canadians from the city make the village their favorite weekend getaway. The scenic beauty offered in Kananaskis can be seen in the various films that were shot there, such as Brokeback Mountain and Legends of the Fall. In 2002, the G8 convention took advantage of its isolation and was hosted in Kanaskis Village.
The Delta Lodge owns all three buildings in Kananaskis, the first two are both for accommodations, and the third was recently remodeled as a “Creative Kids Center,” which will provide a day camp and craft center during peak seasons. In the main lodge there are nightly activities for families, like magic shows or Bingo night. At every Delta hotel or resort, children under 17 stay for free when accompanied by a parent. Babysitting is also available.
After my first day of skiing and straining muscles, the indoor/outdoor hot tub was just the right way to end the day. The Summit Spa also has many treatments and massages that could provide an entire day of relaxation for the non-athletes in your group. There is also a pool and fitness center, as well as a Eucalyptus Steam Room to indulge in after a workout. The activity desk was very helpful in planning other activities from snowshoeing and tobogganing to dogsledding and ice fishing. Skate rentals are available at the shop just outside, next to the pond.
Banff Skiing & Lodging
Norquay (403/762-4421; Mount Norquay Road, Banff, AB T0L) is one of Alberta's most popular mountain resorts, because of its proximity to the fun, bustling, hip town of Banff, so Norquay is ideal for the family that needs some apres-ski action. My day at Norquay began at the surface lift, which is a conveyor belt that takes about a minute to get to the top. There were several little kids in coveralls learning the basics from their instructors, others with parents, many of whom had a type of leash/harness in order to control their fearless little ones. Later in the day, those same kids were zooming down the easy slopes and using the Cascade chairlift (400 feet). This chairlift leads to a very general, straight shot slope, with some steeper areas, but I thought it could get boring after awhile, even for novices. The positive side was that the trail was very wide and the lift line wasn't too long. Before lunch, I was able to get on the Spirit chair lift (630 feet), and made my way through a beautiful trail lined with trees, and down a more advanced course that soon met back up with the easy trail.
With 28 trails, it has the same number as Nakiska, however, Norquay was more crowded while I was there. The popularity is partly due to the fact that it offers nighttime skiing with fully lit terrain on the gentler slopes. The ski school offers a variety of programs for adults and children. Group lessons for children are organized according to age and ability, in full and half-day lessons. Private lessons are available for both adults and children. Some junior lessons work in conjunction with the day care. Click here for lesson details and rates.
We enjoyed our stay at the Douglas Fir Resort & Chalets (800/661-9267; 525 Tunnel Mountain Road,
Banff, AB T1L 1B2), a resort designed to suit families during their stay in Banff. There are studio rooms, chalets of two- and three-bedrooms, and specialty suites for a total of 133 units. Also, since dining out in Banff can get pricey, all accommodations have full kitchen facilities. The simple spa and pool didn't seem too exciting, but more of the action is on the other side of the resort, at the water slides and brand new indoor playzone. The well-padded, multi-activity play structure is 19-feet tall, full of slides, tunnels, and a pretend snake pit. The bottom of the structure has a separate area with mini-slides and crazy mirrors for toddlers. There is a sitting area for parents, and enough space along the perimeter for parents to closely follow their kids. Or, for the adventurous, passageways that can accommodate adults who can keep up. The two indoor waterslides offer thrills for kids of all ages, and since they are only open to registered guests, the lines are very quick. Most rooms have balconies, and those on the ground level have a personal plot of snow for snowman making, or mini snowball fights.
Banff: Hub of Winter Activities
Already the largest of the towns in this part of the Canadian Rockies, Banff is under strict building regulations that prohibit it from expanding. The main street, Banff Avenue, is filled with malls and shops, restaurants and cafes. There are also options for renting snow gear; we used Ski Hub (403/762-4754; 119 Banff Avenue, Banff, AB, Canada). They made sure that our ski equipment fit properly before we left the shop. They also delivered everything to our hotel and picked it up as well, making it very convenient for us to enjoy the rest of the activities that Banff has to offer instead of returning the rental gear.
The upside of being in a more touristy area is that there are plenty of other activities available besides skiing and boarding. Within Banff there are wildlife tours, dogsledding and ice walks; sleigh rides can be arranged with the local coordinators. Banff Adventures and Banff Tours are a couple of popular day tour operators that offer a majority of the winter activities. Remember, you are entering Banff National Park, one of Canada's greatest parks, so be prepared to pay a fee when driving through. If dogsledding is an interest, it's good to know that Banff National Park does not permit dogsledding within the actual park, but these companies offer a shuttle into Kananaskis County, where the dogsledding journey is held. There are also companies that can arrange dogsledding from Canmore, the city between Kananaskis and Banff.
Another great activity to try out, particularly after a long day of skiing, is a dip in the Banff Hot Springs. An outdoor heated pool is the perfect remedy for aching muscles. There is a very shallow area where children play and adults relax, and there is always a lifeguard on duty. Located at the edge of the town and up a small hill, the Hot Springs give a different perspective of the Rockies: a beautiful view of Banff. While we were there, we were able to see a few extreme skiers being dropped off by helicopters at the tops of the mountains in the distance! For more information about the region, get in touch with the Banff Lake Louise Tourism office (403/762-8421).
Lake Louise Skiing & Lodging
The Lake Louise Ski Resort (877/253-6888; 1Whitehorn Road, Lake Louise, AB T0L 1E0) is the area's liveliest mountain resort, and stands out for its infant nursery and daycare facilities, said to be the best in the area. Music booming from the base of the mountain is just one sign of the action; laughter at the gondola is another. Since every lift provides access to a beginner slope down, all ages meet at the gondola, which reaches 2,414 feet and has a breathtaking view, making the Chateau at Lake Louise look like a child’s playhouse and the lake itself a small iced-over puddle. Five miles marks the longest trail here, but for those beginners with sore muscles, there is a lodge midway down the mountain, great for a hot chocolate break.
The huge Lake Louise resort consists of 4,200 skiable acres and 139 trails, making it much more intimidating than Nakiska or Norquay, which is why I highly recommend having an instructor or guide on your first day. Without my excellent instructor, it would have been confusing to find slopes suited to my ability, and even scary if I'd had to find which route to take down from the top of the gondola ride! Another perk to having an instructor is that you can avoid the crowds and join a separate lift line especially for the snowsports schools. We found the quickness of the gondola made up for any time waiting at the bottom, and didn't ride the lifts so often because the trails I could handle were much longer than those at Norquay and Nakiska.
Be sure to have lunch in the beautiful lodge, which was built from the trees that were chopped down in order to create the trails. After skiing all morning, and working up your appetite, the restaurant on the second floor is great place to chow down. Keeping it simple, the restaurant has three stations: soup and salad, create your own pasta station, and the classic meat carving station.
The very impressive daycare at Lake Louise is open daily and operates in conjunction with the mountain's schedule. It is actually the oldest daycare in the area, running for over 15 years. This fully functioning childcare facility works on the individual child's schedule, and cares for infants as young as 18-days up to kids ages 6. The daycare offers both half and full-day care or lessons. Please visit the
daycare website for more details and rates.
The elegant furniture at our large hotel, the Lake Louise Inn (800/661-9237; 210 Village Road, Lake Louise, AB T0L 1E0), adds a touch of luxury to this wilderness setting. Within the five buildings that make up the compound, there are a total of 247 guest rooms, including specialty rooms, lofts, and suites. We loved having a ski locker to store gear overnight: all gear is locked up safely, left to dry, and can be retrieved in the morning from the front desk staff. There is a regular shuttle from the Inn to the mountain so your car can stay parked. Lake Louise Inn also has its own pond for ice skating, and is planning to add an ice castle or playhouse that should be up by next winter.
The pool, hot tubs, and steam room are all located in the center of the main building, behind the lobby. The high-ceiling, glass-enclosed area creates a very relaxing realm, and since there are two hot tubs, there’s room for more people to unwind. Many Lake Louise locals get their pizza from the popular Timberwolf Pizza and Pasta Café at the Inn. Legends Restaurant offers more fine dining options and has a lovely Sunday evening prime rib dinner buffet. Although the iconic castle-like Fairmont le Chateau Lake Louise is great to visit (stop in for High Tea with your family), Lake Louise Inn is more affordable and offers much more for families.
Why I Loved Alberta
Skiing for the first time can be a very overwhelming experience, especially for an adult. After a week of traveling to different ski resorts and taking a few lessons, well, I'm not exactly ready to go heliskiing, or even try the black diamond trails, but I can handle a steep hill or two -- slowly, that is.
After my first day of skiing, I had found muscles that I never knew existed and quickly sought comfort in the hotel spas. For me and probably for most families, an Alberta vacation consisted of days of lessons on the slopes mixed with indulging in other winter activities while my body rested. That's why, with so much to offer on top of beautiful, ski-able mountains, I've learned that Alberta is a great winter vacation getaway for everyone, regardless of their ability or snowsports interests.
