Banff

Banff at a glance

Banff is located right in the centre of Banff National Park, Canada's first national park, and is a designated World Heritage site.

The undisputed beauty of the area generates more than 4 million visitors every year. With such a diverse range of activities available through all the seasons, Banff ensures that visitors are attracted to the area all year long. With some of the best conditions around for snow, Banff and its three resorts, Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise are havens for skiers and snowboarders alike. Banff also offers a great deal of culture to its visitors and has some great spots for shopping and cuisine.

Banff Facts

Combined Statistics for Ski Norquay, Lake Louise and Sunshine Village
Skiable Acreage: 7,748 Acres
Terrain:

38% Expert
39% Intermediate
23% Beginner
Snowmaking ability approximately 1,900 acres
Named Runs 274
Lifts 26

Banff is Canada’s highest town at 1,383 metres.

Awards & Accolades

• Banff voted #2 by readers for best ski resort in the world. The Daily Telegraph (2005)
• Best Canadian / North American Ski Resort. British Travel Awards (2006)
• #1 for Scenery in North America. Ski Magazine (2003)

Location

Banff is located on Alberta’s western border with British Columbia, about an hour and half away from Calgary. The town

is the main commercial centre for Banff National park, the oldest national park. Through the town flows the Bow River with the Bow Falls located on the outskirts of town.

Getting to Banff

By Air:
Calgary airport is serviced by the majority of national and international airlines and is only 1.5 to 2 hours drive to Banff.

By Road:
From Calgary:
Driving to Banff is pretty damn easy, even the most directionally challenged will get there without too much palaver! From Calgary, take the Trans-Canada highway, also known as highway #1, west till the Banff exit. From here follow the local signs for the short distance into Banff town. Its approximately 90 miles (145km) from the airport to Banff and should take no more than 2 hours.

Climate

Banff’s climate is extremely variable caused by the rugged landscape and high elevation of the resort. Summer months see average highs of 22C whereas the winter sees average lows of around -15C. However, the relative dryness of the air means that the extreme temperatures are more bearable.

Snowfall

Banff gets a ridiculous amount of snow per year with an average of 1,006cm falling within Sunshine Village Mountain. This vast amount of snow means the season that lasts for 6 months of the year starting in November and ending in late May. The combination of the three resorts of Norquay, Sunshine and Lake Louise offer lots of varied terrain and conditions. Norquay offers a quieter, mellower experience with an easily accessed and very well maintained terrain park. Opposite to this is Banff’s most famous area of Lake Louise with its well maintained wide pistes and extensive backcountry areas making it a firm favourite. Last but not least is Sunshine, which has some of the most reliable snow conditions due to its high altitude and the fantastic steep skiing of Delerium Drive.

Banff History

Cree, Kootenay & Blackfoot Tribes

Banff was first occupied by Native Americans who arrived in the Bow River Valley over 11,000 years ago. With an abundance of natural resources in the area, populations prospered with three tribes co-existing peacefully for over 9,000 years. As with so many historical tales this was all destroyed by the arrival of the Europeans and their smallpox, which wiped out half the population! However, strong links to the Indian heritage can still be seen in the town.

Railroads

In 1883, the Canadian National Railroad Company pushed a line through the area passing very close to the present site of

Banff. Shortly after, the Canadian government stepped in to claim the area and designated it as The Rockies National Park. A station named “siding 29” quickly became the site for the town of Banff with the construction of the Banff Springs Hotel. With growing numbers of tourists, Swiss mountain guides were brought in to guide visitors on the mountain peaks and glaciers.

Mount Norquay ski hill opened in 1928 and was soon joined By Sunshine Village and Lake Louise. An explosion in the popularity of down hill skiing and the construction of the Trans Canada highway meant people were flocking to Banff and the town and area was booming.

Banff Today

As already mentioned Banff lies in the heart of the National Park and is surrounded by breathtaking mountain scenery. Banff is also one of Canada's best-known party towns and a hugely popular winter destination. The area's natural beauty has resulted in its classification as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and consequently strict development laws have ensured that the town of Banff has retained its charm and character. Banff has a population of approximately 8000, which is supplemented by large numbers of winter visitors.

There are an incredible selection of bars, pubs and clubs as well as some excellent restaurants and cafes. Banff has a massive selection of shops and clothing stores, several museums, art galleries, a cinema, gym, swimming pool and a theatre. The town has a huge seasonaire scene with skiers and snowboarders from all over the world spending the winter in the area. Added to this the fact that Banff is one of the world's most popular ski destinations and you'll understand why the bars are always lively, with regular live music and a great party atmosphere.

There are lots of recreational activities available in Banff such as husky rides, indoor climbing, ice hockey, skating and bathing at local natural hot springs, which offer the perfect après ski relaxation.

The world respected Banff Centre is a fantastic local facility offering regular art and music events with some well known musicians, bands, and artists performing. The centre also has extensive gym facilities including a great swimming pool, climbing wall and squash courts.

In the summer months Banff really comes to life with three times as many visitors than in the winter. The outstanding natrual beauty of the area ensures that tourists from all over the world are drawn to the area. The mountains still hold a real attraction for summer visitors with fantastic walking and climbing on offer at all three resorts. Fishing and golf are extremely popular sports and with over seven golf courses in Banff alone you will be spoilt for choice! If you are a little more active then mountain biking, horse riding and white water rafting are all on offer in Bannf. For those who haven't been to the mountains in the summer months it is an experience not to be missed, lovely weather and beautiful scenery are just a few of the reasons to head out.