With ski season now upon us, resorts will soon be in full swing. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (ICI) anticipate that this winter will be La Nina, which occurs when there is a buildup of cooler than normal subsurface water in the tropical Pacific.
“For us at Banff Sunshine, we are big fans of La Nina winters which bring heavy snow to our slopes,” says Kendra Scurfield, vice president, Brand & Communications. “We are looking forward to a ‘fingers crossed’ snowy winter full of delicious powder days.”
This year, Banff Sunshine Village has received incredible recognition internationally, including being ranked Ski Magazine’s Overall Resort Satisfaction Winner, and the third best ski resort in North America by Conde Nast Travel.
“We are appreciative of the recognition our Alberta-owned and operated resort is receiving, just as we are appreciative of the cultural moment skiing is having in fashion and society,” says Scurfield.
Banff Sunshine will be bringing back some of its most popular events including Santa Skis for Charity, Untracked Spring Concert Series and Slush Cup, in addition to its Very Merry Sunshine Market and various community meet-ups.
“We believe the mountains are for all and that you don’t need to be a good skier to get outside and enjoy.”
With its three mountains of terrain, Banff Sunshine provides a great place for people of all ages to learn to ski.
“Back this winter are our multi-week lessons, which have programming of all ages,” says Scurfield. “For parents looking to make turns kid-free, our Tiny Tiger daycare will be open this winter welcoming little sunshiners 19 months of age to six years old. Lessons for little ones start at two years old. Kids lessons are a great way to introduce winter to your littles.”
For those who have never skied, the resort recommends its Never Ever Program, which is ideal and includes a group lesson, lift ticket and rentals.
“Also, our podcast ‘For the Love of Winter’ is back for a second season and is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify,” she adds. Each week we catch up with various winter enthusiasts including Paralympian Tyler Turner, Olympians Rachael Karker and Liam Gill, and industry professionals like the CEO of the Canwest Ski Areas Association. Listen to the podcast to learn more about the people and the stories shaped by the great Canadian outdoors.”
With its 12 lifts that grant access to 137 named runs plus two freeride zones, the resort hopes to welcome a more diverse audience of thrill seekers to its slopes this winter.
“Last year, we saw a return of international guests to Banff,” says Scurfield. “With our dollar remaining low, and the growth in multi-pass products like the Mountain Collective Pass and ikon pass, we expect to see a strong continuation of American skiers and snowboarders with us this winter.”
New Express Lift
The Banff Sunshine team is also delighted that new this year is its brand-new Super Angel Luxury Express Lift, which replaces the Angel Express that was originally built in 1988.
“The Super Angel is a high speed, six-passenger, heated bubble lift with heated seats, personal footrests and bucket seat,” says Scurfield. “It is a more energy efficient chairlift that provides a very comfortable ride. To celebrate the lift, we hosted our grand opening on November 16.”
In terms of special promotions, the resort’s Sunshine Super Card is back. For less than the price of a lift ticket, this card grants three free days of skiing plus daily discounts.
“We are working to continue reducing our environmental footprint through the promotion of our mobile lift tickets and mobile Super Card,” adds Scurfield. “Our mobile products do offer additional discounts.”
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Lake Louise Ski Resort and Revelstoke Mountain Offer Plenty
For those who love the Lake Louise Ski Resort, it is now open. While not all runs are ready, the area already has 10 inches of snow. With marked runs spanning 4,200 acres, the size and scope of the Lake Louise Ski resort ensure ample opportunities for skiers of all ages.
“We are extremely excited for the season this year and in fact we opened earlier than expected on November 5,” says Lake Louise Ski Resort director of Marketing & Sales Emmett McPartlin.
“We’ve had a great start with some snow and cold temperatures that have allowed us get snowmaking underway. Pre-season sales have been great, and the North American economy is strong, which is another good indicator for a strong season ahead.”
McPartlin says they are in the process of putting the final touches on a new six-seater, heated bubble chair called Pipestone Express. The new chair is fast, warm and creates a more direct route to the back bowls and West Bowl, taking guests from the top of Juniper Chair to the base of Summit Chair.
“All told, we have 12 lifts – one gondola, three magic carpets and eight chairlifts – and 168 runs! And in addition to our new chair, we’ve made a number of upgrades to our parking lot to make more space and less congestion on busy days, with a number of other notable improvements and expansions on the horizon.”
The resort is also hosting some exciting events running through the season, including its Junior and Adult Big Mountain Challenge Freeride events, and a number of freestyle competitions in our fantastic terrain parks.
New this winter is the ‘White Out Season Opener’ party which was held on November 16. Also, the famous ‘Hotdogger’ will be back again in February.
“One of our favourite community events, ‘Girls Do Patrol’ will be back again this year,” says McPartlin. “Started in 2020 by our dedicated patrollers Michaela and Misha, the program gives young women the opportunity to live a day in the life as a ski patroller. We love to run events like this at the resort that give us an opportunity to connect with the community!”
All these events can be found an www.skilouise.com/things-to-do/category/events/.
Revelstoke Mountain in Revelstoke, B.C. opened in mid-November. With more than 70 named runs, Revelstoke has an extensive network of progressive terrain, rolling groomers, perfects spaced glade and four wide open bowls.
The resort lifts include two gondolas (The Revelation Gondola); three highspeed quad chairs, (Stoke Chair, Ripper Chair and Stella Chair); and two surface carpets (Lil’ Bit Carpet and Cupcake Carpet).
Check it all out at www.revelstokemountainresort.com/whats-happening/events/.
