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Hotel Class: 
2.5 Stars - 49 Opinions
3111 26 Street NE, Calgary, Alberta, T1Y 7E4, Canada
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49 Opinions
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Hi, I am looking for a new and exciting holiday for myself and my family. We have tried dry slope skiing near our home town in Scotland and thought it would be a great holiday in Canada to try the real thing.
I would be extremly grateful if anyone could give me information on places to stay and go skiing that would make our holiday more exciting and enjoyable.
I would suggest Banff/Lake Louise, both in Alberta. The skiing is consistently great, they get a snow pack base several hundred centimetres deep every year. There are 3 ski hills in the area to choose from - Norquay and Sunshine are both near Banff, and Lake Louise (naturally) is near Lake Louise, about a 45 minute drive from Banff. There are ski shuttles that can take you to any of the hills, in the event that you choose not to drive.
Norquay in particular has some really good beginner ski packages which include lessons and equipment rental and a lift ticket for a really competitive price. It would be a great hill to start at, and you could progress to the other 2 larger hills on day 2.
You can purchase a tri-area lift pass which gives you access to all 3 ski hills and also gets you free shuttle service to and from Banff or Lake Louise to the 3 hills. Here's a website for more info on the Tri-Area Pass, I've posted it as a tiny URL:
http://tinyurl.com/yaxb5e7
Banff has plenty of lodging and dining options and also plenty of things to do besides skiing. Check out my Banff travel page for more info on the area.
If you get tired of skiing you could also try skating, dog sledding, tobogganning or a horse-drawn sleigh ride. An added plus would be if you were to arrive at the end of January or into February as you could also check out the ice sculptures at the Chateau Lake Louise. An international ice sculpture competition is held there every year and the sculptures are incredible. I have some photos in one of my tips on my Banff page.
I hope that helps.
- CG
Hi,
Another option you may want to try is the Kananaskis/Canmore area (if you take the Trans-Canada Hwy west, you'll hit Kananaskis before Banff). This is where the ski competition took place when the 1988 Winter Olympics were held in Calgary. Less crowded than Banff/Lake Louise and to me, much more authentic as you are out in the "wild" and can really take in the beauty of the Canadian Rockies. The website is: http://www.kananaskis.com
Barry
Kananaskis is indeed beautiful and off-the-beaten path, but the skiing at Mt. Allen (1988 Olympic venue) has not been good for the last couple of years. Fortress Mountain Resort has been closed for a few years now, they went bankrupt. There has been talks about making Fortress a hiking resort in the near future.
I would say the best bang for your buck would be Lake Louise or Sunshine.
Also Kanaskis is partially unaccessible in the winter :(
You can still tour Kananaskis if you want to, though part of Highway 40 is closed end of November. I would suggest from Highway 1 up through Canmore, then onto the Spray Lakes/Smith Dorien Trail; it will then loop back onto Highway 40 and back to Highway 1. Spectacular scenery, and, again, off-the-beaten path, but no skiing unless you want to try Nakiska/Mt. Allen.
A typical day in Calgary can start with Blue sky and end up with snow in any month of the year. The challenge is dressing for the weather... you can't. A popular local saying is "if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes." Unfortunately this can work for both good and for bad.
Calgary is also known by other names such as Cow Town - The Stampede City - The Heart of the New West and its most modern one of C-Spot. Her sister cities are Phoenix Arizona 1997 - Taejeon South Korea 1996 - Naucalpon Mexico 1994 - Beijing China 1985 -Jaupur India 1973 and Quebec Canada 1956 - the city is in good company I liked Calgary with its old and new architecture and its vibrant atmosphere. A very pleasant and walkable city
Calgary has a continental climate, long cold winters and hot dry summers.
The winter temperatures can be as cold as -25 C or occasionally -30 C for an overnight low.
Consruction can continue as long as a backhoe can dig into the frozen ground and as long as the concrete can be poured and allowed to sure at a reasonable temperature.
Often the outside shell of the building is built when the weather is warmer, with the finsih of the interior being done in the winter. One reason for the orange insulation and tarpaulins is to keep the heat in and the cold out while the interior is completed.
Calgary is known for its strange weather. The saying is 'if you don't like the weather in Calgary wait five minutes' and that is pretty much true. If you are coming in the winter be prepared for cold weather (winter jackets, heavy shoes, gloves, etc.) but don't be surprised if it is warm and sunny with no snow. We get warm winds from the mountains called Chinooks and that allows us to have warm weather in the coldest months of winter. If you are coming in the Spring or Summer bring summer clothes (shorts, t-shirts, sandels) but be prepared for rain as well...we usually get some wicked thunderstorms in the evenings. When camping in the mountains either bring (or buy) containers to keep your food in. These should be air tight and are needed to prevent wildlife from smelling your food and deciding to live in your camp. Also, be prepared to go without a campfire during parts of the summer season...if it has been especially dry you are not allowed to light campfires because of the risk of forest fires. So think ahead about how you will cook your food if you cannot have a fire.
Canadians are a bit Hockey crazy, somewhat like Europeans are with soccer (or should I say football). Calgarians support their local hockey team, The Flames at the Pengrowth Saddledome on the Stampede grounds. Calgary’s color is red so be sure to wear some when you come out to cheer on the team. After the game, many of the fans head up the nearby 17th Avenue (also known as the “Red Mile”) to celebrate the victories.
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Address: 3111 26 Street NE, Calgary, Alberta, T1Y 7E4, Canada
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