I rented from Alamo. I got a mid size SUV (Hundai Tucson) for 436$ for 8days It is AWD. (I reserved thru SW a long time ago)
Yes You HAVE To have AWD on Banff the highway. My rental is a new car so tires are good.
Also!!! I used my AM EX Card= it will cover car damage- They use ROCKS not sand/salt! Walking thru the Sunshine parking lot I saw SO many windshields w/rock strike
Cracks!!
Also you need to buy a Park Pass. Our VRBO has one for us to use but I forgot to put on my windshield at Sunshine- I got a ticket along w/tons of other cars in the Sunshine parking lot! I stopped today at the 'welcome buy a pass booth"- showed my pass and my ticket was cleared.
Like Mike said If you are Staying in Banff, there are shuttle buses to the Mt's you could take and leave your car in town if you are worried.
Lake Louise has Boot up area w/Free shelves on the 2nd Floor, Lockers 10$ (Canadian on the ground floor)
Sunshine Upstairs in the building next to the gondola is changing, bathrooms and room w/free shelves to put boot bags
there is a small locker room via the gondola at the sunshine village-you can't see the mt or the 'village from the base" village only accessible from the gondola!
Norquay has free racks too. Going to Norquay tomorrow