My ski club is offering a Trip to Banff from Dec 27th - Jan 3rd... any opinions? Snow conditions? Nightlife. Things to do. I have never been and how is the transportation to the resorts since I would be staying in Banff. Would love some opinions
-
For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.
Northern Rockies/Alberta New Years in Banff
- Thread starter Roger
- Start date
Banff doesn't get a lot of snow but what it does it keeps well.
Pretty early for there but go south or west a couple of hours drive (Fernie, Whitewater, Red, Revelstoke) and you're a better bet at that time of year.
https://bestsnow.net/
Pretty early for there but go south or west a couple of hours drive (Fernie, Whitewater, Red, Revelstoke) and you're a better bet at that time of year.
https://bestsnow.net/
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2017
- Posts
- 327
IMHO Banff would not be the first choice for that time of year due to lack of snow. The alternate resorts mentioned by sbooker are much further than a 'couple of hours drive'
Fernie is 357 km (222 miles), Red is 517 km (321 miles) and Revy is 283 km (175 miles). Those are substantial distances especially in winter in the mountains.
In answer to your other questions - lots of nightlife in Banff and good transportation to LL and Sunshine.
Whistler is a better bet although not a guaranteed bet. Same answers re night life and transport.
Fernie is 357 km (222 miles), Red is 517 km (321 miles) and Revy is 283 km (175 miles). Those are substantial distances especially in winter in the mountains.
In answer to your other questions - lots of nightlife in Banff and good transportation to LL and Sunshine.
Whistler is a better bet although not a guaranteed bet. Same answers re night life and transport.
Last edited:
i skied early december in banff the past two seasons, and coverage was very good. other than the dive, I think SSV was 100% open by christmas both years, as was LL backside. I think you could do worse for NYE. I always stay in Banff, rent a car and drive to the resorts. Parking is not a problem as long as you get there somewhat early (by 8:30 or so). I hear the shuttles from town are great; I just like the freedom to come and go as I please.
Lodging in banff is relatively cheap compared to other resorts so you can definitely splurge on higher end accommodations.
The downtown is not huge it's only maybe 3 blocks by 4blocks or so, so it's fully walkable, but this depends if you picked accomodations in town town, or in the outskirt resorts.
Transportation to the big3 resorts via shuttles is very good. However you do need to plan for the bus schedule and the resorts are a distance away from town and an hour between the buses.
You do not need a car if you only are doing skiing and staying in town, but if you want to go do other activities other town a car makes it a lot easier. Keep in mind your daylight hours gonna be limited so you have to choose what you want to do.
Activities, realize it is Canada's first and biggest national park, so a multitude of outdoorsy activities or outdoorsy sights; + banff hotsprings , the Banff Fairmont or LL Fairmont, or going to KickingHorse which is feasible as a day trip.
Nightlife, I am not sure about, remember it is quite cold, so people are not really walking about as much as other ski areas, I was in early most nights to get the most of the day
Agree, snow is not prodigious at all compared to other, but the temperatures help maximize the minimal snowfall and keep it for awhile don't melt away, but chances are you don't even have full coverage yet.
Xmas/New Years typically is early season in most places anyway, it's always been a marketing ploy to pull the holidays in as part of "winter".
If you are an advanced or expert skier, the resorts are somewhat not very terrainy at first glance, you may need to seek out pockets and stashes that fit what kind of skiing you are looking for away from the main runs.
The downtown is not huge it's only maybe 3 blocks by 4blocks or so, so it's fully walkable, but this depends if you picked accomodations in town town, or in the outskirt resorts.
Transportation to the big3 resorts via shuttles is very good. However you do need to plan for the bus schedule and the resorts are a distance away from town and an hour between the buses.
You do not need a car if you only are doing skiing and staying in town, but if you want to go do other activities other town a car makes it a lot easier. Keep in mind your daylight hours gonna be limited so you have to choose what you want to do.
Activities, realize it is Canada's first and biggest national park, so a multitude of outdoorsy activities or outdoorsy sights; + banff hotsprings , the Banff Fairmont or LL Fairmont, or going to KickingHorse which is feasible as a day trip.
Nightlife, I am not sure about, remember it is quite cold, so people are not really walking about as much as other ski areas, I was in early most nights to get the most of the day
Agree, snow is not prodigious at all compared to other, but the temperatures help maximize the minimal snowfall and keep it for awhile don't melt away, but chances are you don't even have full coverage yet.
Xmas/New Years typically is early season in most places anyway, it's always been a marketing ploy to pull the holidays in as part of "winter".
If you are an advanced or expert skier, the resorts are somewhat not very terrainy at first glance, you may need to seek out pockets and stashes that fit what kind of skiing you are looking for away from the main runs.
Last edited: