With three faces on two mountains, sprawling Lake Louise dwarfs thousands of skiers on a daily basis. The front side dishes up dozens of Mach-speed cruisers; the back side has steep bowls and tight trees with more pucker potential than a Keystone Beer commercial. Views? The postcard was pretty much invented for here.
The Vitals
Top elevation: 8,954 feet
Vertical drop: 3,514 feet
Snowfall: 236 inches (7,028')
Skiable Acres: 3,168
Phone: 877-542-2633
Web: www.skibanff.com
Adrenaline:
Warm up on the 40-degree Steel Pipe in Delirium Dive before braving the 50-degree entrance into Bre-X.
Accumulation:
Sitting on the Continental Divide, Sunshine receives nearly twice the snowfall of neighboring hills. Most of it comes between early November and January, making for a reliable early season.
Après:
Compact but cosmopolitan, Banff has dozens of eateries and taverns. At the Rose & Crown, Thursday is Jug Night (the 16-ounce Kokanees are a steal).















