alison wong
Angel Diva
As some of you might know, I love Banff, love the scenery, impressive tree-lined trials and good snow conditions. As an intermediate, I especially fond of Sunshine Village (SSV) because I can ski more terrains there (vs. Lake Louise).
I have been contemplating a ski trip to Banff again this coming season, debating the best time for me to visit: December before Christmas vs. February President’s day weekend. (Try to fit in the trip with current work and school schedule).
I reached out to a friend of mine who lives near Banff and frequently ski at SSV. He shared with me his perspective on when is a good time to ski in Banff - SSV. I found his inputs are quite insightful and thought I’d share w/ y’all:
According to him, under “normal” circumstances and snowfalls, all the lifts and most of the runs should be open by Christmas at SSV.
In his opinion, a ski trip to Banff is always better for later in the season. The ideal time in Banff is between late February and early March, for the following 4 reasons:
1) More accumulated snow. Goat's Eye Mountain is always better later in the season. With the winds up in Goat's eye, the crews try to "harvest" snow with the judicious use of snow fences. But snow accumulation on many of those runs can be an issue in December.
2) More sunshine. In December, the days are very short in Alberta. For example, on Dec. 20, sunrise is 8:36 and sunset is 4:31; while on Feb. 20, it rises at 7:39 and sets at 6:01. Even tough the extra 2.5 hours don’t add up to more time on the skis, the shorter days often mean colder weather. It gets very cold in February, but mid December to mid January seems to be the coldest, especially for the first few runs and the last few runs of the day, when the sun is low in the sky.
3) With all that said, Banff is a beautiful resort town, eps. during Christmas. With the # of visitors, it is a busy time also. However, with # of high speed lifts at SSV, long lift lines are not a big issue, but getting a spot to sit in the lodge to rest and warm up can be a bit of a challenge.
4) My friend's favorite time to ski in Banff is March. The days are warmer and the sun higher in the sky. But it is still winter at Sunshine and the place can get some great snowfalls.
Hope this info. is helpful for anyone considers a ski trip to Banff...
I have been contemplating a ski trip to Banff again this coming season, debating the best time for me to visit: December before Christmas vs. February President’s day weekend. (Try to fit in the trip with current work and school schedule).
I reached out to a friend of mine who lives near Banff and frequently ski at SSV. He shared with me his perspective on when is a good time to ski in Banff - SSV. I found his inputs are quite insightful and thought I’d share w/ y’all:
According to him, under “normal” circumstances and snowfalls, all the lifts and most of the runs should be open by Christmas at SSV.
In his opinion, a ski trip to Banff is always better for later in the season. The ideal time in Banff is between late February and early March, for the following 4 reasons:
1) More accumulated snow. Goat's Eye Mountain is always better later in the season. With the winds up in Goat's eye, the crews try to "harvest" snow with the judicious use of snow fences. But snow accumulation on many of those runs can be an issue in December.
2) More sunshine. In December, the days are very short in Alberta. For example, on Dec. 20, sunrise is 8:36 and sunset is 4:31; while on Feb. 20, it rises at 7:39 and sets at 6:01. Even tough the extra 2.5 hours don’t add up to more time on the skis, the shorter days often mean colder weather. It gets very cold in February, but mid December to mid January seems to be the coldest, especially for the first few runs and the last few runs of the day, when the sun is low in the sky.
3) With all that said, Banff is a beautiful resort town, eps. during Christmas. With the # of visitors, it is a busy time also. However, with # of high speed lifts at SSV, long lift lines are not a big issue, but getting a spot to sit in the lodge to rest and warm up can be a bit of a challenge.
4) My friend's favorite time to ski in Banff is March. The days are warmer and the sun higher in the sky. But it is still winter at Sunshine and the place can get some great snowfalls.
Hope this info. is helpful for anyone considers a ski trip to Banff...
