CANADA
BANFF
Beyond the Slopes By Tim Johnson
You don’t have to ski to find thrills in Canada’s most famous mountain town
20 • Vacations ® • Winter 2022
and away from reality; and Mount Norquay, the local favourite, with challenging trails and inviting glades. But I’m here for none of it. A slightly wobbly skier at the best of times, I arrive to taste and experience everything else Banff, encompassed by a national park and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has to offer. And it turns out, you’ll find plenty to see and do, beyond the slopes.
STARGLAZE ABOVE VERMILION LAKES AND MOUNT RUNDLE
© PAUL ZIZKA @PAULZIZKAPHOTO
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very winter, the legendary slopes of Banff beckon skiers from around the world. Covered in deep, natural powder and curving through a panorama of Rocky Mountain splendour, each of the “Big Three” ski resorts offers their own version of an alpinist’s paradise – Lake Louise with its Olympic and world championship runs; Sunshine Village, where they whisk you on a gondola ride, up the mountain