It snowed so much in Banff, the season didn’t end in May
30 July 2026
10:56 am
Sunshine Village’s snowiest season in a decade led to a rare 16-day summer ski reopening through July 5, 2026.
Banff National Park
Alberta, Canada
Snapshot | Banff Sunshine Village
1,660 m
Base elevation
2,730 m
Top elevation
1,070 m
Vertical drop
3,300 acres
Skiable terrain
12
LIFTS (INC. ONE GONDOLA)
914 cm
Average annual snowfall
Early Nov to mid-May
typical season
137 marked runs
across three mountains
Terrain Split
20%
Beginner
55%
Intermediate
18%
Advanced
7%
Expert
The Vibe
Banff is a national park with a town built inside it, which means you can ski all morning and be watching elk wander around town by lunch. It gets more tour buses through than a place this far from anywhere has any right to, but the locals still treat it like their backyard rather than a theme park, and you can tell who’s who by 4 pm when everyone ends up at the same handful of bars regardless of which mountain they skied.
The iconic Banff shot of Banff Avenue with Cascade Mountain in the background. Photo by Baron Alloway.
Resort Breakdown
All three resorts run on the same tickets. A SkiBig3 Season Pass, Ikon Pass, Mountain Collective, or Rocky Mountain Passport gets you into Sunshine, Lake Louise, and Norquay.
Banff Sunshine Village
The resort sits high on the Continental Divide, which means storms rolling in off the Pacific dump on it consistently, and the terrain holds that snow better than anywhere else in the park. This is the reason Sunshine gets called Canada’s best snow more often than any other resort.
The terrain spreads across three peaks. Goat’s Eye is where the advanced and expert riders spend their day, home to Delirium Dive, a double black rated among the best off-piste zones in the world and gated for avalanche gear and partner checks. Lookout Mountain and Mount Standish carry the bulk of the beginner and intermediate cruising, wide and forgiving, with genuinely spectacular sightlines the whole way down.
The lift system is the newest of the three resorts in Banff National Park. Teepee Town LX is Canada’s only heated chairlift, and the gondola up from the base means the first run of the day starts warm. You park at the base, ride the gondola into the village, and the skiing starts from there rather than at the car park.
Unusually, a handful of runs let you cross from Alberta into British Columbia and back on the same descent, purely because of where the provincial border falls across the Divide. It’s a novelty, but it’s the kind of detail worth knowing before someone asks.
Lake Louise Ski Resort
Lake Louise is the biggest of the three by a wide margin, spread across five mountain faces with terrain accessible from nearly every chair regardless of ability. That layout is the resort’s whole personality: a family or mixed-ability group can ride together all day, and everyone gets a comfortable way back down. It’s the one resort in the park you shouldn’t skip, even if you’re only in Banff for a couple of days and have to pick favourites.
The front side handles the groomers and glades. Take the Summit chair up to the Whitehorn back bowls and the character changes completely, permanently ungroomed terrain with a genuine backcountry feel without leaving the resort boundary. The 2025-26 season added the first phase of the Richardson’s Ridge expansion, new beginner and intermediate terrain on the backside that widens the entry-level options without crowding the front side.
Lake Louise is technical once you’re past the groomers. More than half the marked terrain sits at intermediate or above, and the back bowls in particular reward confidence over caution.
Mount Norquay
Norquay is the smallest of the three. Ten minutes from downtown Banff, it’s the hill locals ski before or after work, where the kids’ race team trains and where a Tuesday afternoon lap doesn’t require a plan.
Don’t mistake small for easy. A meaningful share of Norquay’s terrain is rated black or double black, and the North American chair, known locally as the Big Chair, serves some of the steepest lift-accessed terrain in the country. It’s also the only resort in the park with night skiing, running Friday and Saturday nights through winter under lights on the Cascade Terrain Park.
For a Snow Creatures reader planning a SkiBig3 trip, Norquay is the half-day mountain: an evening session after a full day at Sunshine or Lake Louise, or the answer when someone in the group wants a mellow morning while the rest of the crew chases steeps elsewhere.
Getting There and Around
Calgary International Airport (YYC) is the gateway, about 130 km east of Banff along the Trans-Canada Highway, roughly 90 minutes by car in good conditions.
Shuttle services run directly from the airport, with Banff Airporter and Brewster Express the two established operators, both around two hours door to door and priced from roughly CA$70 to $90 one way.
Once you’re in Banff, a car isn’t essential. The free SkiBig3 shuttle connects the townsite to all three resorts, and Roam Transit covers the wider area including Lake Louise, Johnston Canyon and Lake Minnewanka. Lake Louise itself sits about 45 minutes from Banff townsite by road, so factor that drive or shuttle time into any day trip there from a Banff base. A car earns its keep if the plan includes the Icefields Parkway or early starts chasing fresh snow before the shuttles run.
Top Experiences
Skiing is the reason most people book the trip, but Banff National Park doesn’t stop at the lift lines. A couple of rest days here go a long way, there’s enough beyond the mountains to fill them without anyone getting bored.
Banff Gondola
The ride up Sulphur Mountain clears the treeline in under ten minutes and puts six mountain ranges in front of you at once, including the Bow Valley and the townsite laid out below. There’s a boardwalk and a restaurant at the top, so it works as an easy half-day even for the non-skiers in the group.
Johnston Canyon ice walk
A short drive from Banff, the canyon’s summer waterfalls freeze into blue ice columns in winter, and guided walks in cleats get you right up to them. Genuinely one of the best non-skiing days in the park.
Banff Upper Hot Springs
The obvious après move after a big day, and a multi-day tri-area lift ticket often includes complimentary entry, worth checking before you buy tickets separately.
Night skiing at Norquay
The only lit terrain in the park, and a genuinely different way to close out a ski day if the group’s staying in town.
Johnston Canyon in winter. Photo by David Kovalenko
Cultural Spotlight
Cave and Basin: the birthplace of Canada’s national parks
Banff’s reputation runs on ski resorts and postcard lakes, so it’s easy to miss that the whole national park system started with a hot spring on the edge of town. Three railway workers stumbled onto the springs in 1883, and by 1885 the federal government had set the land aside, creating Rocky Mountains Park, Canada’s first national park and the seed that grew into the entire Parks Canada system. The site has been significant to First Nations for thousands of years before that, and the interpretive exhibits and boardwalk trail cover both threads properly rather than reducing it to a tourist plaque. Worth an hour on a rest day, especially for anyone who wants the story behind why this particular patch of the Rockies became protected land in the first place.
Where to Stay
premium
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
Lakeside, 10 minutes from the Lake Louise lifts by resort shuttle, and about as close as accommodation gets to the postcard. Six restaurants, a proper spa, and the kind of room that looks directly at the Victoria Glacier across the water.
premium
Fairmont Banff Springs
Banff’s “castle in the Rockies,” in the townsite itself rather than out at the mountains, so it earns its place for anyone who wants the grand-hotel experience without a long commute for dinner and nightlife. A truly unique hotel and the services you’d expect from a premium stay.
value pick
Irwin's Mountain Inn
Right on Banff Avenue, a short walk to downtown and to the SkiBig3 shuttle stop, with a hot tub and sauna to sort out sore legs at the end of the day. Nothing fancy, but it puts you in the middle of town for a fraction of what some other hotels in town charge, which matters more than a lobby fireplace after a few days on the hill.
mid-range
Moose Hotel & Suites
A one minute walk from downtown Banff, with rooftop hot pools and a free Roam Transit pass included, this is the pick for anyone who wants to walk to dinner and still catch the early shuttle to the hill.
boutique
Buffalo Mountain Lodge
Log cabin architecture on Tunnel Mountain, a short drive or a longer walk from downtown, with wood-burning fireplaces and elk that wander past the windows. The quiet alternative to staying right in the thick of Banff Avenue.
Eat and Drink
Wildflour, on Bear Street, is the coffee and breakfast stop, a nearly 20-year-old bakery cafe that bakes its own bread and pastries fresh every morning. Grab a croissant and a coffee before the lifts open, or a soup and sandwich if you’re refuelling after.
LUPO is the dinner pick for a proper night out, an Italian spot that’s landed on Canada’s 100 Best list more than once. Hand-stretched pizza, fresh pasta, a lamp-lit bar for a martini before the table’s ready, and window seats worth requesting for the mountain views. Make sure to reserve a table here days ahead, as it books out fast.
Ramen Arashi is the one locals keep quieter, and for good reason, tucked up on the second floor of Sundance Mall on Banff Avenue. No reservations, sometimes a line even on a weeknight, but the tonkotsu and the black garlic ramen are worth standing around for. Trust us on this one.
Three Bears Brewery is the group and après call, a craft brewery built into a restaurant that’s built into what feels like an actual forest, complete with a 25-foot pine tree and a retractable roof for stargazing. Order the beer flight and split a pizza.
The dining room at LUPO Italian Ristorante & Patio
Insider Tips
Buy your SkiBig3 pass before the early bird deadline closes in spring. Pricing moves up significantly once that window shuts, so locking it in early is the easiest way to save on the whole trip.
Skip the rental car if you’re basing yourself in Banff townsite for a standard three-resort trip. The free SkiBig3 shuttle and Roam Transit cover the resorts, Johnston Canyon and Lake Minnewanka, and parking at Sunshine and Lake Louise fills fast on weekends.
Check whether your multi-day lift ticket includes hot springs entry before buying a separate pass, tri-area tickets often bundle it in.
Factor in the park entry fee before you budget the trip. Banff sits inside a national park, so every vehicle needs a Parks Canada day pass or Discovery Pass on top of lift tickets and accommodation, currently around CA$12.25 per adult per day or CA$24.50 for a group of up to seven in one vehicle.
At Sunshine Village, don’t attempt Delirium Dive solo or underprepared. Ski patrol checks gear and partner status at the gate for a reason.
Cheat Sheet
Calgary International (YYC)
Nearest Airport
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Currency
15-20% at Restaurants
Tipping Culture
Getting Around
Free SkiBig3 bus covers the resorts
Mountain Time (MT)
Time Zone
Book Early
Lift tickets and accommodations, especially over the Christmas holidays
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SkiBig3?
SkiBig3 is the joint pass and marketing partnership covering Banff Sunshine Village, Lake Louise Ski Resort and Mount Norquay, three separate resorts within about 45 minutes of each other, sold on one combined lift ticket or season pass.
Is Banff good for beginners?
Yes. Lake Louise in particular is built around beginner and intermediate terrain accessible from nearly every lift, and Norquay’s low-key, uncrowded slopes suit first-timers well.
Do you need a car to ski Banff and Lake Louise?
Not for a standard trip. The free SkiBig3 shuttle connects the townsite to all three resorts, and Roam Transit covers the wider area. A car adds flexibility for the Icefields Parkway or early powder days.
Which is better, Lake Louise or Sunshine Village?
They’re different trips rather than competitors. Lake Louise offers the most terrain and variety for mixed-ability groups, while Sunshine gets more reliable natural snow and carries the park’s most serious expert terrain in Delirium Dive.
How far is Banff from Calgary Airport?
About 130 km, roughly 90 minutes by car or two hours by shuttle door to door.
Can I use my Ikon Pass at Banff?
Yes, SkiBig3 is an Ikon Pass destination partner, with access varying by which tier of Ikon Pass is held.
Is Mount Norquay worth skiing?
Yes, especially as a half-day add-on or for night skiing. It’s small compared to Sunshine and Lake Louise, but has a genuinely steep, locals-favoured character and is the only resort in the park with lit night skiing.
When's the best time to ski Banff?
Sunshine typically runs the longest season of the three, often into mid-May, making it the pick for late-season laps. Peak conditions across all three resorts are generally January through March.
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