snowdogs

Flights are now booked for our recce on 17 feb and we are now trying to organise our trip. We are wondering the most economical way for us to try skiing. An adult ski lesson for the day is around $160 with equipment hire, the ski lodge at sunshine for a family of four seems reasonable with lift passes included and around $40 for hire of equip p/p.

We are currently thinking of 7 nights in and around Calgary, 3 nights Banff/Canmore 2 or 3 nights in Edmonton and back to Calgary. 1 week recce 1 week holiday/sight seeing. Any suggestions would be most helpful.

I was also wondering about ski pants, trivial I know but we can get them here for around £30 for cheap stuff, are we better buying over there?

Thanks,
Martin

iaink

Bring them with you, no point spending valuable time tracking them down here, and you might want them as outerwear arriving in February anyway!

rwin

Some would say Canada Olympic Park isn't really skiing but if you want to "Try" it, that would be a reasonable way to go.

Get some micatin for your feet after the rental boots though

Kokanee

Try Mount Norquay just outside Banff (6km's from downtown) or Nakiska in Kananaskis.

timballs

What is your planned route? If you are going over to Sunshine (excellent ski classes) and staying over there, are you going up to Edmonton via Jasper? If so, long drive (although the most scenic beautiful drive) and you should stay in Jasper. I wouldn't drive back to Calgary and drive up to Edmonton from there. Jasper also has a fantastic ski resort (Marmot) and is completely different to Sunshine and Lake Louise.

snowdogs

We did want to drive from Banff to Jasper but advised against it in feb hence Banff to Edmonton and possibly Edmonton to Jasper Long drives an lots of back tracking.I was also wandering if Jasper was worth the (long way )trip that time of year?

Poppit

Hi

We have just returned from a 2 week trip. We did the Banff - Jasper trip (along the ice park field). Good road driving as long as your vehicle has winter tyres; beautiful scenery in winter and summer. The canadians are great at keeping roads open (unlike the UK), however, it may be impassable in February if they have heavy snowfall between now and February). Perhaps, someone else can advise. Just from my personal point of view, I prefer Jasper to Edmonton, although the large shopping mall at Edmonton is definitely worth a visit.

Goodluck with your trip.

Poppit

snowdogs

Thanks poppit,

That's the trip I would like to do really 3nights in banff down to jasper for three nights 1 night in Edmonton then plane home. Anyone advise if this is doable in feb weather permitting?

snowdogs

Forgot to say hire car will have winter tyres, spent a week trying to sort this out with hire co

iaink

As others have indicated, its weather dependent. If there is a storm while you are there it could be closed for days until they dig it open again. I would have a "Plan B" in place before heading over.

snowdogs

Thanks iaink,
We will just have to come up with a plan b, will probably end up wingin it though

Poppit

Wingin's good, more exciting!

Poppit

ant11

We did a reccie last year. arrived in edmonton 1st week of feb. went to jasper for few days , skiing at marmot basin. lovely esp for beginners. then drove to banff via icefields ( beautiful route - just check it is open on the day ). then stayed in banff ( can recommend the Fox Inn ) Skiing at sunshine village was great. however mount norquay is not for the faint hearted. certainly not for beginners. we rented a ford explorer which was fine in the snow. then flew back from calgary. was fantastic trip. now just waiting for the paper work so we can move there!!

timballs

If you go Calgary-Banff (1 1/2 hrs), then Banff-Calgary again (1 1/2hrs) then Calgary-Edmonton (3hrs), you've already done a 4 1/2hr drive to get to Edmonton and backtracked and missed out on one of the most scenic drives in the world. So I would go for Plan A Banff-Jasper (5 hrs) up Highway 93, with Plan B Banff-Calgary-Edmonton only if Highway 93 is closed. It's not so much what's in Jasper, it's where Jasper is. The mountains round Jasper are even more mesmerising than in Banff. The Athabasca Hotel in Jasper is lovely. I've stayed there a couple of times. We got a front room once with views over the mountains and it's right beside Smitty's where you can get a fantastic breakfast. There's also a great little launderette just round the corner where you can do your washing, go on the internet and get a coffee and muffin, all in the one place!

We were the last car down from Jasper about 3 years ago just before they closed Highway 93 and that was at the beginning of January, so it is very weather dependent, but then they also closed Highway 1 that day too just after we left and everything was stranded at Banff for two days, so you can never tell.

By the way, the road from Jasper to Edmonton, from about Hinton onwards is pretty boring, but then the road from Calgary to Edmonton isn't much better. The hotel in the Edmonton Mall is worth splashing out on.

If you are going to ski classes in Sunshine, allow PLENTY of time to get up there, eg. if your ski class starts at 9.30am, make sure you're in the car park at the bottom for 8.30am. Takes longer to get up than you think.

snowdogs

Thanks timballs some great advice will definately give plan A a go