My daughter thinks
we should be a reality TV show. “Ski travels with the Burke family” would be
highly scenic, a bit hectic and therefore humorous, with plenty of action
packed skiing. For our pilot we could premier our Christmas trip to western
Canada.
Our family ski adventure would star spectacular footage of snow-capped Rocky
Mountains, skiing four famous resorts in eight days, hopping from one
extraordinary hotel to the next. Watch us repeatedly cram our gear into our
mid-size rental, like clowns in a Volkswagen, for our scenic TransCanada
drive from Calgary to Banff Lake Louise, to Jasper in Alberta, then Panorama
in British Columbia. Along the way we encounter some very cool Canadians
(wearing tuques, eh). No one was hurt, that could be bad for ratings, but my
husband squared off with a big horn sheep and we were all frisked by
Canadian Royal Mounties as we were escorted out of the country.
Until our ski series gets picked up by MTV or TLC (a replacement for Jon &
Kate &8?), you have to read about our travels and check out our photos fer’
sure (I speak Canadian now eh!).
Our premier opens at Sunshine. To get to our lodging,
Sunshine Mountain
Lodge is the only slopeside lodging in Banff National Park, we must ride a
gondola. Of course we arrive too late (thank you airlines) despite my
husband driving 140 kph (you do the math), so our gracious Albertan hosts
deliver us to 7,200-feet via their Ford Excursion snowcat.
Looking out at Sunshine’s jagged snow capped peaks from our loft’s floor to
ceiling windows gives promise of big mountain skiing the next day. The newly
redesigned hotel sports an enviro-
friendly art deco mountain style. Native
stones surround the oversized outdoor Jacuzzi, with views of Goat’s Eye
extreme terrain and starry skies above. The intimate hotel has everything
you need: a delightful staff, dining and game room, high thread linens and
location, location, location.
We get a head start to Sunshine’s 3,368-acres by sleeping on mountain. By
noon we have skied three mountains, across the Continental Divide from
Alberta to B.C. and back again. Sunshine proclaims “best snow in Canada”
with its highest elevation (the resort only owns two snow guns), and I would
add “best views” as you look out at countless peaks including the pinnacle
Mount Assiniboine – the mini-Matterhorn of the Rockies.
Episode I concludes as we hear rumors “the Dive is open.” Equipped with a
guide, avalanche beacons and shovels, we dove into Delirium Dive – one of
the steepest runs in Canada at 50-degrees. This is gated access, no fall, no
faint of heart terrain. The deep natural snow and steep shots make me
delirious – its namesake, eh.
In Episode II we meet burly bearded Uel, Yukon Cornelius’ cousin perhaps,
and his herd of happy sled dogs with
Kingmik Dogsledding. We strap into sleds for a classic Canadian
adventure. My daughter pets and memorizes all her new four legged friends’
names. My son is psyched to take the reins and drive the dog sled. My
husband loves the photo ops and is impressed by the sheer power of nine
sleek strong dogs. Me, I have tears in my eyes – not from the chill, but
from the beauty as I am snug in a down sleeping bag in the narrow sled as we
charge through the frosted Canadian forest.
Episode III we arrive in the most magical setting, the famous
Fairmont
Chateau Lake Louise. This celebrated hotel was dreamed up by Canadian
Railroad entrepreneur Cornelius Van Horne in 1890.
Victoria Glacier plummets
to a sparkling frozen lake with the grand castle Hotel perched on its shore.
Guests skate amid huge ice sculptures and sleigh rides glide around the
snowy Lake. Inside the immense Chateau is luxury and opulence; grand lobbies
and lounges with picture windows frame the glacial scenery outside, and a
harpist plays by a sparkling holiday tree - I am not making this up.
Next morning we are booting up in the grand Lodge of Ten Peaks at
Lake
Louise Ski Area, just a 10-minute shuttle from the Chateau. Riding three
consecutive lifts we arrive at the top of the world, with extraordinary
scenery and expansive ski terrain, 11` sq. miles. “If you can see it, you
can ski it,” goes the local mantra.
Exploring Lake Louise’s 4,200-acres we find everything from groomed front
side cruisers (one was 5-miles long with 3,250’ vertical) to the steeps of
World Cup where Bode and Lindsey competed earlier this season. But the best
of Lake Louise is off the 8,765’summit,reached by an expert’s only poma.
The backside bowls of Whitehorn and Powder and ten others from my quick
count easily hold a torch to Vail for extreme skiing. Our crazy Canadian
guide points out that Jackson Hole’s ski patrol come here to train on the
big steeps and chutes.
As the scene closes, we enjoy a cozy lunch at the historic wood frame Temple
Lodge on the backside of Lake Louise.
Episode IV is something out of a Harry Potter film as we walk through mazes
of stone archways leading to grand rooms with gorgeous views. Our one-night
stay at The Banff Springs Hotel, elder-sister to the Château, built in 1888,
is far too brief since it takes time just to find our room. The immense
baronial castle hotel features 11 restaurants and lounges from fondue to
samurai sushi, swank shops, and the most posh Willow Stream Spa with
therapeutic minerals pools and cascading waterfalls in invigorating
temperatures. Guests can walk to the town of Banff and
ski Banff’s 3
resorts, Sunshine, Lake Louise and Norquay, or just bask in their good
fortune by the fire.
To conclude we feast at Banff’s Sleeping Buffalo, where the elk we saw
roaming near town make their way to our plates at the
Buffalo Mountain
Lodge.
Episode V takes us to the largest National Park of the Rocky Mountains,
Jasper. No one asks “are we there yet” in our cramped three-hour car ride by
miles of glaciers, gigantic peaks and acres of snow draped pines. I dub
Alberta the land of a billion Christmas trees, and Greg says his fears of
global warming are temporarily assuaged.
Arriving at Jasper Park Lodge, our third Fairmont hotel, we do the touristy
photos with the elk and bear (ok, stuffed) in the Grand Rocky Mountain
lobby. From the posh window lined bar (where I would be content to sit and
drink in the views and vino), we can see Marmot Basin where we will ski the
next day. We quickly recognize that many families never leave the 700-acre
resort, choosing instead to skate on Lake Beauvert, enjoy horse rides, kids
programs, the swimming pool, elegant restaurants and just sit by the
sumptuous fireplaces. The kids are ecstatic to get their own room; we are
lodged in one of the out cabins that dot the property. We bundle up like
Nanook from the North to walk back to the lodge for dinner. Its cold in
Canada eh?!
Episode VI has us doing laps on the longest, fastest high-speed
quad in the
Canadian Rockies. Marmot Basin just installed this lift, rising 2,000’
vertical from base to near the summit. Marmot’s snow was amusingly squeaky
and dry – due to its northern location and 8,570’ summit. After cruising the
lower mountain’s progression from greens to black, we venture up the summit
Knob Chair to find expansive snow bowls. Marmot reminds me of Loveland
Colorado with its above tree line bowls, only with less skiers amid the
1,675 acres and far more stunning peaks.
After our exhilarating day skiing Marmot, we pass elk grazing lazily by the
roadside in the funky frontier town of Jasper. The marmots must be
hibernating.
Episode VII opens with big horn sheep standing in the road on our
way thru
our next park, The Kootenay National Forest of inner British Columbia. We
are all a bit punchy pulling into our fourth ski resort,
Panorama. An
Intrawest resort since 1994, Panorama is the perfect place for our finale, a
well-planned condo resort with outdoor pools, shops, and restaurants all
within walking distance so we can kiss our car goodbye for a few days in the
underground parking.
Panorama is far more condensed and boutiquey than sisters Whistler or Tremblant but the mountain offers up a huge 4,000’ vertical with expansive
groomed resort skiing. We also find some adventuresome off piste terrain in
Founders Ridge and Taynton Bowl, this terrain in the Purcell Mountains was
previously accessed only by heli-skiing.
Lunch at the mid mountain Elkhorn Lodge delivers delicious homemade fare,
trumped only by fantastic views and the host
family’s history in this cozy
1952 cabin. Don Bilodeau’s bear story had the hairs on our collective necks
on end. Skiing seemed tame after that.
Ending our Panorama scene, we enjoy a sophisticated evening at
Earl Gray
Lodge, the “prix fixed” chef’s dinner followed by resort fireworks was
fantastic.
After skiing four famous Canadian Rocky ski resorts and lodging at equally
impressive properties, our family loved the setting of Sunshine, the terrain
of Lake Louise, the light fluffy snow of
Marmot Basin and the resort village
of Panorama. Since you can’t combine these Canadian qualities into one, and
our travels are yet to be televised, I recommend you visit them all for
their remarkable beauty. Alberta claims to be “the sunniest province,” and I
would add “the friendliest”. The Canadian Royal Mounties made our full body
search at the Calgary Airport pleasant, eh?!
