Banff’s Sunshine Village is the oldest ski resort in Canada and the highest in the Canadian Rockies (2,729m). Spread over three peaks, Sunshine Village boasts over one hundred runs consisting of tree-lined pistes, awesome cliffs, chutes and gullies, and wide-open bowls. Snowboarders have both natural and man-made terrain parks and half-pipes.

Facilities at the resort are centred in the day lodge with its ski/sports shops, delicatessen and childcare facilities, and the overall ambience of Sunshine Village resort is one of blending in with the beautiful surroundings. Resort accommodation is in the Sunshine Inn, with its 85 rooms; while the bulk of the main-stay lodging is in Banff and nearby Canmore.

The 107 trails at Sunshine Village are divided into 20 per cent beginner, 55 per cent intermediate, and 25 per cent for advanced and expert level snowboarders and skiers. Although most of the terrain is for intermediates, the Delirium Dive is a must for experts. Twelve lifts, including a high-speed cable car, provide access to the slopes, with a longest run of 8.1kms. The natural and man-made terrain parks will keep snowboarders happy, and there are also plenty of cross-country skiing trails.

Sunshine Village ski resort has a host of other winter activities and facilities available, including: heli-skiing and sightseeing, snowcat rides, ice-skating, ice-fishing, dog-sledding, sleigh riding, ice-climbing, mountaineering and children’s programs. National Park tours and visiting the hot springs are also worthy endeavours. For après-ski, the day lodge has a restaurant and bars; while Banff is loaded with boutiques, bars, pubs and two nightclubs.

The mid-November to late May ski season at Sunshine Village has abundant snow throughout, with the ultimate conditions from late January to early March. Discounts are available for the very young and senior visitors. A combination of flying to Calgary International Airport and taking the Airporter shuttle bus to Sunshine Village is the most practical travel option for getting here; the shuttle bus leaves every two hours.