Calgary Area

Calgary

Calgary is essentially Denver’s northern sister city. Flat as all can be and then boom the Canadian Rockies. Now Calgary isn’t as nestled up to the mountains as Denver is but it sure is close. But what is nestled up too is breathtaking. You have Banff, Kootenay, Glacier, and more all within a reasonable drive. Being that far north and more inlet, expect Calgary weather to be cold and winter conditions for a lot of the year. There is plenty of water around the area that can provide some outdoor activities such as Bow River, Elbow River, and many small lakes.

Banff

Take Highway 1 west of Calgary and you will end up in spectacular Banff. The town itself has a ton to do with bars, shopping, restaurants, you name it. The scale of the Canadian Rockies there is something to behold! We’ve all seen the famous photos from Banff National Park, especially the one of Moraine Lake. Look it up, you’ll recognize it. Banff acts as a perfect jumping spot to explore all the breathtaking wilderness around the area. You can easily drive to scenic views or go deep into the wilderness. There aren’t any mountain resorts connected to Banff but everything is a short drive away. One of the closest ones is Sunshine Village. I went there about 5-6 years ago and the mountain is great but man we caught it on one of the coldest days I have ever skied. Pack warm for the Canadian Rockies, the cold can be no joke. You also have Mount Norquay there too. I never made it there but I’m sure you can’t go wrong there either. The whole area is incredible.

Lake Louise

Another iconic area. Lake Louise is the backdrop to the famous Fairmont Château Lake Louise. That place is very posh but definitely worth it, so if you want a mix of the high life and then getting down and dirty in the wilderness, that is the place to be. Right across is Lake Louise mountain resort. I went there also during our little Banff to Revelstoke trip and the place is great! Amazing terrain and we also lucked out some fresh snow overnight. The backside has some challenging runs. Lake Louise isn’t too far down the road from Banff so they could be considered the same area but you really can’t go wrong with any outdoor activity in that area.

Kicking Horse

Cross into British Columbia and through Yoho National Park you’ll end up in Golden along the Columbia river. That is the main town at the bottom of the valley for Kicking Horse. Kicking Horse resort is a no messing around resort. During the winter there are some serious lines that can get you into trouble if not done properly. Like any resort, there are easier runs but Kicking Horse is definitely geared to the experienced. That whole valley is surrounded by just large and in charge mountains. Right past Kicking Horse, you start to enter into Glacier National Park of Canada and wow. I remember driving through that on the way to Revelstoke looking like an idiot with my mouth open the whole time. All these areas are definitely a must see.