Nordic Center in Banff?

Hi folks-

This is a question for the canadians, or those who are
familiar with Banff.

I'm going to be going up to the Banff area the end of
March to do a back-country trip, but it looks like I
will find myself for half a day in the town of Banff
with time on my hands.

My question: Is there a nordic center very close to
the town, ideally within walking distance or served by
public transit, where I could rent skis/boots/poles
and go for a nice skate or stride in the morning? I
will be staying at the Banff Hostel (not sure of the
address). I won't have a car, and I'll need to be
done, cleaned up and ready to go at about 2:00PM, so
if there's a big commute involved it probably won't
work out. But any suggestions (including alternate
attractions and diversions) would be greatly
appreciated.

thanks!
Chris in SLC



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I lived in Calgary a while ago and used to ski up there regularly. Hoever,
having been a local may not help as I never rented a lot of gear and always
had my own transportation.

I don't know for sure, but I would be surprised if the local sports shops
don't rent. I know the sports store in Lake Louise, just up the road and
serviced by a shuttle, rents them, as does the Chateau Lake Louise. Skiing
is better up at Louise, in my experience. There is no nordic centre in
banff, but there is one down the road in Canmore ('88 Olmypics). I don't
know if there is a shuttle to Canmore.

There was a trail (that I never did), Goat Creek I think, that went from
behind Canmore and ended at the Banff Spings hotel. There is a local ski
trail book by Gillian Daffren which I found to be pretty good.

Hope this helps,
-Scott.


"Chris Cline" wrote in message
o.com...
Hi folks-

This is a question for the canadians, or those who are
familiar with Banff.

I'm going to be going up to the Banff area the end of
March to do a back-country trip, but it looks like I
will find myself for half a day in the town of Banff
with time on my hands.

My question: Is there a nordic center very close to
the town, ideally within walking distance or served by
public transit, where I could rent skis/boots/poles
and go for a nice skate or stride in the morning? I
will be staying at the Banff Hostel (not sure of the
address). I won't have a car, and I'll need to be
done, cleaned up and ready to go at about 2:00PM, so
if there's a big commute involved it probably won't
work out. But any suggestions (including alternate
attractions and diversions) would be greatly
appreciated.

thanks!
Chris in SLC



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http://mail.yahoo.com

On 14 Mar 2004, Chris Cline wrote:

Hi folks-

This is a question for the canadians, or those who are
familiar with Banff.

I'm going to be going up to the Banff area the end of
March to do a back-country trip, but it looks like I
will find myself for half a day in the town of Banff
with time on my hands.

My question: Is there a nordic center very close to
the town, ideally within walking distance or served by
public transit, where I could rent skis/boots/poles
and go for a nice skate or stride in the morning? I
will be staying at the Banff Hostel (not sure of the
address). I won't have a car, and I'll need to be
done, cleaned up and ready to go at about 2:00PM, so
if there's a big commute involved it probably won't
work out. But any suggestions (including alternate
attractions and diversions) would be greatly
appreciated.

I don't remember much public transit in Banff, although at least
once the bus from Calgary airport went to Tunnel Mountain road
(where the "new" hostel is). At least once I walked from the new hostel
to downtown Banff and then to the Banff Springs Hotel. If you are lucky
there might be enough snow on the sidewalks to ski part of the distance.

Most of the time ski conditions are MUCH better in Lake Louise than
in Banff.

They MIGHT rent skis at the hostel (or maybe I'm thinking of the
Lake Louise Hostel). There must be shops in town renting skis to
all the Japanese tourists.

From the Banff Springs Hotel there is a very popular trail.
The Spray River (west side) trail is usually 2 classic lanes plus
a skating lane in the middle for the first 6 km. Then it branches off
to the Goat River Trail (I think that was just 2 classic lanes) which
goes to the Canmore area (about 4 km up the road from the Canmore
Nordic Centre).

There is also a trail on the east side of the Spray River but
snow conditions on it seem to be worse than the west side. There
is also an ungroomed trail going from the golf course (beside the hotel)
to Canmore Nordic Center, along the Bow River, but snow conditions
are usually poor on it (and also "post-holed" by ice climbers going
to a frozen waterfalls!)

The "new" hostel must be about 15 years old now. Shortly
after they built it they tore down the old hostel which was
4 km up the Spray River Trail- and only accessable by ski.
It was a nice rustic but cozy experience. I guess I was lucky
to have stayed there before it was removed.

Trail conditions at:

"http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/tcond/cond_e.asp?oPark=100092"
(currently it says fair to poor and icy, but maybe there
will be a late March snowfall)

--

David Dermott , Wolfville Ridge, Nova Scotia, Canada
email:
WWW pages: http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/dermott/

thanks for the replies, and David, thanks for the
weblink.

It sounds like, if I can swing it, the best thing
would be to get a shuttle from the Calgary airport to
Lake Louise instead of Banff, and hopefully there's a
hostel or some other inexpensive lodging in Lake
Louise...

thanks again to all!

Chris

where spring is here in Utah with a vengence-- 60's by
the end of the week!

--- David Dermott wrote:
On 14 Mar 2004, Chris Cline wrote:

Hi folks-

This is a question for the canadians, or those who
are
familiar with Banff.

I'm going to be going up to the Banff area the end
of
March to do a back-country trip, but it looks like
I
will find myself for half a day in the town of
Banff
with time on my hands.

My question: Is there a nordic center very close
to
the town, ideally within walking distance or
served by
public transit, where I could rent
skis/boots/poles
and go for a nice skate or stride in the morning?
I
will be staying at the Banff Hostel (not sure of
the
address). I won't have a car, and I'll need to be
done, cleaned up and ready to go at about 2:00PM,
so
if there's a big commute involved it probably
won't
work out. But any suggestions (including
alternate
attractions and diversions) would be greatly
appreciated.

I don't remember much public transit in Banff,
although at least
once the bus from Calgary airport went to Tunnel
Mountain road
(where the "new" hostel is). At least once I walked
from the new hostel
to downtown Banff and then to the Banff Springs
Hotel. If you are lucky
there might be enough snow on the sidewalks to ski
part of the distance.

Most of the time ski conditions are MUCH better
in Lake Louise than
in Banff.

They MIGHT rent skis at the hostel (or maybe I'm
thinking of the
Lake Louise Hostel). There must be shops in town
renting skis to
all the Japanese tourists.

From the Banff Springs Hotel there is a very
popular trail.
The Spray River (west side) trail is usually 2
classic lanes plus
a skating lane in the middle for the first 6 km.
Then it branches off
to the Goat River Trail (I think that was just 2
classic lanes) which
goes to the Canmore area (about 4 km up the road
from the Canmore
Nordic Centre).

There is also a trail on the east side of the
Spray River but
snow conditions on it seem to be worse than the west
side. There
is also an ungroomed trail going from the golf
course (beside the hotel)
to Canmore Nordic Center, along the Bow River, but
snow conditions
are usually poor on it (and also "post-holed" by ice
climbers going
to a frozen waterfalls!)

The "new" hostel must be about 15 years old now.
Shortly
after they built it they tore down the old hostel
which was
4 km up the Spray River Trail- and only accessable
by ski.
It was a nice rustic but cozy experience. I guess I
was lucky
to have stayed there before it was removed.

Trail conditions at:



"http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/tcond/cond_e.asp?oPark=100092"
(currently it says fair to poor and icy, but
maybe there
will be a late March snowfall)

--

David Dermott , Wolfville Ridge, Nova Scotia,
Canada
email:
WWW pages: http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/dermott/









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For a Hostel in Lake Louise try this link

http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/facility/cac.html

--
Regards

Darrel Newman

6080 Ridgelea Place
Ottawa Ontario
Canada K1C 5P8
Cell 613-276-6294
Tel 613-837-4721
Email
www.flir.com

Go here for the rate info



--
Regards

Darrel Newman

6080 Ridgelea Place
Ottawa Ontario
Canada K1C 5P8
Cell 613-276-6294
Tel 613-837-4721
Email
www.flir.com

I meant to go here for the rate info

http://www.hihostels.ca/hostels/Albe...s/2-139-3.html

--
Regards

Darrel Newman

6080 Ridgelea Place
Ottawa Ontario
Canada K1C 5P8
Cell 613-276-6294
Tel 613-837-4721
Email
www.flir.com