If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
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 __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - More reliable, more storage, less spam http://mail.yahoo.com |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Nordic Center in Banff?
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 __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - More reliable, more storage, less spam http://mail.yahoo.com |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Nordic Center in Banff?
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/ |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Nordic Center in Banff?
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/ __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - More reliable, more storage, less spam http://mail.yahoo.com |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Nordic Center in Banff?
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 www.flir.com |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Nordic Center in Banff?
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 www.flir.com |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Nordic Center in Banff?
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 www.flir.com |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Unlimited Nordic Skiing DVD | amazon_distribution | Nordic Skiing | 1 | December 8th 03 04:47 PM |
Avalanche Center Fall Update | Avalanche Center | General | 0 | October 9th 03 05:23 PM |
Avalanche Center Fall Update | Avalanche Center | Snowboarding | 3 | October 8th 03 08:42 PM |
Avalanche Center Fall Update | Avalanche Center | European Ski Resorts | 0 | October 8th 03 07:54 PM |
Avalanche Center Fall Update | Avalanche Center | North American Ski Resorts | 0 | October 8th 03 07:54 PM |