I had a blast doing the Via Ferrata here at Norquay. My running group company booked this adventure as an excursion on our trip to Banff. The Via Ferrata (Italian for the Iron Path) has five different types of adventure tours: Explorer, Ridgewalker, Alpinist, Skyline and Summiteer. Each of these trails cater to all different types of skill levels. My travel company booked the Explorer package for our group which is 1 km (3,280 feet) in distance and lasts just over 2 hours. The views are breathtaking and I really enjoyed doing my first Via Ferrata. You can see one of the coolest looking mountains Mount Rundle in the distance while on the trail. Mount Norquay has a rich ski culture that goes back to the early 1900s. It lies directly northwest of the Town of Banff and is one of Banff National Park's three major ski resorts. The mountain has a top elevation of 6,998 feet. The main chair lift is one of the oldest lifts in North America and has been providing riders with views of the Bow Valley since 1948. Mount Norquay Ski Resort is operated by Norquay Mystic Ridge Ltd. Norquay has a total of 60 runs and is a huge supporter of alpine ski racing. The Mount Norquay Via Ferrata is located in Banff National Park. We had a great guide that took us up the sheer rock wall and across the suspension bridge. I initially was a little nervous, but felt safe the whole time with the harness that attaches to the mountain's steel cable pathway. Those cables can hold a ton of weight. Anyone without rock climbing experience can do this. Before we started our climb, our guide went over all of the safety rules and let us do a practice run on a short wall before we headed up the chair lift. Norquay Via Ferrata offers complimentary hiking boots if you forgot to bring some and has a bistro and snack bar if you are hungry. The Norquay Via Ferrata is a must if visiting Banff National Park. read more

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The best experience we have ever gone into blindly. Very well curated guided experience, great condition equipment, amazing and funniest guide. We had lot of fun with the Ridgewalker hike/climbing we did. Worth every dollar we spent on it. It was safe and the instructions were clear, concise and easy to follow. The work that goes into maintaining those trails is very much unknown and underappreciated. So thank you! read more

Norquay Via Ferrata - Hiking Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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My girlfriends and I went to Banff for a girls trip. As one of our excursion adventures, we decided to hike/climb Banff's Via Ferrata. It was definitely one of our favorite adventures of the trip. Matt, our guide was fantastic! We climbed as a group of eight and it had absolutely amazing views! We chose to take the 2 1/2 hour explorer hike, which was just right for our varied group skill levels. He had an absolutely fabulous time! I would highly recommend! read more

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If you enjoy adventurous hikes and fantastic views - Noquay's Via Ferrata is it! The experience is fantastic, the climbing is akin to a ladder. This was the highlight of my stay in the Banff area. Check-in at the main lodge. The guide will round up your group and give an orientation talk and you put on the climbing gear before heading up on the nearby chair lift. At the top of the chair lift you get to practice using the double carabiner system on some cable at the practice wall. Then your group will head out on your route! Your guide is well trained and equipped - they stay in touch with each other over the radio and share info about wildlife spottings and the weather conditions. If a storm cloud is approaching, your guide may encourage you to keep moving along. Dress in layers as the website advises. Canadian Rockies' weather can change in an instant. Round out your time there with a meal at the restaurant at the top of the chairlift (where you return from the climb/hike and return the harness gear). The food was quite good there and we also saw several Big Horned Sheep and a black Bear from the restaurant. read more

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Skyline Route It was a fun outting and our guide was talkative and friendly. I didn't give it a 5/5 because I was hoping for a bigger adrenaline rush. It had 1-2 scary parts, some parts where clipping in didn't feel necessary. Overall wish that there had been more obstacles, and less rest time. It was nice to enjoy the views and snacks/water we brought with us. But probably could've been a bit of a faster day if we didn't break for as long (but we did have a group of 8) Going down the mountain back to the lift is the least fun part. Wish there was a way to repel down the mountain back to the lift and save our legs! Overall it was fun, probably family friendly, you just need to have some strength to get thru certain parts. I never felt unsafe or scared of the height read more

Norquay Via Ferrata - Heading up the mountain - Hiking Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Wow! If you are looking for an Alpine adventure, then this will certainly satisfy your desires to emulate those who really do this high adrenaline sport. Everything is organized & informative which makes for a great first impression. Groups are divided based on the trail you chose. I signed up for the Ridgewalker. It's a bit intimidating when you begin for those that have zero rock climbing experience like myself. You can easily gain confidence as you traverse the mountain securely attached to a cable the entire ascent. Our guide, Irene, was awesome. She encouraged everyone and made sure our pace was comfortable for everyone. It was a phenomenal experience that definitely should be on any adventurer's list for excitement in Banff. Bravo Mt. Norquay staff!! Thank you read more

Norquay Via Ferrata - Hiking Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Best experience of our lives! We did the ridgewalker tour with Luke as our guide, who was amazing! Such an awesome experience. Worth every penny. We will never forget this and look forward to finding new via ferrata experiences closer to home too! read more

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Despite my fear of heights, my curiosity drives me out of my comfort zone often and I want to venture to places outdoors that people normally don't see. The Via Ferrata at Mt. Norquay accomplishes that sense of wonder on multiple levels: Explorer (2.5 hrs), Ridgewalker (4 hrs), Skyline (5 hrs), and the Summiteer (6 hrs). My friends and I took the Summiteer because we always like a good challenge and wanted to reach the tippity-top of Mt Norquay, right?! Dave was our fearless, (but safe!), leader who helped us embark on our journey up Mt Norquay. He has decades of experience rock climbing, mountaineering, and working on ski patrol among other things so we were definitely comfortable in his hands. You start with getting fitted for gear, then, a short little jaunt up the ski lift, followed by "how to clip in to cables and climb" instructions. It's pretty straight forward and not technically complicated at all. You always have two quick draws attached to the cable that are designed to handle falls, and our entire 6 hour tour, none of us even had to worry about it! The beginning part felt like safe scrambling while being clipped into cables combined with hiking. We didn't really start getting vertical until the famous ladder. Yes, there is a random ladder in the middle of the climb where you face away from the rock. It's a beautiful view! During the Summiteer Route, you will encounter 3 suspension bridges. The first is a regular one, the second is one you walk sideways (one cable shuffling your feet sideways below and one high for your hands), and the third one reminds me of tight rope walking but there are two higher cables for your hands and your clipped on a cable on both sides. This 3rd bridge you cross twice (double wink and smile!) I've been rock climbing on and off since about 2000, but like the description says, no rock climbing experience needed. I agree with this statement, but the Summiteer Route is the longest one, and if you're afraid of heights, that's a long time to be stuck on the mountain. However, my friends and I absolutely loved our guide Dave and the Summiteer Route. We got a bit of an adrenaline rush, had amazing views of several summits, and even encountered some curious wildlife - mountain goats. Those goats did cause some rocks to fall above us but luckily our helmets protected us! I highly recommend trying the Via Ferrata out. read more

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By far the best experience I've had! Our guide was funny, helpful and so kind! He made everyone feel safe and comfortable! I would highly recommend the Via Ferrata on Mt Norquay! read more

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I wish I could give this experience 10 stars. I climb indoors pretty often but Doing this Via Ferrata climb outside in the beautiful Canadian summer day was epic. it was a whole new experience that I cannot wait to do again! From start to finished this company didn't cease to amaze! We did the 6 hour climb that includes lunch at the summit and a snack tray back at the base. ( I am Vegan and since the included sandwiches and meat tray were out of my diet The employees including Chloe at the cliff house made food special for me) THANK YOU SO MUCH IT IS APPRECIATED! Dave was an amazing Climb guide!(I want this guys job. ) He pointed out mountain goats along the way and made sure the whole group was comfortable and safe. My advice if you are even contemplating doing the 6 hour summit trip you should the views are phenomenal and the experience will blow your mind. Plus it is safe read more

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Cool chair lift, no wait in late September (though bring a coat!). The tea house at the top is excellent and totally worth it!

Via Ferrata at Norquay was the best decision I made!! This adventure is perfect for the thrill-seeker in you. There are different levels of intensity so it is perfect for everyone! I did the 4-hour Ridgeline Tour (because the more intense ones were closed for the season). I would highly recommend this to everyone going to the Banff area, except in the winter when it is closed. Our October trek had snow on the trail which made it that much more intense. Katsu is a phenomenal guide and worked closely with those who were having more trouble on the tour. If you are still reading, it means you are highly considering this, and you have made the smart choice. Now you just need to sign up!!! I cannot say enough about this awesome adventure. YOLO!! read more

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Beyond amazing experience, and one of the coolest things we've ever done! In June 2018 my husband and I went on the Summiteer 6-hour route with guide Robbie. There were 8 of us climbing with our guide, and by the end we were all good friends! I waffled about which climb to do, as there were plenty to choose from. Route Options were: $149 Explorer (2.5 hours), $199 Ridgewalker (4 hours), $249 Skyline (5 hours), $299 Summiteer (6 hours). We decided if we were going to do it at all, we might as well go big - so I signed myself and my husband up for the Summiteer route! We met at the lodge a little before 9am, to go over safety precautions, get our climbing gear (helmets, harnesses, etc), lunches, and get ready to head up. After suiting up, our first foray was to get on the chairlift (which was alarmingly steep!) up to the ski house. There, there are some rudimentary climbing areas where we each tried out how to clip in/out under the watchful gaze of our fearless leader. After that, it was climb time! I had done extensive research about what was to come on our climb, so I knew what was in store for us. My husband hadn't and even said he's glad he didn't know in advance! Keep that in mind, and read this next part at your own discretion. :The first part of the hike was more of a climb uphill, following rock steps and steep hills before getting to the cable bit. Once you clip in, it's a scramble of sorts until reaching the ladder. I've seen photos of this so knew what was in store. The scariest part was getting ON the ladder, not necessarily climbing up (although it's kinda discerning climbing up and looking out at nothingness!). :After the ladder, we encounter 3 suspension bridges during the climb. Despite being clipped in the entire time, the adrenaline definitely gets pumping when you see these bad boys. The windy mountain air also makes these super fun. ::The first bridge was a wire beam crossing - which was basically 2 wires (one for hands, one for feet) and you shuffled sideways while taking in the amazing views. Scary, but it's relatively short and it's over pretty quick. :: The second encounter was the wooden suspension bridge - a plank-type bridge (which felt like it spanned 75 feet) that swayed heavily with the wind. This was the longest to get across, and therefore kinda the scariest. You're still clipped in here, but I didn't stop to take a look around. ::The third bridge, which - lucky us, you get to cross twice - was the one I was dreading. A three-wire suspension bridge, which you tight-rope walk across, struggling to remember to breathe. Holding onto the wires, you feel like you have more control on this one, but there's a big old bunch of NOTHING underneath you - that really puts a fire in your step. The second time, it was a bit easier, especially knowing it was the last obstacle, but after conquering this one, I felt so victorious. I've gone rock climbing at a rock gym here and there - but not an avid rock climber at all - good thing no experience is needed for this! The heights thing is tricky - it's a long time up there and you can't turn back. I was definitely getting the 'Elvis Leg' as Robbie called it *shaky legs*, but really glad we signed up! We almost had to turn back right before the summit, as clouds were looming ahead. Robbie, our well informed guide, was using all his tools to determine whether it was safe or not - radioing to groups ahead of us, and base camp, checking the Ammeter reading (I think that's what it was called?), etc. He ultimately decided to let us up to the summit, and SO glad he did! We didn't actually get hit with rain until we were heading down back to base on the chairlift after it was all over! Our guide took pictures of us during the climb, and promptly shared them with us the next day! We also did our best to take photos of each other while climbing, and shared them amongst our group afterwards too! Don't forget to bring cash for your guide at the end!! We had just gotten to Canada the day before and hadn't hit the ATM. I still feel remorseful we had ZERO cash on us - Robbie did an amazing job! *Full disclosure, we're love hiking, and exploring, but are by NO means adventure junkies or the sorts of people who jump out of airplanes for fun - we were nervous doing some of the things on this tour, but LOVED every second of it! read more

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I think that all the positive reviews are fake or they are people who, just when you get to the top of the mountain enjoy the views this is not real Via Ferrata please save your money for another Experience and the Canadian Rockies 60% of the trail does not require you to be cabled only the very beginning. it is way over priced I've done view from that in many locations. This should not have been priced at more than $60-$70 and the people are nice. The views are spectacular but you don't need to pretend that you are being cabled to the mountain. I would never do this again read more

My husband and 13 year old daughter completed the 4 hour adventure and LOVED it. They entertained us that evening at dinner with great stories about the climb. Their guide was knowledgeable, helpful and calm. Overall, an incredible experience and father/daughter afternoon of bonding on the side of a mtn. The only miss was that we only received 3 pictures of the climb. Their guide took many more but had phone trouble and only emailed the 3 pics. My husband would've taken more himself had he known. Super bummer since it was such a picturesque excursion. read more

I waited a day to make this review to make sure I had time to think about what I wanted to say and not just react. My son and his girlfriend climb and have done several via ferratas and climbs. We decided while on this trip we would do the via ferrata for his birthday. We signed up for the 6 hour tour and met our guide Olivia. She asked if anyone was afraid of heights I said I am. She said can you climb a ladder without getting scared I said yes and I plan to conquer my fear of heights today on my sons birthday. Well that set the tone for the day...unfortunately. She told me to go behind her so she could help me. We barely got up one area and she was already on the radio trying to get rid of me as she said I was taking too long. We had to have a guide for this via ferrata but I received more guidance from my son, his girlfriend and my husband. Olivia was racing up the mountain so she could get on her radio instead of giving me a few pointers. She defeated me before I could defeat myself so when she said she was going to send me down with another guide I gladly accepted. Not that I had a choice as she had already called someone to come get me. I begged my son and his girlfriend to continue on which they did but it took me pushing and all they heard the whole trip was do you think your mom could've done this or could she have done that instead of just letting them enjoy their climb. Brandon met my husband and I and guided us down. Actually guided us. I learned more from him in the first 5 minutes than I did the whole hour or less with Olivia. Brandon was amazing and I thanked him for his time and guidance. They did lower our price but we still paid for a 4 hour tour and were lucky to get two. The lunch was included in the original tour so we were able to eat that on the chairs at the top of the lift while we waited for our son and his girlfriend. If you want to have pre-requisites on your tours you should really put that on your website. I've read other reviews where someone afraid of heights did the summiteer tour and the guide was amazing so I think that was the issue here. read more

I purchased $100 worth of snow tubing tickets that had a May expiry. Due to COVID-19 these couldn't be used; however, there's no offer of refund from this ski resort on their web site, nor did they respond to an email I sent to them asking about reimbursement options. I won't be spending any of my money in the future on Banff Mount Norquay. read more

Via Ferrara was Awesome are guide was Logan and he was great and very helpful highly recommend this.