We stayed here during our 2 days in Banff - it was a quick 15 minute drive to the main village (shuttles are also offered by the resort). The coolest thing ever is taking the gondola up to the lodge. Never have I ever taken such a long gondola ride (it's 25 minutes)! And yes the gondola pass is included as part of your hotel stay. Absolutely gorgeous scenery along the way and once at the very top, the lodge is there along with a nice sit down restaurant as well as a decent sports bar/saloon (both open late) . The gondola runs from 8am to 6pm so plan accordingly - if you show up after 6pm you just check in with the front and they have shuttles driving you back up the mountain - it's twisty , turny, dirt road and quite a white knuckle ride lol. Props to the young guy who drove us back one night in pitch black - grateful we didn't go over a cliff! My ONLY complaint is the walkway from the gondola to the lodge is literally GRAVEL. Like big chunks of gravel. Trying to roll our luggage across this was horrible. I'm pretty sure it didn't do my luggage any service either. The crap thing was that several employees saw us trying to pull our luggage and never stopped to help. When I checked in, the front desk was like "oh, there's supposed to be luggage carts to help with that". Nope. There. Weren't. Checking out the lovely guys (one of which was our driver that pitch black night) helped us take our luggage to the gondola. We didn't hike any of the trails up there - but the resort does lead guided hikes. There's also a decent cafe to get some breakfast and a cute little gift shop to get sundries late at night. All in all I would totally stay here again for the experience - just now I know to just run ahead and get help with my luggage! read more

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We were here in the summer and used the lifts to get to hiking areas. Parking is vast so no fighting for space. We took the gondola up and around the mountain to the village area. There are shops and places to refill your water bottles. You can hike from here but we took the ski lift to the lookout area and started our hike from there. The path takes you through meadows, to look out areas and along alpine lakes. We ended up walking back down to the village area to get in a hike just under 5 miles. For fun we took the lift back up and down and saw some mule deer along the way. The village has some educational displays as well as shopping and snacks. The gondola ride is long and provides some great views. We enjoyed this very much. read more

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My brother and I skied for the first time EVER, and we got lessons from Jacob G, who was the absolute GOAT. It honestly felt like a private lesson since it was just my brother and I. Such an incredible instructor and such a great experience overall. Jacob taught us the basics, and when I say basics, he literally showed us how to pick up the skis and latch/unlatch them, how to fasten the ski boots, how to use our sticks to help us adjust our starting position, how to get on and off the ski lift, etc. His tips for the more advanced skills were phenomenal and made all the difference. He taught us the essentials, and I'm so grateful for his knowledge, patience, and kindness! I thought it'd just be a one and done experience, but after receiving lessons from Jacob, I was encouraged, and I am going to try to ski at least once a year. The views from up top were just amazing. Pictures & videos can't do it justice. The snow was thick and smooth. The green course was really fun, but there were some steep parts where I lost control and fell a lot lol, but for my first time skiing, it's chill!! Highly recommend getting lessons if it's your first time. We start off on the magic carpet for the first half of the session and the last half is pretty much all game on the real slopes. We went up twice with Jacob and attempted a third time without him. I was trembling in fear haha. read more

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We had a great time at this resort. We had a 3 day pass for the Big3 and ended up here 2 of the 3 days. It is the one closest to downtown Banff and is big. The staff there are great as we ended up getting a private ski instructor for the kids, which was cheaper than putting them each individually in lessons. We met in the lodge and off they went for a half day. We could see them every now and then on beginner runs or from the chairs. Taking the gondola up from the very bottom was fun, the the express chairs were some of the nicest I've seen. With heated seats, a full shield, and bright colors, it was so fun! The mountain was easy to navigate and there are so many good runs for all skill levels. My favorite is the run where you cross into BC, then back to Alberta on the lift (Great Divide Express). The cafeteria at the top of the gondola is where we ate each day and our meeting point as well. It had good options and was reasonably priced for a high end ski resort. It was never an issue getting a table for our large group of 13. There is a free bus that takes you here from down town and the whole thing is very well run. The staff was great when I accidentally left my phone in the gondola on the way down, they radioed and had it complete the 17 minute round trip and I had my phone again! read more

I had such a blast learning how to ski here!! I did two days of lessons and a solo ski day. I had two instructors each day of my lessons as they rotate everyday. Luca M and Leo, you guys are awesome for teaching me the basics and getting my confidence up to be able to ski by myself during my last ski day. Incredible staff on the slopes as well. After falling and taking a break on the side, a ski patrol was quick to check up on me and suggest other slopes more suitable for my level. Thank you to all the staff for keeping it efficient and safe for us. Also it was a treat starting off the day with the complimentary hot chocolate. The hills are gorgeous and there's so much to explore for all levels. I was mostly on the green hills as a first time skier, and my husband was on blue/black. My husband mentioned that lines were short and quick. There's also a camera that you can take a picture and save after the Wawa chairlift going to meadow park. It was satisfying finishing a ski day, skiing all the way down to the base. It was busy and had a few rocky patches but loved it. It took about 30 minutes to rent my gear. They have a good system going - print out waiver at the computer, pay for rental, get boots and helmet, then ski/snowboard/poles at the end. Boots stink, and I overheard a worker saying she doesn't spray it clean after use. read more

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Awesome ski in and out resort. Amazing powder. Tons of sunshine year round. Sunshine Village is by far better than whistler. You have to take a gondola up to the hotel but you get to stay on the slopes of mountain and ski or board at your convenience when the lifts are open. The powder in susnshine is pristine. I have been going since I was a kid over 30 years ago and I've never had a bad day at the slopes here. The runs do get a bit icy towards the end of the day but the groomers do a good job in the morning to make sure the powder is perfect. Whenever I fall it's on a bunch of powder so it never really hurts here. They have lots ofruns but the main mountain is pretty awesome and fun to keep doing over and over again. It doesn't get boring. There's a little bowl and even a park to do tricks. One of the best places to snowboard in alberta for sure! read more

Beautiful views of the meadows and wildlife via the gondola and chairlifts, access to broad range of trails. read more

Sunshine Mountain Lodge - Meadow and prairie dog at the top. - Ski Resorts Near Me - Banff, Alberta

I did two days at this mountain. I think the one word that describes this is expansive. You have wide open space so it's great for the novice (professional snow plowers) and the intermediate who need the space for the S-curves. One criticism I have that might make you wish you did upper body work out is the "flat areas" and if you're a snowboarder- have fun wiggling through. Sunshine has a range of chair lifts, some with butt heaters, some with enclosures for wind protections. Some with built in conveyor belt. Just a lot of everything. The intermediate runs are not too bad- some rolling hills and some bowl shape options. The black diamond moguls are achievable and there are sections to enjoy some fat powder skis. What's cool is that you do ride into BC for a brief moment on the chair lift. Best place to hit for beginners and intermediate. Best bang for buck out of the three mountains. I did two days here. read more

This place is known for ski season, but I stayed here in the summertime and I loved it! There's so many things to do in sunshine village. If I visit again in the summer, I would spend 2-3 days just here up in sunshine village. If you take the first ski lift up, it will take you to these gorgeous and amazing trails on the other side of the mountain. This place is like a hidden gem! Also would love to go snowboarding here one of these days. The only downside is that the only way to get to your hotel room is via the gondola, which takes between 15-19 mins. Sometimes, the shuttle is available, but will take you atleast 12 mins to get to and from the base of the mountain to the hotel. If you don't have too many plans in Banff and rather hang out at the resort most of the time, then this is the place to be. I enjoyed it and didn't mind the travel time between base and the resort. read more

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Snow boarding, skiing. Doesn't matter what you're doing, it's very good. There's plenty of runs and chair lifts. read more

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My Friend and I made two long distance (from Michigan) trips to Banff Sunshine in one season. The skiing was fabulous, but the real draw was the Friday afternoon volunteer guide. These guides were all different but equally wonderful. There is nothing like getting some history, folklore, lay of the land and direction on the chair lift and slopes. We did not know the area and this service was a true gift. We will be back! FABULOUS! read more

Sunshine Mountain Lodge - Unsurpassed beauty! - Ski Resorts Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Had a blast here. Skied on a Friday and Saturday. Friday was definitely quieter which is good when you are an occasional nal skier like me who rents equipment. The rental process isn't too bad and took about 30mins. They have a good variety of hills. I stick to the green and blue so I can only comment on them. They are nice and long runs and the views are some of the best in the world! there wasn't much fresh snow when we went so the runs were slightly icy, but they did a decent job of grooming so it wasn't too bad. The food at this place is typical ski resort food. Burgers fries, and pizza, all overpriced and just meh. But you aren't here for food are ya? The staff are good and the place is fairly well run. They have a shuttle to take you in if you are gearing up at your car and have parked far away so look out for that. read more

Beautiful location, well worth the ticket price! We hiked most of the day and loved every second. read more

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It's a beautiful mountain but the terrain is a bit weird. Not one of our favorites of the BigSki3. I've rode this resort several times in the past 10 years and I generally prefer Lake Louise over this resort. The chair lifts are not intuitive and it's very easy to get lost. The mountain is medium size, we hit most of the chairs in one day, there's a lot of ungroomed moguls that I generally stay away from. The restaurants are decent, bathrooms are reasonably clean. Overall it's a nice place but Lake Louise is just a prettier mountain and boosts better terrain. read more

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Yet another edit. I definitely would not ski at this hill if there was anything else within a four hour commute that had as much square kilometres and as much height, so unfortunately, I'm stuck with Sunshine, but there are so many things they could improve, including all the things I've mentioned previously, but today's argument is a café inside the sunshine Mountain Lodge called Alpine Grill. Whatever you do plan ahead and never ever ever go there! I've stayed at the hotel on the hill about 12 times and each time I go there I have terrible experiences because the staff are so completely incompetent. There is a male Australian who is helpful, but other than that everybody else are a complete waste of time and Indignant when they are asked to do their job. This is the fourth time that I've gone in there looking for service and got so frustrated after being ignored even though I'm standing right beside the till that after 15 minutes of being ignored, I just leave in frustration. Honestly I would never ever give them another chance but when I'm staying at the hotel it's literally the only place in the building that is open for breakfast and I don't bring a change of shoes so I don't feel like throwing on my ski boots and walking all the way to the cafeteria next-door at 8 AM to look for breakfast........ yesterday's disaster was I showed up around 8 AM. I thought that was more than enough time to grab a $15 breakfast wrap (crappy scrambled eggs and cold home fries inside a burned burrito) which should take them less than two minutes to heat it in the microwave and hand it to me and then I pay and go back upstairs to my room, considering the lifts open at nine. when I showed up there was four people (2 couples) sitting at two empty tables. That concerned me, that even though there was three staff behind the counter, nobody had any food or coffee in front of them, but I took a chance, and stood by the till and politely waited to be recognized, while one Australian girl made coffees for the other two staff behind the counter. The coffee maker is very complicated, and it takes forever. After standing there for 15 minutes and being ignored, I politely cleared my throat to say good morning, and she just said hi...... Not even "I'll be right with you" or anything. then one by one, all four people who were customers -paying customers!- came up to politely ask if she was going to get going on making their coffee because they were all in a rush. She was obnoxious and upset that they were double checking if she was actually doing her job. In the meantime, she served the two coffees to the Sunshine staff in uniforms who said thank you honey, see you in a couple of hours and left without paying. Meanwhile, she still hadn't started on anybody who was a paying customer. By then I'd wasted a half an hour, so I just gave up and went back to my room and skied on an empty stomach. why doesn't management just clean house and fire all this incompetence and start with new quality staff or at least give them all a massive attitude adjustment! I'm sure they're all on visas From Australia, so if it is explained to them that they will be thrown out of the country if the company they work for fires them then maybe they'll actually start doing their jobs! read more

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When I first got to Banff I didn't think I was going to make it to Sunshine Village. I had the other two resorts bookmarked and planned to visit them instead, with a ski class scheduled at Lake Louise for my first time on skis. But, due to a bit of a change up in my plans (a power outage at Lake Lousie) I ended up at Sunshine Village for my first time instead and let me tell you, if I could do the beginner run at Sunshine Village, I'm pretty sure I can do anything. I feel completely confident in my ability to master the beginning hills at our Michigan ski areas, for sure. They'll be a breeze compared to this. I seriously felt like superwoman. But it's not hard when your surroundings are SO stunning. It took about 15 minutes on a gondola just to get to the ski area. And the view is INCREDIBLE. Jaw-droppingly beautiful. I couldn't stop staring out the window. We lucked out and had a sunny, blue-skied day, and it was perfect. You're in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and everything is picture perfect. Snow covered trees, fluffy powder, There are SO many slopes there, with a variety of difficulty levels. Some looked so challenging they made my heart stop just looking at them! As I said, the beginner run was fairly challenging for a newb like me, but it was incredibly fun. The Magic Carpet beginner area is small but helpful as I got used to figuring out how to maneuver, turn, and stop. Amenities here are also nice. There's a fun little shop with cute ski and winter gear, plenty of restaurants and cafes, even some lodging. Parking can be tough but shuttles are easy to catch from downtown Banff, so take advantage of that if you can. FYI most lockers are cash only, so if you want to store your stuff, bring some change! read more

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We came here in August for a day of hiking. We bought a package of the gondola, chair lift, and a two-hour interpretive tour. Everyone was friendly and helpful and our guide, Sara, was amazing. We spent the entire day on the mountain, learning about the wildlife and enjoying beautiful alpine meadows full of wildflowers. We had a delicious lunch, and then did yet another hike before heading back down. This is a hidden gem, especially for those who want to experience mountaintop nature without an entire day's climb. read more

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So glad that we got away from the crowds and paid the hefty price to go up the gondola and chairlift to Sunshine Meadow. Although there are many beautiful lakes, rivers, and trails around Banff, I was blown away by the beauty up at the top. After getting off the chairlift, we were surrounded by peaks in all directions. Just a few minutes from the chairlift was the viewing platform where we looked down onto what could be a painting. It was stunning. We enthusiastically hiked down to the lakes and took tons of photos along the way. I would say it's a moderate hike because the way back can be tiring. But it is so worth it! read more

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Awesome place to ski with good facilities, and decent food options to warm up before the second half of your day. Down in the village the ski rental shops were saying the snow wasn't going to be that great when we went, but they must have really really good snow normally if they thought the snow was just meh when we were up there. If you're from the east coast, you will love the powder here. I have only skied this kind of powder at Alta in SLC and Heavenly in Lake Tahoe in the 90s during and after a whiteout. There are several really great runs at the top. While some of the middle Mountain is lacking coverage, way at the top you can hardly tell which run is which because it's all totally skiable. From greens (which are pretty flat) to black diamonds (steeper but not slick at all due to the powder), there is really something for everyone here. Well, everyone except snowboarders. With bowls and terraces or traverses, and loads of powder, you will need a friend with poles to tow you in a lot of the bottom areas towards the chairs. This mountain has tons of space to spread out across so you don't have to feel cramped. Fresh tracks abound! read more

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Can't wait to visit again! This place is beautiful. The staff was super nice and helpful. I signed up for board lessons as I haven't been in years. I was lucky that there were so few people on the day we wen't and I lucked up and got a private lesson! My instructor was everything! Helpful and patient. Def ask for Philip he's a gem! Loved the grounds. you need to take a gondola up to the area where the lift platform is. The ride can be about 15 mins for the first stop and 25 mins for the last stop. Then you are on the move. They had a pretty good food selection in the cafe as well( spendy but hey it's the mountain). Get a sunshine card! There are perks! We'll def be coming back! read more

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As someone who lives in Quebec where our "mountains" pale in comparison to the Rockies I was so excited to come out to Banff for some skiing. On my first day I hit up Sunshine. It's about 25 minutes from Banff and if you buy your pass with the Big 3 you get access to a shuttle from downtown Banff. If you're not from the area this is the best option to get out to the mountain. Once you get out to Sunshine you have to grab a gondola up to access the ski area and that can take a good 20 minutes so if you have a lesson planned make sure you factor this gondola ride into your timeline when you're planning out your day. On the Sunday that I skied Sunshine the line up wasn't too bad at all and I caught a gondola up quickly. This is considered one of the easier resorts in the area and features a good amount of green and blue runs. The black diamonds are also very doable though some can have lots of moguls. The views at Sunshine are unforgettable. On the day I was here there wasn't a cloud in the sky so I could really take in the Rockies in all their glory. My favourite chair by far was the Great Divide Express. This one will actually take you in to BC for a bit so you can say that you skied two provinces in one day! This lift will also take you to the best views in the entire resort. I could have just spent the day there looking out over the mountains. When lunchtime rolls around there are plenty of options at your disposal. You can either go to one of the proper sit down restaurants on site or grab a quick bite in the cafeteria. I was pressed for time so I hit the cafeteria for a bowl of pho which turned out to be surprisingly good and filling for an afternoon of skiing. As someone who is used to skiing in Quebec skiing here was a real treat. The skiing is more challenging (which is a good thing) and the views are second to none. This place is awesome. read more

Sunshine Mountain Lodge - The Rockies as the backdrop - Ski Resorts Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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A few years back I made my way out west and got a chance to snowboard real mountains for the very first time. It was a totally life-changing experience from the icy east-coast conditions I've grown accustomed to over the years. The heavy scratching of the board as you try to carve downhill on the granular machine created and groomed conditions. Coming to the Big3 for the first time I had the chance to try Lake Louise and wow, what an experience. It was like floating down a hill on a cloud, but despite that it was even more exhausting somehow because you had to work twice as hard to maintain control without any friction at all. Fast forward to this past month when I returned to the Big3 and this time got the chance to tangle with Sunshine Village. WOW. Picture a giant snow filled rocky mountain snowboarding bowl, you'd have Sunshine. Massive connected runs twist and turn all over the beautiful scenery always somehow returning you to the little man made village which sits atop the summit area accessible only via a 20-minute gondola from base camp (parking and main lodge). Conditions were still early season (end of November, early December) but were already vastly better than anything on the East Coast. Fresh powder in the double digits was falling every day/night, so there was never a bad run. The difficulties varied, with a larger proportion being in my comfort zone the Blue Squares. I like these because they're not impossible runs, but still can be difficult and typically are longer than some of their Black Diamond counterparts (steep and fast). The Village they've created with bars, restaurants, lodges and accommodations is also excellent, we really enjoyed taking a breather in the middle of everything and having some variety in what we ate and drank. Big fan of Sunshine, definitely one of my fave ski spots I've ever been to, looking forward to returning again someday! read more

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This was our first ski cation during the 2023 holidays. The lodge was cozy, rustic and very inviting. Loved the staff. Very attentive and professional.​. The ski school was great. Each evening, there are events you can engage with family and new friends. The tobogganing was fun. Excellent hot tub with panoramic beautiful views of the mountains and ski runs. We experienced many firsts and brought the 2024 New Year in with a three courses dinner and a glass of bubbly. Each night, the lodge provides a sweet chocolate gift before bedtime. read more

We had an amazing time skiing today, it was a get a way trip to celebrate my fiancées birthday day. This isn't the first time we've been here but by far the best time. We had whiteout conditions at the start but finished off with amazing blue skies that led to spectacular views. The gondolas were nice and clean, the quad lifts were moving great today and the whiteout conditions led to amazing powder today. Just can't get enough skiing but sadly we had to call it a day. Needless to say we'll be back again! read more

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I picked a great day to come. It wasn't that busy for a weekend and the sun was shining. This is a good ski hill for all levels and there is a lot of mountain to explore. They don't make snow and it was really good conditions for early season. I had bought a ski pass online and had to register it when I got to the hill. They were having some difficulties with their printer and I ended up waiting for 10-15 minutes for their IT to remedy the situation. For the inconvenience, I was offered a $10 gift card to use how I pleased at Sunshine Village. I thought that was more than kind. I didn't go in to try any food, but they have a few options, a food court and a pub type restaurant at the main village. They also have one halfway between at another chair to Goats Eye. It's a good setup. I really enjoy skiing here. read more

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Awesome place. We booked our stay to be at Sunshine mountain lodge and to get there we had to park at Sunshine Village and take the Gondola up... What a great perk to staying in this place, taking a Gondola through the mountains. Plenty of space in the car park, friendly staff and a 20 minute Gondola ride to the top... Can't beat it! Once you're up there then you have access to plenty of chair lifts... If you don't like this place then there is something seriously wrong with you. read more

We were on a short trip to Banff in mid-May, and my husband's co-worker recommended skiing, if it was available. He found this place, and it was such a great experience. It was our first time skiing, and the staff was super helpful and friendly in getting us signed up for some lessons and rental gear. Our instructor, Jennifer, was wonderful. She was so kind, patient, and made learning the basics fun. Plus, we were lucky to be the only two students that day. They even had a bacon eating contest and live DJ that day, which we thought was pretty cool and entertaining. We did not experience any issue and all the areas we visited looked clean and well-maintained. We would definitely return for more skiing and to try out snowboarding. read more

Worst place to stay during summer time. It's my first night here, after a long trip got to the hotel around 10 and they said there will be 25min wait for the shuttle to come get us. The most inconvenient stay EVER. Not to mention is far out from the village and where it's happening. read more

One of our favourite ski resorts, we get to sunshine 10-15 days/yr. The mountain's proximity within the Canadian Rockies makes having snow throughout the winter almost a certainty. There is nothing worse than travelling a (pre-planned) distance to a ski hill only to get there and find no snow or terrible conditions. This generally doesn't happen st Sunshine and the ski season stretches from Mid Nov - May long. I personally prefer Goats Eye as it's usually less busy than the Upper Mountain and there's usually interesting terrain to explore on my snowboard. Goats Eye also has some nice wide open cruisers that my wife and kids enjoy. The only downside to Sunshine is that parking can be an issue, especially if you're arriving late morning, early afternoon. It would be ideal if they could figure out a way to get more parking at mountains base. Otherwise love everything else about this hill!! read more

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This is perfect place for skiing for everyone. Huge choice of slopes, groomed and not groomed. There are also some areas for off track skiing like Delirium zone and Wild West. Lots of rides between trees, lots of places for jumps. There is this long chair lift called Great Dvidie on which you cross the border of Beautiful British Columbia and then finally get back to Sunny Alberta lifting you up to an amazing level of 2700 meters :) During break, there is nice choice of lodges to stay and have something nice to eat. Even getting there half an hour late you can try to find some surprise parking spot near the gondola base station so later at the end of day you can ski down right to your car :) read more

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Sunshine Village is located 15 kilometers Southwest of Banff. This ski area offers ski runs and lifts that are accessed via an eight person high speed gondola, which takes people from the parking lot to Goat's Eye mountain in 10 minutes and to the upper Village area in 18 minutes. There are 10 chairlifts and 107 trails within the alpine valley formed by the three mountains (Mount Standish, Lookout Mountain, and Goat's Eye Mountain) that constitute Sunshine Village. Sunshine Village has 3,358 acres of skiable terrain, a healthy vertical drop, and you can really ski in 2 Provinces here. This place also get a lot of snow and the season sometimes lasts until the long Victoria Day weekend. There's also a slope-side Lodge here, along I've never stayed. Sunshine Village offers terrain for all levels of skiers and boarders. It offers a mix of gentle tree lined beginner slopes, wide open above tree-line intermediate and expert terrain. I love skiing here, and I'm very careful (especially at Goat's Eye), as there's some double black diamond stuff that could get me in trouble very quickly. I also love the beauty of this place and my 1st honeymoon memories, especially with the view of Mount Assiniboine at the distance. read more

Fantastic view of this part of the Canadian Rockies. Sunshine Village ski runs and lifts are accessed via an eight-person high-speed gondola. The gondola takes people from the parking area to Goat's Eye mountain in about 10 minutes and to the upper Village area about 20 minutes. There are 10 chairlifts and 107 trails within the alpine valley formed by the three mountains (Mount Standish, Lookout Mountain, and Goat's Eye Mountain) that constitute Sunshine Village. This place is open into May. All I can say is: Delirium Dive. Don't forget your Avalanche transceiver when you are entering into this area. Enter from Citadel Peak at about 8500ft (2610 meters), and dive into this special restricted area and get Delirium'd. Aside from this special killer zone, I'm not sure the other advance or intermediate runs on this mountain are anything above what you'd see at other N American destinations. However, the view is so nice that the popular American reality television show The Amazing Race 5 was done here.... a bunch of people traversed up the great divide to about 8900ft so we can all watch TV from our couches...yawn....I'd rather have Vodka martini myself rather than snow shoe up that. read more

Sunshine Mountain Lodge - hang on tight for that dive. - Ski Resorts Near Me - Banff, Alberta

It was our first time in Banff and we are so glad we stayed on Sunshine mountain at he Sunsine Mountain Lodge. Even though they are primarily a ski resort, it was such a perfect stay during the summer. You are still able to take the gondola up to the lodge (our favorite part!) and they have daily guided hikes that are in trails right there on the mountain. There are several restaurants that are still open in the summer as well as the pub and hotel store. They had nightly smores and the hot tub was open until 10 PM. All of the employees were very friendly and helped us with the many questions we had. There was a shuttle that went to downtown Banff a few times a day - we didn't use it but it was nice knowing it was there if we needed it! We think this may have been one of our favorite hotel stays and can't wait to visit again in the future. read more

Of the Big3, Sunshine is pretty good. The trails here are great to snowboard and there are plenty of varying levels of slopes to suit pretty much anyone's skill level. The mountain(s) themselves are grand in scale. You probably want to start off on Goats Eye to get warmed up. Goats Eye has lots of Green/Blue runs to get started as well as some Blacks to spice things up. Once you've gotten your legs back under you, you can hop the gondola over to Mt Lookout for the real fun. Mt. Lookout has the famed Delirium Dive as well as their terrain park. This in addition to even more trail runs and Mt. Standish too. The runs on Lookout are a bit more advanced than Goats Eye but even more enjoyable. If the terrain park is your thing, they have a pretty decent one here that will all skill levels. TO wrap the day up, you can head over to Mt. Standish for some longer trails and more laid back tracks. From here, you'll be able to ski back down to the parking lot or head back to the base lodge for some food. Overall, I really enjoyed this place. You'd be better off skipping Norquay since that's only 200 some acres (barely even worth the lift ticket) and heading to Louise or Sunshine for a great time snowboarding/skiing. read more

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Awesome day and perfect weather for boarding trip. We like to go right when the hill opens and park right in the parking lot. Sunshine is awesome as the have the newest gondolas, even ones that are heated! The ski hill allows you to board out all way out to the parking lot. There is the standard overpriced burgers and fries, chicken fingers and cold sandwiches to choose from. The ski hill allows you to bring your own food should you chose and they have lockers available for $2. Great views and best spent with friends to make memories that last you a lifetime. read more

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Now this is a ski resort! The views are spectacular, the snow is great, the lift system is efficient and the crowds are not bad at all. The resort is very spread out and allows skiers to experience many different types of terrain. The gondola ride from the parking lot into the mountains makes for an exciting beginning read more

Sunshine Mountain Lodge - Ski Resorts Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Pros: Excellent chairlift system gives you easy access to all areas. Skis much bigger than its acreage suggests. Beautiful views second only to Lake Louise ski resort. Best ski town (Banff). Cons: several flat areas make it difficult for snowboarders and even skiers. Some chairs / runs are too short. I give this place 4.5 stars. To me its equal to Lake Louise ski resort, just different. We went skiing here 2 days, on 3/26/19 and 3/29/19. Great snow coverage, and excellent grooming. Sunshine Village skis much bigger than its 3,350 acres suggest. The terrain is very accessible as the lift system here is extensive. The terrain varies considerably from one area to another, making the resort excellent for getting a variety of different types of runs (wide open bowls, long cruisers, short black runs, hilly blue runs, etc.). Its so varied and spread out you can discover great under-the-radar chairs that most people don't go on and just lap them all day long. Some of the chairs seemed too short (Wawa, Strawberry), so you don't get as many super long runs that seem like they go on forever. One thing beginner / low intermediates will like is that there are ample runs that are not too difficult. My favorite chair was Goats Eye Express (Raptor run down to Scapegoat run). Also everything off of Great Divide Express was amazing and well groomed. As with Lake Louise, signage for the runs was minimal, and too small to see while skiing by it fast...this appears to be a Canadian ski resort problem as USA resorts have huge, easily readable signs everywhere so you don't accidentally take the wrong run. Stay in Banff and either take the free shuttle here or drive it yourself, as its only a 10 minute drive away. The town of Banff is the best ski town I've ever been to. Tons of bars of all kinds, shops, and restaurants. Beautiful views, friendly staff, nice people everywhere, varied and extensive terrain, I loved this resort and want to come back. read more

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Giving 3 for a neutral review. It is neither good or bad because the gondola hours were closed when we got here during sunset hours and it would have taken us 4 hours for a round trip hike which we didn't have time for. We wish we could have seen this lake views from this summit judging by the pictures it looks amazing!! There is free WiFi here no password protection. The drive to this place after the turn off the main road was fun! I love windy road!! This is either a 7 minute speed limit cruise or a 3 minute rollercoaster experience of a drive. Please be careful! We also encountered a brown bear on the side of the road. We had stopped for a few seconds to snap some quick pictures. read more

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Perhaps as an east coast skier accustomed to short icy trails I'm overly impressed. But for me these long breathtakingly beautiful trails filled with *powder* are literally awe inspiring. Took a 3 hour snow boarding lesson. The instructor was great. He must have been because I was upright the vast majority of the time! The lodge below has awesome snacks and the gondolas are heated and the ride up the slopes quite peaceful and lovely. Can't wait to get back to this winter wonderland. read more

Sunshine Mountain Lodge - Cruising for the first time on a snowboard - Ski Resorts Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Three mountains in one resort which isn't bad for $83 for an adult day pass (or $67 for a half day starting at 12 pm). For non-riders, you can still ride up the gondola and hang out at the lodge for $30. This past weekend when I was there, it wasn't that crowded either particularly since it was Australia Day on Saturday.. or maybe all the local Aussies partied too hard the night before. Snow was good but could still use a little more powder, particularly in the tree areas. Plusses: -Gorgeous scenery! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sunshine-village-banff?select=Sf4SRnHEGgM128N2qezGHQ#Sf4SRnHEGgM128N2qezGHQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sunshine-village-banff?select=VAeJbx1kjoH0h4ctrsFIgw#sIprKguB529jBd4Qi3bzLg -Long runs, and a lot of areas you can drop off out of the groomed trails into the trees. -Lift lines weren't long at all, I hardly waited anywhere. -Sunny at the top! Which I presume is where the name stems from. -The nachos and their hot coffee+baileys+peppermint schnapps (!!) at Trappers bar (next to the Old Sunshine Lodge at the top of the gondola) Deltas: -Because it was pretty windy at the top, some of the groomed runs were fairly thin so unfortunately you may run over quite a few rocks. -A lot of the lifts take a loooong time (Angel Express, Tee Pee, Goats Eye, etc.) like about 12-15 min so you may freeze your bums off on the way up. -Some of the tree area in Goats Mountain is super thick and steep so I had to go really slow to stay careful. http://www.yelp.com/writeareview/biz/fJIsGcXcCnvfqBPoXOdv0Q?return_url=%2Fuser_details%3Fuserid%3DKxVf5jFIA_1Yk0nnLMq6mA -Delirium dive wasn't open, or I couldn't figure out how to get there lol. Trail map: http://www.skibanff.com/sunshine-village/trail-maps/ If you're more advanced I would suggest: 1. Warm up with Lookout Mountain (ride the gondola all the way up) -If you go towards underneath the Angel Express lift, there's a fantastic area to drop off into some tree areas. It's fenced off but there are 2 really small openings for you to get through. -Then stay towards your right and you'll go into the thick of the trees and then you'll come up to Tee Pee lift. Take that up (it takes you next to where the Angel Express lift drops you off) and repeat. 2. Later on move onto Goats Eye Mountain using either the gondola or ride up Tee Pee or Angel Express lifts and keep going to your right past the Wolverine Express) -Knock yourself out with all the different runs. I dropped off the trail into the trees at so many different points, unfortunately I can't pinpoint specific recommendations. The trees do get very thick as I mentioned earlier, and also Gladerunner and Freefall are very moguly if that's what you're into. read more

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