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Ski The Canadian Rockies
A little more than a century ago as the world was preparing to greet the 20th century the Canadian Pacific Railway began building lavish hotels in the Canadian Rockies. The result was Banff Springs Hotel, Chateau Lake Louise, and Jasper Park Lodge. To this day this trio of premier resorts remains the crème de la crème, offering faultless service, generous hospitality, the finest in dining and shopping, and the liveliest après-ski entertainment all in proximity to world-class skiing. And all for little more than $100 a day for an all-inclusive week-long ski vacation that includes round-trip airfare and a rental car or transfers. Skican's legendary "Rocky Mountain Express" provides a premium week-long, two-resort holiday that combines a stay at Jasper Park Lodge with three or four days at either Banff Springs or Chateau Lake Louise. Priced from an incredibly low $815, it includes seven nights' lodgings, 7-day car rental (pick up in Edmonton and drop off in Calgary, or vice versa), five-day all-area lift pass, gratuities for hotel baggage handling and housekeeping, all taxes, and round-trip airfare on Air Canada from LaGuardia, Newark, or other east coast cities. Jasper Park Lodge lies in a secluded 1,000-acre wilderness on the shore of Lac Beauvert. Lodgings combine rustic elegance with stunning views and the coziness of a fireplace. A convenient free shuttle whisks skiers to Marmot Basin, about 20 minutes away, known as the best powder ski destination in the Rockies because of its unique location. Superb cross-country skiing is right at your doorstep. Banff Springs Hotel, known as "The Castle in the Rockies," provides stunning ski facilities, as well as ice skating and cross-country skiing with outings such as dog-sledding and visits to glaciers to provide a change of pace for skiers as well as diversions for non-skiers. Après-ski options including soaks in hot tubs, romantic rides on horse-drawn sleighs, shopping expeditions, and visits to local wine bars, rustic lounges, lively nightclubs, and specialty restaurants. Banff alone has more than 40 restaurants. Two ski areas in the Banff area are available, allowing skiers to vary their daily runs. Banff Mount Norquay couples its greatly expanded intermediate terrain with a variety of expert and beginner slopes. Sunshine Village, one of the best-kept secrets in the Canadian Rockies, often is buried under more than 30 feet of natural alpine powder and offers more than 3,100 skiable acres. If it is pure pampering that appeals, check out the Banff Springs Hotel's Solace, a lavish $12-million health-and-beauty spa. It features cascading waterfalls, mineral whirlpools, and indoor and outdoor saltwater pools. Lake Louise is nestled amid some of the most picturesque scenery in the Rockies. In fact, it was rated number one for scenery by Ski Magazine. Ringed by majestic peaks and glaciers, Lake Louise is Canada's largest single-mountain ski area, with more than 4,000 acres of first-rate skiing. It also offers a wide variety of other outdoor activities. You can save even more by treating yourself to an early or late-season holiday at the Banff Springs Hotel or Chateau Lake Louise. Often, you'll find the slopes virtually empty as you enjoy crisp sunny days. An all-inclusive seven-night vacation Nov. 17-Dec. 5 or Apr. 5-30 is priced at $735 from LaGuardia, Newark, or other east coast cities. And just to make sure that even early and late season skiers always enjoy a full measure of skiing, the unique Skican "Snow Guarantee" is available at both Banff and Lake Louise. If skiers fail to experience 2,500 vertical feet of Rocky Mountain skiing, they receive a refund of $365 on lifts and lodging for a 7-day vacation ($265 for a 5-day vacation) and stay and ski for free. For more information, contact Skican Ltd. Photo by Dave Shultz |
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TM
Put together superb white-powder
skiing and fine white-glove service and you have key ingredients to a memorable ski vacation at Canadian
Pacific Hotels' legendary Rocky Mountain Resorts.