After a ski trip to SkiBig3 in the Banff area, there’s a lot I wish I knew prior to visiting each resort. So, here’s a first timer’s guide to SkiBig3 with everything you need right in one spot! You’ll find how to get to each resort, where to ski, and where to eat.
What is SkiBig3?
There are three resorts to ski in the Banff area: Lake Louise, Banff Sunshine, and Mt. Norquay. Tickets for all three resorts are purchased through SkiBig3. One ticket covers all resorts, so we purchased a 2-day ticket and skied one day at Lake Louise and one day at Banff Sunshine.
We spent a long weekend in the Banff area in late February for a ski trip with a group of friends and here’s your guide to SkiBig3 to get the most out of each ski day!
Our group’s ski levels range from intermediate to expert, so including tips for both these levels.
Guide to SkiBig3: Purchasing tickets and rentals
We brought our own gear, but some of our friends rented. Rentals and tickets for each of the resorts can be done through the SkiBig3 website in advance.
You can then pick up your rentals at a Ski Big 3 Hub in Canmore or Banff, or directly at the resort. You can get your tickets here too! It was incredibly convenient. We were even able to pick up at one location and drop off in another.
Bonus tip: SkiBig3 is also included in the Mountain Collective and Ikon passes!
Related post: The ultimate guide to planning a Banff ski trip (including where to stay, eat, and other things to do!)
Lake Louise
How to get to Lake Louise ski resort
Lake Louise Resort has a very large parking lot. We rented a car and had ski gear with us, so opted to drive and park. Driving is what the employees at the SkiBig3 hub recommended, and it was a very slick process with parking attendants guiding you where to go. The lifts open at 9, we got there at 9:30 and had no problem getting a spot.
Included in your SkiBig3 ticket is free shuttle service from Canmore, Banff, and Lake Louise. A great option of you don’t want to deal with parking or walking too far in all your gear!
Where to ski at Lake Louise
Lake Louise is one of the largest ski resorts in North America with over 4,400 acres. The runs are long and the layout is great especially if you’re with a group with varying abilities. There’s beginner, intermediate, and expert runs down from every chair. We skied here on a powder day, so didn’t have much visibility, but the snow was great! The lines were always short here, even on a powder day.
Front of the mountain
If you love to ski trees, this is the best resort for it. From the base we took the Glacier Express lift to the Top of the World lift. Once at the top, you can either take Helen’s (black) or Homerun (blue) before cutting skiers left to the Flight chutes (blacks) or Eagle Flight (black). There’s a lot of really fun trees to ski through in these areas. Next, there’s plenty of different levels to get you back to the base or to Whitehorn Bistro where we had lunch.
Back of the mountain
Another favorite spot is the bowls on the back of the mountain. With the weather on the day we visited, Paradise lift, and specifically Paradise Bowl, offered the best skiing. The Pika Trees here were also a blast! Saddleback is a great green run from the same lift, so everyone in our group loved this area.
Where to eat at Lake Louise
Whitehorn Bistro
A guide to SkiBig3 isn’t complete without food recommendations. I had the best meal I’ve ever had on a mountain at Whitehorn Bistro. Located halfway up the front side of the mountain, you need to ski in order to get here (follow my instructions above for my recommendation!)
Craft cocktails, local beer, and wine are served here, along with fondue, starters, and upscale entrees. Food is farm-to-table, and we took our server’s recommendation and ordered the pan-fried chicken supreme and pappardelle au poivre. Both were so delish!
While our snow day didn’t give the gorgeous views this spot is known for, it was such a cozy spot for lunch! Reservation is recommended unless you want to wait 45 minutes +.
Temple Lodge
Temple lodge is the other on-mountain dining option located on the back side of the mountain. Here you will find a cafeteria, Sawyer’s nook for a sit-down experience (with fondue!), and Temple Cantina located on the patio and opens in March.
Eat at the base
The base has lots of options from casual dining, to sushi, coffee, and apres ski gatherings. Something for everyone!
Banff Sunshine
How to get to Banff Sunshine
Banff Sunshine is the closest ski resort to Banff. It has less parking than Lake Louise, but the employees at the SkiBig3 Hub still recommended to drive. The lifts open at 9 and we arrived at 9 and easily got a spot in the lot. If you arrive after the lots are full, you can still park on the road leading up to the resort and free shuttles will pick you up and drop you back off. If you’re planning to arrive after 10, I would recommend taking a free shuttle from Canmore or Banff instead of driving, as they road got really full.
Taking the gondola
To get to Sunshine Village, you must take a 20 minute gondola. The line goes really fast and 8 people can fit per gondola. There’s technically 3 mountains to ski here, so if you want to ski Goat’s Eye Mountain, get off at the first gondola stop. This is where you’ll find the most challenging and steep runs.
Where to ski at Banff Sunshine
The second and final stop on the gondola brings you to Sunshine Village. This is where you’ll find lifts to Lookout Mountain and Mount Standish. We spent most of our day here!
Lookout Mountain
On Lookout Mountain, we loved the Great Divide Express chair lift which brings you to some great alpine skiing above the tree lines at 8,900 feet. You’ll get the best views of the valley up here, it’s absolutely gorgeous!
Mount Standish
On Mount Standish, you’ll find quicker runs, but more trees to explore. This is also where the magic carpets are for ski school. We spent a lot of time on the Strawberry Express chair and the Standish Express Quad and loved finding different and fun runs down in the natural terrain!
Pro tip: Skip the gondola to bring you back to the base at the end of the day. Instead, ski down the Banff Ave green run. It offers incredible views!
Where to eat at Banff Sunshine
Chimney Corner
We made a reservation at Chimney Corner which is located in Sunshine Village (the last stop of the gondola). They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all complete with craft cocktails, beer, and wine.
We visited for lunch where there’s bowls, salads, sandwiches, and pizza on the menu. I ordered the quinoa power bowl and it was great! The views here can’t be beat either – it was so fun to look over the village. Make sure to make a reservation if you want to dine here, as the waits were long without one. If you take one thing away from this guide to SkiBig3, it’s that you should make reservations.
Mad Trapper’s
Mad Trappers has a retro-lodge vibe and is located right in the heart of Sunshine village. It’s a casual spot that’s great for a meal, but especially great for Apres. Definitely try the poutine if you come here! And if the weather allows it, grab a drink or snack after your ski day outside on the picnic tables.
Other food options
There’s many other restaurants at Sunshine Village, including grills, coffee, and ramen options. Everything is very close together and easy to get to.
Mt. Norquay
Mt. Norquay is the only resort we didn’t ski, but a guide to SkiBig3 needs to have it included! We heard time and time again that the locals love it here. We heard that it’s the steepest of the mountains, and some said it was the most technical. It’s smaller, which also brings less people. Included in your ticket at Mt. Norquay is snow tubing, which is fun for all ages, but especially kids!
This first timer’s guide to SkiBig3 should prepare you for everything you need to know to have a day at each resort. We hope to visit again soon with our kids and check out Mt. Norquay!
Related post: The ultimate guide to planning a Banff ski trip
