Winter Activities
Many of Banff's myriad walking trails are groomed for winter cross-country skiing, details of which can be obtained in the Nordic Trails in Banff National Park pamphlet available from the town's visitor centre. Favourite destinations include Sundance Canyon, Spray River, Johnson Lake (above Lake Minnewanka) and around Lake Minnewanka itself. You can hire specialist gear from several outlets around town . At a more expensive level, Banff has no heli-skiing of its own, but is the base for the world's largest heli-ski operator, Hans Gmoser's CMH Heli-Skiing, PO Box 1660 (tel 762-7100), who offers package tours to various BC destinations. Other operators include RK Heli-Ski (tel 762-3771 or 1-800/661-6060), who'll take you out to the Panorama area of the Purcell Mountains in BC, and Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing, PO Box 249 (tel 762-5548), will take you further afield in BC to the Monashee and Cariboo mountains. If you want to ice-skate , check out the rinks at Banff High School (Banff Ave), on the Bow River (off Bow St) and the Banff Springs Hotel ; skates can be hired from The Ski Shop, also located in the hotel (tel 762-5333). Snowshoe or ice walks can be arranged through companies based in Canmore, south of Banff, such as Back and Beyond (tel 678-6606) or Michele's (tel 678-2067): beginners are welcome and pick-ups can be arranged in Banff. Thrill-seeking dog-sledders need to contact Howling Dog Tours (tel 678-9588) or Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours (tel 678-4369), who for a rather steep fee (reckon on $100 an hour) will take you on a spin. For less adrenaline-filled sleigh rides on the frozen Bow River, contact Holiday on Horseback (tel 762-4551) for rides to the end of Lake Louise, Brewster Lake Louise sleighrides (tel 762-5454) or Chateau Lake Louise (tel 522-3511 ext 1139). Hotels often provide sledges for toboggan runs, of which there are several unofficial examples around town. Ice-fishing can be arranged through Banff Fishing Unlimited (tel 762-4936, fax 678-8895).
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