Experience Banff at Its Best Before the Crowds
As winter fades into spring, a rare opportunity emerges to enjoy of one Canada’s best natural locales without the masses.
Geoff Nudelman
Two Jack Lake was where it happened.
A casual morning drive along the Lake Minnewanka loop in Banff National Park turned into one of those trademark, ethereal moments you see in car commercials where the outdoors leave you breathless.
The morning shimmer had just begun to illuminate the still-frozen expanse across Two Jack’s own lake near Minnewanka and for a moment, it was just me, the mountains and the mountain goats licking the salt off the road.
Geoff Nudelman
Much like the States, Canada’s national parks are most popular when just about everything is accessible in summer or in winter when snow sports tend to be at their best. However, the small slice on the calendar, late April through early June — “Shoulder Season” — is special in its very own way. You’re immersed in a wintry landscape that has begun to thaw and even a couple bluebird days, which are nothing short of brilliant.
Banff is among Canada’s busiest national parks for good reason. It’s a 90-minute drive from Calgary, there’s something for everyone and it’s just downright beautiful. This means summer is jam-packed with RVs and tourists that really detracts from the whole “serenity and nature” thing when you’re competing with the hordes for a reset.
It’s the eastern gateway to the Canadian Rockies with three other national parks as neighbors: Kootenay, Yoho and Jasper. Canada’s “Powder Highway” ski refuge lies just a little further west.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer number of options within Banff. 2,564 square miles of rocky glory can lead to sensory overload if you’re not careful. Perhaps the best way to tackle the Banff and Lake Louise area is to pick a chunk and sink your teeth in. You’ll find that the region is best discovered within its details.
Geoff Nudelman
The park’s namesake village is the most logical place to start. The small town center has all of the usual suspects: great breweries, a range of food options and a scaled, but vibrant nightlife along Banff Avenue. Alberta’s craft beer and spirits scene really took off after a 2013 mandate was removed on production minimums, paving the way for small batch companies to produce and sell products.
Park Distillery is the area’s shining example with a top-notch lineup of rye-based spirits in a warm, inviting setting rounded out with a rotisserie-based menu. Have the charred meat of your choice, then take home a bottle of gin.
After spending the evening exploring the town, you’ll want to hit the ground running the next morning. There’s no better way to do that than taking advantage of one of North America’s longest ski seasons at Sunshine Village, just a quick drive from the village. This particular year, Alberta saw snow well into April, priming Sunshine’s mountain for some spectacular spring skiing and snowboarding.
Geoff Nudelman
Sunshine’s backcountry is equally captivating on a bright, sunny day (just don’t forget solid sunglasses and sunscreen). My afternoon guide from White Mountain Adventures explained how “corn snow” develops as it melts irregularly on top and packs solid underneath for a challenging, yet rewarding snowshoe. (In spring, backcountry runs are pristine and wide open too.)
During these moments of exploration and discovery, the Continental Divide unfolds before your eyes. It’s a stunning vista not quickly soaked in. On this crystal clear day, the peaks rose like a greeting to the expansive wilderness that taunts and invites from a distance.
The local tourism board’s motto is currently one word: alive. Perhaps they meant the physical environment itself, but really it’s the transcendence you’ll feel once you’ve become desensitized to all of the beauty around you. You’ll find that one little glimpse of nature that’ll truly bring you to life. Any of the lakes, peaks or ridges can do it and you’ll certainly know when it does.
Make the effort to get out there in that sweet spot before the summer crowds hit. Because once you feel that moment of clarity, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to get here.
