WinterStart 2008

WinterStart – it’s all anticipation.

As the snow has begun to fall in Banff National Park the landscape is becoming a virtual winter wonderland. The sprawling wilderness of green pine trees are topped by tufts ofsnow, wildlife tracks trace through the white forest floor and people are getting excited about the upcoming season. Residents of Banff and Lake Louise embrace the start of winter, sharpening ice skates to glide across frozen lakes, waxing skis for cross-country trails and checking out the ski and snowboard gear for another six months of outdoor adventures in the Canadian Rockies.

Each November, the WinterStart Festival in Banff and Lake Louise kicks off with the heart-pounding World Cup alpine races in Lake Louise. The fastest skiers on the planet hurtle down the mountain at speeds that easily top 100 kilometres per hour over two consecutive weekends of men’s and women’s ski racing.

Christmas in the Rockies celebrates the season with holiday cookies & crafts, photos with Santa Claus, caroling and a Banff Ave Treasure Hunt. The streets are strung with Christmas lights and displays and the annual Santa Claus parade circles through downtown streets. Nothing says Christmas like the Canadian Rockies!