Banff Lake Louise News

A little Banff History Lesson - Photography

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:19:17 GMT

Byron Harmon has been a part of Banff National Park since the early 1900's when he moved from his birthplace in Tacoma, Washington. He made it his life's mission to photograph the "Canadian Rockies in all their moods" (yes mountains have moods... you'll understand once you visit if you haven't already!) and to capture every major peak and glacier in the Rockies Mountains.

Because he couldn't afford a camera when he was just starting out, he made his own... a hand-made pinhole camera. He then went on to purchase a 5x7 view camera loaded with cellulose-nitrate film (see photo below). Very heavy gear and not very easy to hike up a mountain... talk about having a passion for what you do!

Many shops in town still carry his work including a gallery run by his granddaughter called 'Harmon Gallery' in Harmony Lane downtown Banff.

Looking for more art and history in Banff National Park? Check out the "Arts, Culture & Heritage" of Banff & Lake Louise

Team

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:34:45 GMT

The event was perfect, the weather was perfect and everyone is happily exhausted after 2 days of dragon boating and volunteering in between races!

I would like to send out kudos to the racers who came out to not only race in the Banff National Park Dragon Boat Festival, but to also give a hand when needed. The thing about events is they take a lot of people contributing their time to make it a success... this event was a HUGE success!

Saturdays races split the teams into their divisions, A, B and C. Sunday saw the teams fighting to place in the medal positions.

Gold medals went to - CP Dragnum out of Calgary in division A, while division B was won by "TomAto Tomato" also out of Calgary, and division C was won by a LOCAL team... "One Beer Too Many" aka Henry's Electric.

Curious as to how we did? "Feel the Burn" aka Banff Lake Louise Tourism placed second in the B division races. Considering we had some paddlers who had never paddled a dragon boat until that day, and the rest of us had only paddled maybe 7 times, I'm incredibly impressed with our drive to succeed at everything we do!

The ski season is just around the corner!

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:29:31 GMT

A press release just landed in my inbox...about our ski resorts and their opening dates.

Yes, I know, it's only the middle of August... but guess what?! They'll be running the chair lifts in a little over 2 months. Can you believe it?

If the weather cooperates with the resorts then here are the dates you should be marking in your calendars:

Sunshine Village: November 7, 2008

Lake Louise Mountain Resort: November 8, 2008

Ski Norquay: December 5, 2008 for full operation, but if all you need to get you through the early season is one chairlift and mini snow park then stop by on a weekend starting early November.

So get your skis and boards tuned up, track down your goggles and mitts and lets starting thinking snow... for November!

Dragon Boat Festival... Festivities!

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:02:37 GMT

On August 22, Banff National Park will have 22 Buddhist Monks from Calgary's Avatamsaka Monastery visiting the shores of Lake Minnewanka to bless the dragon boats that are being used in the weekend's races.

The Eye Dotting Ceremony (the blessing) is an ancient ritual of "awakening the dragon" in which the Monks paint the eyes on each of the dragon boat figureheads to call forth their spirits. Chinese culture will be celebrated with traditional Chinese dancers and various other activities through out the festival.

Community spirit runs rampant in Banff National Park with 8 local teams entered (none of whom have ever paddled a dragon boat before I might add) and 7 'more experienced' teams from out of town competing in the races.

Banff Lake Louise Tourism, Town of Banff, Brewster Inc., local firefighters, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Banff Caribou Properties, Home Wise Renovations, and Henry's Electric will all be vying for local bragging rights throughout the weekend and once the boat wakes have calmed and the races are finished on Sunday August 24 the awards ceremony will take place.

Here's a little teaser video we created during the first ever paddle of the Banff Lake Louise Tourism team!

Join us in cheering on each of the teams on Saturday August 23 & Sunday August 24, and watch history in the making for the inaugural year of the Banff National Park Dragon Boat Festival!

The largest street party to ever hit Banff... Banff Live!

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:36:47 GMT

We might be a small mountain town, but we know how to throw a party!

The Town of Banff has invited 4 of Canada's top acts to take the stage on Thursday August 21 for an "all day music extravaganza" to celebrate the refreshing our beautiful Banff Avenue underwent last summer.

Ron Sexsmith, Joel Plaskett Emergency, K-OS and Theory of a Deadman will be taking the stage in the middle of our redesigned, pedestrian friendly downtown from 1:00PM - 9:00PM.

Banff Live is free (here we are offering yet another free day of activities... we just can't help ourselves!) and will be an experience you won't want to miss... so come on out, join us and enjoy!

Save gas this winter... Ski in Banff National Park!

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:50:48 GMT

OnTheSnow.com placed Banff in 4th spot within the Top 10 best "no car needed" ski resorts in the world.

Here's what they had to say about us:

4. Banff, Alberta: Stay high in the Canadian Rockies in the town of Banff and ski at Lake Louise, Sunshine Village, and Mt. Norquay. Go directly to the lifts using the Big Three pass. Getting to and from the ski areas is easy on the Banff Shuttle that picks up and delivers at most of the hotels. The Banff Airporter is a good bet from Calgary International Airport and makes numerous round trips. The skiing is world-class and the scenery literally breathtaking.

With the way gas prices are going these days it's no wonder people are starting to look at alternate ways to get to the ski resorts, and the Banff National Park ski hills and hotels are more then happy to accommodate! Not only does this public transportation save our skiers and boarders gas, but the buses also drop you off at the ticket window saving you a walk from the parking lot and it's lower impact on the environment.

Come to Banff and Lake Louise to ski this winter, sit back and relax while someone else drives you to the hill!

Wildlife in the Park

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:32:36 GMT

When you visit Banff National Park there is a good chance that you’re going to see more than just your friendly neighbourhood squirrel, there is a whole range of animals that you may come across whether out on the trail or passing by in your vehicle.

While these encounters with wildlife are truly extraordinary and memorable, your role with wildlife helps protect both you and nature. In conjunction with Parks Canada, there are some great resources available to anyone visiting the Park that give tips on what to do if and when you encounter an animal.

Bears and People - Bear attacks are uncommon, how to handle an encounter and how to handle an attack

Bear updates - Keep a lookout for berry bushes along the trails

Trail conditions - Did you know that the “trail conditions report” put out by Parks Canada gives current wildlife related warnings and closures. “Check it out before you head out!”

Cougars, wolves and coyotes - Stay safe and keep carnivores wild

Thanks to these resources, everybody has a better understanding of nature, and the conflicts with animals are few and far between. Did you know that, thanks to Parks Canada issuing their Elk Management Strategy, there have only been 2 elk contact charges in 9 years?

Elk in Banff National Park - The best places to see elk and minding your ‘elk’ manners

You can pick up information about wildlife and animal encounters at either the Parks gates as you enter the Park, or at local information centres.

This is why you don't get to close to wild life... it's wild! Lets keep it that way!

Social Media and Banff National Park

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:48:08 GMT

First of all... what is social media?

Wikipedia has it defined as "an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio. This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and "building" of shared meaning among communities, as people share their stories, and understandings." Some social media websites you might recognize would be Wikipedia itself along with MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, & Flickr.

What does all this have to do with Banff Lake Louise Tourism or Banff National Park? Well, Banff Lake Louise Tourism has been busy for the last 8 months creating videos for online distribution. We found the stories of the local characters, businesses and employees and created some fun, jealousy making, experiences... favourite quote "my life is better then your vacation".

The community's of Banff & Lake Louise have jumped on the social media wagon and are asking visitors and employees to share their own experienses with the world through YouTube videos.

As a visitor you can submit your video showcasing "Family Adventure in the Western Canadian Mountains" to win an amazing prize package! For more details and to see what's been submitted so far check out youtube.com/user/FairmontMountains

As an employee working in Banff & Lake Louise between the ages of 18-30 you and your friends could win $500 for creating a video that tells the world why it's so great to live and work in Banff National Park. The deadline for submitting videos for this contest is looming, for more information contact www.bllhma.com

Inspiring creativity for 75 years

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:12:00 GMT

In 1933 The Banff Centre began as the "Banff School of Drama". During the dirty 30's a.k.a. the Great Depression, they still had 190 students enrolled in the 2 week drama course and ever since then the Banff Centre hasn't looked back.

A whole array of artists and activists have passed through the doors of the Banff Centre... including Devin and Nate Sturdy's father who was in the photography program during the 70's. Oscar Peterson & Phil Nimmons set up the Jazz program, Agness DeMille and Aaron Copland took part in the Banff Festival of the Arts, W.O. Mitchell received the first annual Banff Centre School of Fine Arts Award in 1980, David Suzuki visited for a resource conference and Sir Edmund Hillary launched the Banff Mountain Summit... just to name a few!

Throughout this year the Banff Centre will celebrate its 75th anniversary with creative performances and programs, and launch new initiatives and partnerships, such as commission a new Canadian play.

The Banff Centre showcases the Canadian Rockies to the world, while bringing world cultures to Banff... join them for a show this year, sign up for a program, or simply enjoy the view and a meal at the new restaurant.

Siksika Nation Dancing

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:49:56 GMT

The name Siksiká comes from the Blackfoot words sik (black) and iká (foot), with a connector "s" between the two words.

The Blackfoot Confederacy consists of four different tribes, the Pikuni/Peigan, North Peigan Pikuni, Blood/Kainai, and Blackfoot/Siksika. Members of the Blackfoot Confederation presently live in Alberta, Canada and Montana, United States.

If you're interested in experiencing local First Nations culture in Banff National Park we invite you to join the Siksika Nation dancers and drummers in the Cascade Gardens behind the Park Administration Building.

Need directions? Go south on Banff Ave. you'll spot the building right in front of you at the end of the road.

The Siksika Nation Interpretive Centre celebrates its tenth season in 2008. Join us for drumming and dancing Tuesdays at noon from July 8th to September 2, 2008.

For more information on Siksika First Nations, visit www.blackfootcrossing.ca

Parks Day... Free family fun

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:03:26 GMT

Looking for something to do with the family once the Stampede has left town?

On Saturday July 19th all of the National Parks across Canada will be hosting events and activities in celebration of Canada's treasures.

This years events within Banff National Park will be taking place at the Banff Community High School, which if you're unfamiliar with the town is close to downtown, 330 Banff Ave... ask a local, they'll point you in the right direction!

From 11am - 3pm you and your family could learn what the difference is between horns and antlers, watch a Parks Canada Fire Crew demonstration, enjoy the theatre with "Faces of Fire", join in a game of Wildlife Hockey and hop on the gigantic Brewster Ice Explorer to learn more about our glaciers.

As if that isn't enough to do, there are also guided walks along trails and up mountains, or enjoy a cup of tea in the historic Cascade of Times gardens or even learn how to take the best photo at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site!

For a full schedule of events and more details check our Calendar of Events

Did I mention all the activities are FREE?! Hope to see you there!

Banff on Mars

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:45:18 GMT

I was reading through one of the local papers this week and came across an article titled "Banff now literally out of this world"... shall I go on?

Apparently way back in 1976 the International Astronomical Union committee approved naming a crater on Mars "Banff" after our beautiful little mountain town. Mayor John Stutz is quoted as saying "My understanding is that it's the most beautiful mountainous crater on the whole planet, so what a great fit because that's certainly what we are about in Banff."

Wikipedia states that there are hundreds of thousands of craters on Mars, but only some of them have names. If they are less then 60km in diameter then they are named after towns on earth. The Banff crater is 5km in diameter.

For full crater details and a map with Banff crater marked check out MarsMap.net

For a full list of named craters on Mars check out Wikipedia

Happy Guy

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:37:30 GMT

Who is Happy Guy? That was what 2 brothers from Australia were trying to figure out for 7+ years when Nathan Sturdy found the photo of the contagiously smiling face in a trash can at a hotel he worked at in Banff. Check out the photo at www.whoishappyguy.com

That photo has been living on the door of the family fridge... up until a few weeks ago.

Last fall after starting a "Who is Happy Guy?" facebook group, Nathan and his brother Devin found him... in Calgary.

On Monday June 30, 2008 the Happy Guy creators got to shake hands with and hand back the very famous photo of Paul Daggett aka Happy Guy.

Left to Right: Nathan Sturdy, Paul Daggett (Happy Guy), Devin Sturdy

Follow the story through the links below...

Happy guy on Calgary Breakfast Television part 1

Happy guy on Calgary Breakfast Television part 2

On the other end of the phone in Australia on Breakfast Television

City TV and Breakfast Television interview & first meeting!

Hybrid Buses Roam the streets of Banff

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:54:12 GMT

Being in a National Park creates certain expectation in locals and visitors alike and I believe the Town of Banff is meeting those expectations!

Today the Town has set loose 4 hybrid electric & biodiesel buses to roam the streets of Banff. Even with the exhaust fumes reduced by 90%, and the engine running quietly off of electric power, they're hard to miss as they pass by. So what gets your attention if they aren't loud and stinky? You really need to see them… they’ve been wrapped with photos of a few of the locals… imagin following a huge grizzly down the street or maybe even an elk, mountain goat, or wolves!

That is just the beginning...

Inside, Parks Canada has created stories to educate and entertain travellers as the bus carries them to their next adventure around town. The stories go along with the outside. Interested in learning about elk? Ride the bus! Want to know more about wolves? Leave the rental car at the hotel! Curious to see where mountain goats roam? Read all about them on your way to Sulphur Mountain. And who isn't fascinated with the grizzly... why not learn more about it on your way to dinner?

Today (June 2) you can ride the buses for free... so hop on and Roam the streets of Banff!

Here's the Banff transit map and schedule

Banff Heritage Celebrations

Thu, 29 May 2008 22:51:23 GMT

Banff's heritage is alive and well as was apparent last week at a reception hosted by Banff Heritage Tourism and the Banff Heritage Corporation.

Well over 200 people from the community attended the party at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, providing laughter and plenty of smiling faces while the awards were being presented.

Here is Bill Campbell with Resort TV starting the evening off with some "Back to the Future" references... if you haven't seen the movie, you should... you'll understand!

The awards recognized seven organizations and individuals who brought heritage values into their business practices and personal endeavours.

Dave Moberg was animated after receiving a Life Time Achievement award for his dedication and enthusiasm in sharing the majestic past at The Fairmont Banff Springs... ask him about Marlyn Monroe!

While Bruce Bembridge with The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise was recognized by MPHIA as the Heritage Interpreter of the year.

Interested in learning more about Heritage Tourism in Banff National Park... check it out... they've got programs for new staff in town and are always looking to create partnerships.

Banff Rated #1 by TripAdvisor.com

Tue, 06 May 2008 22:33:42 GMT

Travelers are talking about us!

I feel proud to be a part of a destination which was rated #1 for Canadian destinations by TripAdvisor travellers! Not only did Banff land at the top of the list in the #1 spot but Lake Louise was close behind at #3.

If that isn’t exciting enough Banff went on to be voted 9th out of the top 100 destinations in the World while Lake Louise was 19th!

From what I see the winning destinations are awarded their status through traveler ratings found throughout the tripadvisor.com website. You can see the full list at tripadvisor.com/TCDestinations or click on the logo below.

Last year in December TripAdvisor put out a list for the top 10 Ski Getaways and Banff placed #1 on that list as well. See the blog post from December 2007 titled Banff is tripadvisor's top ski destination for full details.

I’d like to congratulate the team here at Banff Lake Louise Tourism and all of our members and partners for creating such a memorable experience for visitors, so memorable that they are going home and writing about their trip on TripAdvisor.com!

TripAdvisor travelers voted Banff a top World destination

Ice Magic and Banff Winter Festival - lots to do this weekend!

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:46:07 GMT

If you love winter in all it's variety, Banff National Park is certainly the place to be this weekend.

Ice Magic fills Lake Louise with events that will fascinate, amaze and entertain you.

watch teams of master carvers turn 4500 pounds of ice into gorgeously detailed sculpture.
give the kids a chance to create their own ice sculpture at Little Chippers.
play a game of pickup hockey with the Canmore Eagles hockey team.
be enchanted by The Banff Centre's musical adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen.

There's much more - check out our Ice Magic page for the rest of the details.

How about 90 years of entertaining visitors and locals alike? The Banff Winter Festival takes advantage of all that history to provide unique challenges and experiences for locals and visitors from tomorrow (January 25) right through January 30.

challenge yourself or your team to ski 65 km in the Lake Louise to Banff Cross Country Ski Loppet and Relay (or just watch as others do all the work!).
photographers, don't miss Chic Scott's photographic exploration entitled Powder Pioneers, the Story of Skiing in the Rocky and Columbia Mountains. There's even an outdoor slide show of his work tomorrow night!
foodies will want to check out the Annual Chili Challenge and the Iron Chef Caesar Salad Competition
test your spelling skills and trivia talents against the best at the Jon Whyte Spelling Bee & Trivia Challenge

There's even a cardboard sled derby and a Heritage Family Swim at the Banff Upper Hot Springs. For the whole story, check out the Winter Festival at www.banff.ca.

New Year's Eve ideas and specials

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:23:08 GMT

Banff offers many special ways to ring in the New Year, from fine dining at one of our special restaurants to nightclub dance parties.

Here's a list of New Year's Eve Specials (pdf 34.91 kB) to help plan your night.

And what would New Year's Eve be without fireworks? Banff's fireworks display will celebrate the stroke of midnight and be fired from Tunnel Mountain - the mountain to the east of the town site. The display will be visible from most of town, so bundle up and step outside at midnight to watch the colours light up 2008.

Happy New Year!

Banff is tripadvisor's top ski destination!

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:40:53 GMT

Highly respected travel website tripadvisor.com has listed their Top 10 Ski Getaways and Banff is number one! The list is on their homepage about a third of the way down - a screenshot is included below.

Because we're locate in a protected National Park, skiing and snowboarding have always been a unique experience here. Three world-class ski resorts - Lake Louise Mountain Resort, Sunshine Village and Ski Norquay - provide spectacular unspoiled views and champagne powder on over 270 runs. And when you're not skiing, there are plenty of wonderful things to fill your time. Delicious food and vibrant nightlife, plenty of winter adventure, and a full range of accommodation choices help make a ski vacation to Banff and Lake Louise the highlight of your winter. Just ask tripadvisor!

Subscribe to our newsletter and you could win a chance to experience tripadvisor.com's top ski destination for yourself - a Banff and Lake Louise Mountain Getaway.

WinterStart Festival

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:57:22 GMT

November 24- December 8 - Check out our Calendar of Events for full details!

The arrival of winter and the new ski/snowboard season is celebrated with fun and events throughout Banff National Park.

World Cup Mens and Ladies ski races, Lake Louise Mountain Resort, Nov. 24-25 & Dec. 1-2 Daytime
Christmas in the Rockies, 200 Block Banff Ave. Nov. 24 2-7pm
Santa Claus Parade of Lights, 200 Block Banff Ave. Nov. 24 7-7:30pm
2007 TGR Film Premiere , The Elk & Oarsman 7:30pm
Banff Film Premiere Warren MIller's Playground plus local short film Snow Chasers, The Banff Centre, November 29, 6-9pm
CP Rail Jam, November 30 and December 1, 200 Block Banff Ave. 4-10pm
A Whyte Christmas, The Whyte Museum, December 8, 1-4pm