Issue No 1 February 2004 Welcome Letter from the Editor Coming Up In Our Next Edition Rockies Events Calendar The best Canadian Rockies events calendar highlights so many events in Canmore and Banff that you'll be begging for some down time! Canmore's Native History Ancient pictographs are just one reminder of this area's rich and fascinating Native history. Discover the 11,000-year-old story behind the Canmore area's First Nations people. Adventures on Snowshoes Walk on clouds of powdery snow for miles amidst pristine Rocky Mountain scenery - on a snowshoeing adventure. Snowshoeing is fun, safe and a great way to enjoy the outdoors for all ages. Subscribe Today!     If you haven't already signed up to receive your free subscription to SolaraLife, sign up now by submitting your email address in the space provided above.	HOME   /   DO IT Ski resorts report in on what's new, what's next for 2004 season Early season snowfall in the Canadian Rockies has been like the proverbial gift that keeps on giving. Heavy, above-average snowfall through the month of November left its promise of what ski resort operators here are calling the best skiing and snowboarding season in a decade. "Mother Nature has provided copious amounts of natural snow, so we've got excellent conditions," says Matt Mosteller, who represents three popular ski areas an easy driving distance from Canmore and Banff. The award-winning Lake Louise ski resort is an hour and a half drive from Canmore, while Nakiska and Fortress Mountain in the wilderness area of Kananaskis Country are about an hour away. Mosteller says the Canadian Rockies' ski resorts are currently enjoying some of the best conditions in North America — to which can be added unparalleled scenic beauty, excellent value and no crowds. John Ross of Sunshine Village ski resort says first-time visitors to the area are surprised by two things: "Number one is the scenery, number two is the value — in our neck of the woods, winter is off-season, in every other ski area it's prime season." Ross reports that Sunshine got off to a fantastic start mid-November, with snowfall that month totaling about 160 cm. Normal snowfall is about 117 cm. Ski Banff @ Norquay, located just a 20 minute drive from Canmore and only a few minutes from the town of Banff, is promising excellent conditions for the balance of the season. "We opened (Dec. 12) with as much snow as we had in February the previous year," says Rob Cote of Ski Banff @ Norquay. Cross-country skiers are in for a great season as well, with conditions on groomed trails rated as good to excellent. back to top The winter moon hangs in a brilliantly blue sky over Sunshine Village Ski Resort as this skier catches some air. The Canmore Nordic Centre, built for the Nordic skiing events held at the 1988 Winter Olympics, is a five-minute drive to the outskirts of Canmore. Nordic centre manager Ron Henderson is expecting great snow for cross-country enthusiasts to last to at least the end of March. "I would sum it up by saying that these are the best conditions we've had here in Canmore in the past decade," Henderson says. "We've had more snow in November and December than we've had in 10 years." Ski area officials say the post-Christmas season is likely the best time to plan a skiing or snowboarding vacation to the Canadian Rocky Mountains. "The days are getting longer and the ambient temperatures are getting warmer, so the best part of the skiing season is yet to come," says Henderson. Shari Bishop Bowes For a more detailed report on what's new and what to expect at the above-mentioned ski resorts, see accompanying story in this edition of Solara Life.
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