Winter Sports around Banff National Park
Banff National Park is located at Alberta, the nearest city being Calgary, Alberta. It is spread over an area of about 2500square miles. The Banff National Park, situated in Rocky Mountains was established during the year 1885 and holds the status of World heritage site. One gets occasion to view lot of glaciers amidst densely populated coniferous forest and alpine background.
There are Ice fields Parkway extending from Lake Louise, with connection to Jasper National Park situated towards the north. The forests of the province and Yoho National Park are neighbors in the west. The Kootenay National Park is positioned towards the south and Kananaskis Country lies in the southeast direction.
Winter tourism
Commencement of the winter tourism took place in with the introduction of first Banff winter sports event carried out in 1917. A huge ice palace was put up by the internees. The carnival attractions were cross country skiing, ski jumps, curls, snow shoe and skijoring. Subsequently the year 1930 witnessed creation of first downhill resort place named the Sunshine village created by Brewsters. Thereafter Mount Norquay ski area also got ready during 1930 itself. The further development was first chair lift during 1948.
With the Banff Springs Hotel getting worthy of staying during winters, now Banff is visited by the tourists through out the year. With the Trans Canada highway construction, there is one more approach route available through Bow Valley, besides already existing parkway increasing the convenience in reaching the park. In 1960 an International Airport came into being at Calgary.
Though there were great efforts host winter Olympics at Banff, but there was no success every time.
The cross country skiing was carried out Nordic Center Provincial Park at Canmore, Alberta a place lying outside the eastern gate of Banff park situated at Trans Canada Highway at a time when Calgary successfully hosted the winter Olympics.
The year 1984 saw Banff being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with inclusion of other national and provincial parks, which are part of Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. These mountain landscapes are having mountain peaks and fossils which were detected here.
The region has seen lot of opposition by conservatism displayed locally.