Skiers used to the high European standards of lifts will find it hard to believe that there is only one heated chairlift in Canada. Banff Sunshine is home to the TeePee Town Express that takes up to 1,200 people per hour up to Lookout Mountain. However, Sunshine Village's lifts are in need of improvement when compared to European standards. The fact that the ski resort does not feature a single T-Bar lift is definitely a plus! Apart from the fact that there is no trail map displaying all of the ski resort's runs, slope marking stakes and signposting were excellent, making for a great orientation.
Great Infrastructure
Banff Sunshine's infrastructure is brilliant. Adjacent to the base station, ski rental, ticket window, and a ski depot, there are plenty of parking facilities. All of the amenities can also be found at the top station of the gondola, which leaves nothing to be desired.
First-Class Snow Grooming
During our visit in early December, the slope conditions had been perfect already. The operators and the groomer team make every effort to meet European standards. Due to Banff's cool termperatures, the highest and the snowiest of the resorts in Banff’s Big 3 is often home to super grippy snow - all day long.
Verdict is in: Although Sunshine's infrastructure is fair enough, it lacks hotels as well as state-of-the-art lifts. There is only one hotel located at the top station offering ski in and ski out experience at its finest. There are no accommodation options down in the valley, which is why most of visitors and guests head to Banff to stay the night.