Misplaced Pages

#800199

45-630: Mount Howard Douglas is a 2,877-metre (9,439-foot) mountain summit located immediately east of the Banff Sunshine ski resort in Banff National Park of Alberta , Canada . It was named for Howard Douglas (1850-1929), a park superintendent credited with greatly expanding its size. The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1958 when approved by the Geographical Names Board of Canada . Its nearest higher peak

90-462: A plan to use the CPR cabin as an overnight point in their ski trek over the great divide. Unfortunately they could not find the cabin that night and were forced to sleep in a dug-out in the snow. Upon waking in the morning they discovered that they had only just missed the CPR cabin. These two men were the first to ski what is now known as Banff Sunshine. In 1934 Jim and Pat Brewster leased the cabin from

135-592: A ski season that stretches from early November to late May. In 2019, Parks Canada and the resort reached an agreement over future expansion and leasehold area. The resort and Parks Canada agreed to a 42-year lease with an agreement to then give Sunshine Village Ski Resort to the Crown for $ 1, or sever and remove every facility and return the land to its natural state. Banff Sunshine has 3,358 acres (13.59 km ) of skiable terrain in Alberta and B.C. Its top elevation

180-480: A temporary lift at Whistler Blackcomb in 2009 for the 2010 Winter Olympics to transport spectators from the Creekside base area to the finish line on the downhill course. In 2015, the last remaining double chairlift on the mountain, Tee Pee Town, was removed and replaced by Doppelmayr with a bubble high-speed quad containing heated seats. Banff Sunshine now hosts some 500,000 skiers and snowboarders annually over

225-469: A working avalanche transceiver on each person that passes through it. The entrance for Wild West is located on Goats Eye Mountain while the entrance to Delirium Dive is located near the Great Divide. Sunshine also features a 5km ski-out which brings guests from the village to the gondola base. Banff Sunshine 10 has chairlifts, and 2 magic carpets . Many movies and TV specials have been filmed in

270-641: Is Mount Bourgeau , 4.55 km (2.83 mi) to the north-northwest. Like other mountains in Banff Park, Mount Howard Douglas is composed of sedimentary rock laid down from the Precambrian to Jurassic periods. Formed in shallow seas, this sedimentary rock was pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny . Based on the Köppen climate classification , Mount Howard Douglas

315-562: Is about a ninety-minute drive from the city of Calgary ; the Sunshine exit on the Trans Canada Highway is 8 km (5 mi) west of the town of Banff. Banff Sunshine ski runs and lifts are accessed via an eight-person high-speed gondola . It moves passengers from the parking lot (or bus terminal) to Goat's Eye mountain in 10 minutes and to the upper Village area in 18 minutes. There are 9 chairlifts and 134 trails within

360-441: Is at 2,730 m (8,960 ft), its base elevation is at 1,660 m (5,450 ft), and it is 1,070 m (3,510 ft) tall. The primary skiing area around Banff Sunshine is based at 2,160 m (7,090 ft), providing 570 m (1,870 ft) of vertical terrain to the top of Lookout Mountain. There are 134 named runs spreading out over three mountains ( Goat Eye's Mountain , Lookout Mountain and Mount Standish ) and

405-542: Is located in a subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. Winter temperatures can drop below -20 °C with wind chill factors below -30 °C. Precipitation runoff from Mount Howard Douglas drains into tributaries of the Bow River . Banff Sunshine Banff Sunshine Village (formerly Sunshine Village ) is a ski resort in western Canada , located on the Continental Divide of

450-598: Is located in the "village" at tree line 7,200 feet (2,200 m) above sea level. It is the only ski-in/ski-out lodge in Banff-Lake Louise. Guests can purchase a Marmot Card to receive discounts on lift tickets. This card allows guests to ski at a discounted rate at both Banff Sunshine and Marmot Basin in Jasper and includes a number of free ski days. Due to its location in Banff National Park and

495-683: Is much lower in the Canadian Rockies than in the American Rockies. Five national parks are located within the Canadian Rockies, four of which are adjacent and make up the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks . These four parks are Banff , Jasper , Kootenay and Yoho . The fifth national park, Waterton Lakes , is not adjacent to the others. Waterton Lakes lies farther south, straddling the Canada–US border as

SECTION 10

#1732787038801

540-785: Is the eastern part of the Pacific Ring of Fire that runs all the way around the Pacific Ocean . The Canadian Rockies are bounded on the east by the Canadian Prairies, on the west by the Rocky Mountain Trench, and on the north by the Liard River. Contrary to popular misconception, the Rockies do not extend north into Yukon or Alaska, or west into central British Columbia. North of the Liard River,

585-518: Is the second-highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, and is the highest mountain in Alberta. Snow Dome (3,456 m; 11,339 ft) is one of two hydrological apexes of North America. Water flows off Snow Dome into three different watersheds, into the Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean , and Atlantic Ocean via Hudson Bay . The Canadian Rockies are not the highest mountain ranges in Canada. Both

630-679: The Canadian Rockies within Banff National Park in Alberta and Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park in British Columbia . It is one of three major ski resorts located in the Banff National Park. Because of its location straddling the Continental Divide, Sunshine receives more snow than the neighbouring ski resorts. The Sunshine base area is located 15 km (9 mi) southwest of the town of Banff . By car, it

675-810: The Columbia District . His diary noted "Hole in the Wall" Goat's Eye mountain and he left a blaze in a tree that has since been preserved in the Banff Natural History Museum. The next significant exploration party was the Palliser Expedition in the late 1850s; Mt. Borgeau, is named for one of its members. Everything changed with the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway and its arrival in Banff in

720-674: The Mackenzie Mountains , which are a distinct mountain range, form a portion of the border between the Yukon and the Northwest Territories . The mountain ranges to the west of the Rocky Mountain Trench in southern British Columbia are called the Columbia Mountains , and are not considered to be part of the Rockies by Canadian geologists. Mount Robson (3,954 metres; 12,972 feet) is the highest peak in

765-1077: The McGregor River valley, the McGregor Pass and the Kakwa River valley. The southern end of the Canadian Rockies extends into the U.S. state of Montana at various sites such as the Wilson Range , Upper Waterton Lake , Boundary Creek , Cameron Lake , Forum Peak , Long Knife Peak , North Fork Flathead River and Frozen Lake . In geographic terms, the boundary is at the Canada–United States border on 49th parallel north , but in geological terms it might be considered to be at Marias Pass in northern Montana. The Canadian Rockies have numerous high peaks and ranges, such as Mount Robson (3,954 metres; 12,972 feet) and Mount Columbia (3,747 m; 12,293 ft). The Canadian Rockies are composed of shale and limestone . Much of

810-599: The Northern Rockies which comprise two main groupings, the Hart Ranges and the Muskwa Ranges . The division-point of the two main groupings is at Monkman Pass northwest of Mount Robson and to the southwest of Mount Ovington . The Canadian Rockies are noted for being the source of several major river systems, and also for the many rivers within the range itself. The Rockies form the divide between

855-563: The American Rockies are made mostly of metamorphic and igneous rock such as gneiss and granite . The Canadian Rockies are overall more jagged than the American Rockies, because the Canadian Rockies have been more heavily glaciated , resulting in sharply pointed mountains separated by wide, U-shaped valleys gouged by glaciers, whereas the American Rockies are overall more rounded, with river-carved V-shaped valleys between them. The Canadian Rockies are cooler and wetter, giving them moister soil, bigger rivers, and more glaciers. The tree line

900-406: The CPR and began offering ski vacations. They bought the lodge in 1936. In 1939 they hired Swiss guide Bruno Engler as the first ski instructor. In 1941 a rope tow was built. The Brewster's owned the area until 1951 when it was sold to George Encil, who also owned nearby Mt. Norquay. He added "Village" to the name and made numerous improvements including the addition of a "Ski-Kuli" lift. In 1961

945-681: The Canadian Rockies, but not the highest in British Columbia, since there are some higher mountains in the Coast Mountains and Saint Elias Mountains . Mount Robson lies on the continental divide near Yellowhead Pass , one of the lowest passes in the Canadian Rockies, and is close to the Yellowhead Highway . Its base is 985 m (3,232 ft) above sea level, with a total vertical relief of 2,969 m (9,741 ft). Mount Columbia (3,747 m; 12,293 ft)

SECTION 20

#1732787038801

990-557: The Canadian part of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park . The four adjacent parks, combined with three British Columbia provincial parks, were declared a single UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 for the unique mountain landscapes found there. Numerous provincial parks are located in the Canadian Rockies, including Hamber , Mount Assiniboine and Mount Robson parks. Throughout

1035-694: The Pacific Ocean drainage on the west and that of Hudson Bay and the Arctic Ocean on the east. Of the range's rivers, only the Peace River penetrates the range. Notable rivers originating in the Canadian Rockies include the Fraser , Columbia , North Saskatchewan , Bow and Athabasca Rivers . The Canadian Rockies are quite different in appearance and geology from the American Rockies to the south of them. The Canadian Rockies are composed of layered sedimentary rock such as limestone and shale , whereas

1080-480: The Rockies, and especially in the national parks, the Alpine Club of Canada maintains a series of alpine huts for use by mountaineers and adventurers. The Canadian Pacific Railway was founded to provide a link from the province of British Columbia to the eastern provinces. The main difficulty in providing such a link were the Rockies themselves: treacherous mountain passes, fast rivers and sheer drops made for

1125-939: The Rocky Mountains system as the mountain chains east of the Rocky Mountain Trench extending from the Liard River valley in northern British Columbia to the Albuquerque Basin in New Mexico , not including the Mackenzie , Richardson and British Mountains / Brooks Range in Yukon and Alaska (which are all included as the "Arctic Rockies" in the United States ' definition of the Rocky Mountains system). The Canadian Rockies, being

1170-769: The Saint Elias Mountains (highest point in Canada Mount Logan at 5,959 m; 19,551 ft) and the Coast Mountains (highest point Mount Waddington at 4,016 m; 13,176 ft) have higher summits. The Canadian Rockies are subdivided into numerous mountain ranges , structured in two main groupings, the Continental Ranges , which has three main subdivisions, the Front Range , Park Ranges and Kootenay Ranges , and

1215-491: The Sunshine area. Banff Sunshine was utilized as a task destination for the season-ending episode of the popular American reality television show The Amazing Race 5 (original broadcast date September 2004). In the final 13th leg of this race, the three remaining teams took taxicabs from the Calgary International Airport to Banff Sunshine. After riding the gondola to the base of Lookout Mountain,

1260-434: The alpine valley formed by the three mountains (Mount Standish, Lookout Mountain, and Goat's Eye Mountain ) that constitute Banff Sunshine. In summer, the resort runs a shuttle bus service to its attractive walking trails and alpine meadows. The first explorer that passed through the Sunshine area was Governor George Simpson of Hudson's Bay Company . His party passed through the area in 1841 seeking new quicker routes into

1305-656: The contestants donned snowshoes before making the approximate 2,000 vertical foot hike to the top ridge of the Great Divide (elevation 8,900 feet). Sunshine regularly host the Marjoe Gortner Celebrity Sports Invitational charity ski events to raise money for charities such as the Dream Foundation and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. 's Waterkeeper Alliance . [REDACTED] Media related to Sunshine Village at Wikimedia Commons Canadian Rockies Canada officially defines

1350-436: The development restrictions that apply, parking at Banff Sunshine has long been in limited supply. When the main parking lot fills, visitors park along the access road and use a shuttle bus to get to the base lodge. This has been a source of friction with Parks Canada over the years, due to Parks Canada's concern about avalanche risks along the road. In 2017, a court overturned a Parks Canada imposed ban on access road parking. In

1395-496: The highest peak in the Southern Continental Ranges of the Canadian Rockies . By the 1920s, Sunshine Meadows had become a popular camping site. Pat Brewster, the youngest son of dairyman John Brewster, was the first to regularly bring tourists for overnight camping at Sunshine Meadows. This area was nicknamed Tee Pee Town on account of the many tents that overnight campers would set there. Upon reaching

Mount Howard Douglas - Misplaced Pages Continue

1440-467: The late 1880s. Bill Peyto may have been the first person to bring real tourists through the Sunshine area. The eccentric Peyto was a trapper and prospector . He was also a competent guide , as his rugged life gave him the skills required to face the often harsh realities of nature . In the 1890s Peyto would guide tourists through the Sunshine Meadows to the base of Mt. Assiniboine ,

1485-568: The new terrain. A year later, the Great Divide double chairlift to the summit of Lookout Mountain was replaced with an extended high-speed quad, also built by Poma. In 2000, Poma replaced the two chairlifts on the mountain between Goat's Eye and Lookout Mountains. The Wheeler double chairlift was replaced with a high-speed quad, the Wolverine Express, and the Fireweed T-Bar was replaced with a fixed-grip quad, Jackrabbit. In 1985

1530-767: The northern segment of this chain, is thus defined as comprising the central-eastern section of the North American Cordillera, between the Prairies of Alberta and the Liard Plain of northeastern British Columbia to the east and the Interior Mountains / Plateau and Columbia Mountains to the west. It is divided into the Northern Rockies (which is further subdivided into the Muskwa and Hart Ranges ) and Continental Ranges , separated by

1575-465: The pool to the other side. All successful participants get raucous applause and bragging rights. Sunshine just celebrated its 90th Slush Cup in May 2018. Banff Sunshine has hosted many alpine ski and snowboard events. Banff Sunshine offers terrain for all levels of skiers and boarders. It offers a mix of gentle tree-lined beginner slopes, wide open above tree-line intermediate and expert terrain. Visitors to

1620-591: The range is protected by national and provincial parks, several of which collectively comprise a World Heritage Site . The Canadian Rockies are the easternmost part of the Canadian Cordillera , the collective name for the mountains of Western Canada . They form part of the American Cordillera , an essentially continuous sequence of mountain ranges that runs all the way from Alaska to the very tip of South America. The Cordillera, in turn,

1665-582: The region (Bill Peyto’s cabin near Simpson’s pass was built more than 30 years earlier), but it is now the oldest building at Banff Sunshine and is known as the Old Sunshine Lodge. Housing Mad Trapper's Saloon and Bruno's Bistro , the OSL is situated at the timberline above what was then known as Wheeler’s Flats and just below a vast expanse of high alpine meadows. In March 1929, Cliff White and Cyril Paris, two local extreme sports enthusiasts, created

1710-559: The resort hosted women's legs of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup with two downhills, a Super-G and downhill leg of the Alpine Combined. In 1991 the resort hosted Downhill and super -G events for the 1991 Winter Deaflympics . In 2001, the aging gondola that had brought guests up to the mountain since 1980 was replaced with a modern gondola built by Poma, reusing the same line and many of the original towers. At

1755-638: The resort was purchased by local Banff businessman Cliff White, Jr. and his wife Bev. Their vision has shaped the resort. Partnering with Power Corporation Resorts, they built the Sunshine Inn (now Sunshine Mountain Lodge), the Daylodge and opened up the slopes of the Continental (Great) Divide Chairlift. He ushered in the modern era with the opening of the first gondola, which replaced bus access to

1800-412: The resort will often access one of the eight adjacent backcountry terrain such as 'Wawa Ridge' or Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park in British Columbia. Avalanche rescue equipment is recommended for most backcountry areas. Rescue equipment is a requirement for access to the freeride zones of Delirium Dive and Wild West where the entrances are via a gate that remains locked at all times unless it detects

1845-581: The same time, the WaWa T-Bar was removed and a fixed-grip quad was built by Poma to replace it. In 2003, the Standish double chairlift was upgraded by Leitner Poma to a high=speed quad, providing high-speed lift service to Mount Standish. In 2010, the Strawberry triple chairlift was removed and replaced with a used Doppelmayr CTEC high-speed quad. The Strawberry Express had originally been built as

Mount Howard Douglas - Misplaced Pages Continue

1890-424: The ski area, in 1980, In 1981, the resort was purchased by Ralph T. Scurfield of Calgary. Following his death in 1985, his sons, Ralph , Sergei, and John ran the resort and made many improvements. In 1988, the resort's first high-speed quad opened with the construction of the Angel Express on Lookout Mountain. In 1995, the resort expanded onto Goat's Eye Mountain , constructing a Poma high-speed quad to service

1935-420: The summer of 2021, the parking lot was expanded and 250 new spots were added. The ski season begins in early November and traditionally ends in late May, on the Victoria Day long weekend, with an event called the Slush Cup. Slush Cup participants attempt to ski down in front of a very large crowd of crazily dressed spectators, jump onto a pool of water (approx. 50'/ 15m long & 8' / 2.5m deep) and skim across

1980-408: The top of the Tee Pee Town chair lift today , one is looking over the same Sunshine Meadows that were busy with campers those many decades earlier . In 1928, the Canadian Pacific Railway built a log cabin lodge for the use of The Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies , a club of horse enthusiasts who were sponsored by the tourist-friendly railway. This cabin was certainly not the first lodge built in

2025-478: The two provinces, ( Alberta and British Columbia ). Lift service includes a gondola , several chairlifts , a high-speed quad with heated seats and bubbles and magic carpet lifts . Banff Sunshine is the first ski resort in Canada to feature a high-speed quad with heated seats and bubbles . This chair was constructed in 2015 and is known as Teepee Town XL. The annual snowfall is up to thirty feet (over nine metres). The Sunshine Mountain Lodge, an 84-room hotel

#800199