Want to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Banff National Park minus the physical strain? Opt for the lift-assisted hiking via the Sunshine Gondola at the Banff National Park. This high alpine landscape is a hit among travellers for its stellar views of the mountains, lakes and vibrant wildflowers.
On booking a gondola ride, you will get a chance to pass through a scenic valley before entering a resort village. Here you will come across a café, restaurant, alpine hotel and a small interpretative centre. However, you cannot compare its facilities with the expansive ones at Banff Gondola.
History of Sunshine Village
Originally, the Sunshine Village was a summer lodge established by the CP Rail Company between 1928-29. This area attracted a lot of crowd mostly comprising ski experts. They wanted to explore the area while indulging in adventure activities. Sunshine Village became a rage among visitors for the downhill skiing facilities. This led to setting up of the first t-bar during 1962. This was followed by the first Standish chairlift in 1965.
The Sunshine Village Resort continued growing exponentially during the 1970s. It got immense footfall of travellers who were in awe of the dry yet soft Rocky Mountain snow. The Sunshine Gondola was constructed during 1980.
The aim was to make the Sunshine Village more accessible for travellers of different age groups and physical capacities. Before this, visitors had to take a bus for reaching the village. The Scurfield family bought the Sunshine Village property in 1981 and transformed the resort into a lavish one. Today, people around the globe acclaim it as a popular ski destination.
When can you ride the Sunshine Gondola
The Sunshine Meadows Gondola remains operational during summer months from 27th June to 21st September between 8 in the morning to 5 in the evening. You can hop onto this 8 passenger gondola with your entire family and travel up to an elevation of 2159m. Along the way, you will come across ethereal views of the surroundings and might also encounter wildlife.
Enjoy sheer brilliance of Nature with Standish Chairlift
For gaining some additional elevation, you can opt for the Standish Chairlift which will take you to a height of 8000 ft. The ride takes around 8 minutes. Ideally, you should take the Gondola ride and reach the Village within 3:30 pm for enjoying the views to the fullest. The lift gives you access to the highest spot in the Lake Louise and Banff area. When you reach the top, the sight of three pristine alpine lakes will mesmerize you.
The Standish Viewing Deck never fails to stun travellers with the breath-taking views of Laryx, Grizzly and Rock Isle lakes. Don’t forget to carry your camera along as you take 360 degree panorama stills of its magnificent surroundings. Once you buy a lift ticket, you can enjoy both Standish Chairlift and Sunshine Gondola.
3 Alpine Lakes
For taking your experience to unparalleled heights, its advisable to go on a picturesque hiking trail starting with Rock Isle Lake and ending at the Grizzly Lake. Rock Isle Lake looks heavenly during summer months. The wildflowers add a burst of hues to the meadows. You can reach the secluded Laryx Lake by taking a short hike. Here you can enjoy the stunning reflections of the larch trees in clear water. Last but not the least comes Grizzly Lake tuck in beautifully amidst pristine wilderness. It is ideal for visitors wishing to enjoy some solitude in nature.
Hikes from Sunshine Gondola
After reaching the top of the chairlift ride, you can try out any of the Sunshine Meadows hiking trails for basking in the raw beauty of Mother Nature. The best thing about all these routes is that they are extremely well maintained. Visitors can follow them easily.
Some popular trails are Standish Viewing Deck Loop, Rock Isle Road, Grizzly Loop, Meadows Park Trail, etc. Make sure to ask for a trail map with all the details like distance, exact location and elevation loss/gain while buying the tickets.
