Skiing in Banff/ Lake Louise/ Sunshine Valley - How difficult are the slopes?

PPS - you can easily spot the snow hosts as they all wear a blue & yellow ski outfits.

Allow me to clarify the standards for the slopes in Canada and relate this to the rest of the world. The slopes are rated upon ability of the skier. The green is easiest and blue intermediate with black and bouble black for advanced.

The Alberta Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance

http://www.snowproab.com/skipro/course_materials.htm

has a great page for you to see what the skill levels are.

Level 1 shows the skiers doing turns with the colour of the ability superinposed on the frame. It gives a good idea of the terrain and the skills needed to navagate it.

If you can ski nearly as well as the guy in the video while the green is shown you will be able to ski green runs and so on.

All resorts have a mix of runs and their web sites are based upon the standards of skill shown in these videos. Go figure the CSIA and the resorts have collaborated on this over many years. Check each resort for a mix of runs and a map of the areas.

Good videos to get you in the mood too....

Been 4 times, myself being of double black standard haha but my parents were beginners and they loved it! Watch out for the cold though.....