March 26th, 2011
Banff Gondola
No trip to Banff in Alberta would be complete without a ride on the famous Banff Gondola. In addition to unparalleled views of six different mountain ranges, the Gondola takes riders to the top of Sulphur Mountain where they engage in a variety of activities.
Located in banff national park the Gondola is an eight minute ride that rises 2,292 feet (698 meters), depositing visitors at the summit, which sits at 7,486 ft (2,281 m). They can then proceed to the Summit Upper Terminal or ascend to the main observation deck on the top of the building. Visitors can wander around the Summit on their own, experiencing breath-taking views in all directions, or follow one of the many walks and hiking trails.
The Banff Skywalk traverses the ridge for an easy one kilometer walk. It leads visitors to the Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site and the Sanson’s Peak Meteorological Station. More experienced and hardy hikers may prefer the South East Ridge Trail. Birds and wildlife are frequently spotted by Summit visitors, including bighorn sheep, hoary marmots, and the Golden mantled ground squirrel.
The Summit also hosts a regular evening light show, dazzling sunsets, and a giant interactive compass that is a popular site for tourist photo taking.

