Documenting Lovely Moments
Banff Gondola To The Top Of Sulphur Mountain
The scenic Banff Gondola ride took us took to the top of Sulphur Mountain. We then took the 2-km boardwalk leading to Sanson’s Peak. The view from the top was absolutely out of this world and the mountain air felt amazing.
Arriving at Banff Gondola
From the Rimrock Resort Hotel where we stayed, it took us about 5 minutes to walk to the base of Banff Gondola. Because we already bought our admission tickets online, we did not have to go to the ticket counter, which saved time. It was not too busy anyway, since we arrived early around 7 am.
Travel Tips
As with any popular attraction in Banff, the best way to enjoy the experience is to arrive early in the morning. Not only it was not too crowded, we got to see wildlife along the boardwalk when we just arrived. We also got a better deal with the “Kids Go Free” package that we booked online, which included one free child admission for each paying adult, daily before 12 PM.
“The Highest” Starbucks
We grabbed some coffee at the on-site Starbucks. At 1583 meters elevation, it is the highest Starbucks in all of Canada.
Relaxing Gondola Ride
The 8-minute ride to the top was calm and relaxing. We could see the town of Banff, the Bow River, and Lake Minnewanka.
The Gondola Summit
After getting off the gondola, we arrived at the Summit of Sulphur Mountain. The facility at the summit was beautiful. There was a 360-degree rooftop observation deck, an interpretive center, an IMAX theater, a coffee shop, and mountain-view restaurants. Seeing a bird-eye view of six mountain ranges from the panoramic deck was incredible.
Boardwalk To Sanson’s Peak
The Sulphur Mountain Boardwalk to Sanson’s Peak is a scenic, interpretive trail with epic views. The walk was enjoyable and relatively easy with mostly flat surfaces and some stairs.
Cosmic Ray Station at Sanson’s Peak
We arrived at the top and checked out Cosmic Ray Station, a National Historic Site of Canada.
Fun fact: Sanson’s Peak was named after Norman Sanson, who walked to the top of Sulphur Mountain for 30 years until he was 84 years old to check the weather. How cool is that?
The True Summit of Sulphur Mountain
Once we reached Sanson’s Peak, Sulphur Mountain’s true summit, we took our time soaking in the unbelievable view. We were able to se a range of different mountains, the town of Banff, the Bow River, and Lake Minnewanka.
Back to The Summit Building
The hike back down to the Summit Building was equally as pleasant, and we were able to see the observatory building from a different perspective.
Looking Back at Sanson’s Peak
Back at the summit building, it was just as cool to look back at Sanson’s Peak, which looked so far away. The observatory deck was filled with tourists by the time we came back, and while the views were as beautiful, it was not as peaceful as it was in the early morning.
Gondola Ride Back To The Base
During the gondola ride back down, we were able to see the Rimrock Resort Hotel, where we stayed at.
The Banff Gondola experience was one of our favorite activities in Banff. We were going to do a mountaintop lunch at the summit, but decided to skip it because it was busy. Instead, we grabbed a quick bite from Starbucks at the base since we could not wait to keep exploring the town of Banff.
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I'm a happily-married mom of two. Our family enjoys an active lifestyle and spending quality time together. We love creating memories through travel, learning about different cultures around the world.
