Banff and Jasper national parks have long been Alberta's center of mountain recreation. If you're staying in Banff, Jasper, or Lake Louise, you'll find that outfitters and recreational rental operations in these centers are pretty sophisticated and professional: They make it easy to get outdoors and have an adventure. Most hotels offer a concierge service that can arrange activities; for many, you need little or no advance registration. Shuttle buses to more distant activities are usually available as well.
You don't even have to break a sweat to enjoy the magnificent scenery -- hire a horse and ride to the backcountry or take an afternoon trail ride. Jasper, Banff, and Lake Louise have gondolas to lift you from the valley floor to the mountaintops. Bring a picnic or plan a ridge-top hike. If you're not ready for white water, the scenic cruises on Lake Minnewanka and Maligne Lake offer a more relaxed waterborne adventure.
Backpacking -- Backcountry trips through high mountain meadows and remote lakes provide an unforgettable experience; Banff Park alone has 3,059km (1,897 miles) of hiking trails.
Biking -- Both Banff and Jasper provide free maps of local mountain-bike trails; the Bow Valley Parkway between Banff and Lake Louise and Parkway 93A in Jasper Park are both good less-trafficked roads for road biking. Bike rentals are easily available nearly everywhere in the parks.
Rick Climbing, Ice Climbing & Mountaineering -- The sheer rock faces on Mount Rundle near Banff and the Pallisades near Jasper are popular with climbers, and the area's many waterfalls become frozen ascents for ice climbers in winter. Instruction in mountaineering skills, including rock climbing, is offered by Yamnuska Inc. Mountain School, a climbing outfitter based in Canmore (tel. 403/678-4164; www.yamnuska.com).
Skiing -- There are downhill areas at Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, and the former Olympic site at Nakiska in the Kananaskis Country. At its best, skiing is superb here: The snowpack is copious, the scenery is beautiful, the après-ski festivities are indulgent, and the accommodations are world-class. There's a lot of value in an Alberta ski holiday -- lift tickets here are generally cheaper than those at comparable ski areas in the United States.
Heli-skiing isn't allowed in the national parks but is popular in the adjacent mountain ranges near Golden in British Columbia. CMH Heli-Skiing, 217 Bear St., Banff (tel. 800/661-0252 or 402/762-7100; fax 403/762-5879; www.cmhski.com), is the leader in this increasingly popular sport, which uses helicopters to deposit skiers on virgin slopes far from the lift lines and runs of ski resorts. CMH offers 7- and 10-day trips to 12 locations; prices begin at C$4,836 (US$3,482) including lodging, food, and transport from Calgary.
Cross-country skiers will also find a lot to like in the Canadian Rockies. A number of snowbound mountain lodges remain open throughout winter and serve as bases for adventurous Nordic skiers.
White-Water Rafting & Canoeing -- The Rockies' many glaciers and snowfields are the source of mighty rivers. Outfitters throughout the region offer white-water rafting and canoe trips of varying lengths and difficulty -- you can spend a single morning on the river or plan a 5-day expedition. Jasper is central to a number of good white-water rivers; Maligne Rafting Adventures Ltd. (tel. 780/852-3370; www.mra.ab.ca) has packages for rafters of all experience levels.
Wildlife Viewing -- If you're thrilled by seeing animals in the wild, the Rocky Mountain national parks are all teeming with wildlife -- bighorn sheep, grizzly and black bears, deer, mountain goats, moose, coyotes, lynxes, wolves, and more. Aside from the Rockies, Elk Island National Park, just outside Edmonton, harbors the tiny pygmy shrew and the immense wood buffalo.
