Conditions Report from Saturday, June 27, 2026
After its second-snowiest winter on record, Banff Sunshine, Alberta, had enough snow to open for summer skiing for just the third time in its 100-year history. While many ski areas were forced to shut down weeks earlier, Banff’s massive snowpack allowed the resort to reopen for two bonus weeks of summer skiing deep into June.
I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. I made the trip to Banff for my first-ever summer skiing adventure. Pulling into the gondola parking lot, it hit me. I was about to ski in the Northern Hemisphere in late June.
Banff Sunshine is located just 20 minutes from Banff in Alberta, Canada, and about an hour and a half from Calgary. It is on the Ikon Pass as part of SkiBig3, which also includes Mount Norquay and Lake Louise Ski Resort. During the winter season, Ikon passholders receive seven days across all three resorts combined. However, the 2025-26 or 2026-27 Ikon pass won’t work for the summer skiing session. To make up for that, Banff is offering 50% off tickets for passholders. With the discount, one adult ticket is 40 Canadian dollars, making it a reasonable price for having eight runs open.
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After a scenic 20-minute gondola ride, I arrived at the village where I found two lifts spinning: the Strawberry and Standish Express. Walking from the gondola to the lifts, I passed a DJ playing high-energy music enjoyed by a crowd of revelers, both local and tourists, eager to enjoy the unique mountain setting in late June.
Accessing the lifts was interesting, as they had built up a high snowpack around the skiing area. Skiers had to bootpack up a short snow wall before clicking into their skis. My first ride was on Strawberry lift, where I could visualize the handful of open runs. I started going down Boutry’s Bowl, a blue run under the lift. I was pleasantly surprised by the snow quality. It felt like skiing on a spring day in April.
Next, I skied The Dell Valley, which was a mellow green, with surprisingly good snow cover. From there, I headed over to Standish Express, where I made my way up the empty lift line and hopped on the lift. Nearing the top, I saw a run called Standish Face, a black featuring 700 vertical feet with a significant pitch. The run had great snow and was super smooth to carve into.
Before heading in, I cruised down Creek Run, a green that flows into Prune Pickers Pass. It was a fun change of pace, featuring unexpected terrain park features that kept me guessing.
Standish Face was my favorite run, so I lapped it six more times.
I unclicked my skis and started walking back to the gondola with one thought stuck in my head. It was June 27, and I had just gone skiing. Forget sunning myself on the beach. Banff Sunshine delivered on turning a longtime dream of summer skiing into a reality.
PHOTOS
WEATHER FORECAST
SNOW CONDITIONS
