Sunshine Meadows Opens Saturday

BANFF, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - June 21, 2011) - Don't let the idle lifts fool you; Sunshine Village is alive with activity throughout the summer for adventure-seeking hikers, starting Saturday.

Sunshine Village's partner, White Mountain Adventures, will start daily bus service from Banff and hourly service from the ski resort's parking lot, starting June 25. The bus travels five kilometres up the ski-out road, saving nature lovers about 1 ½ to 2 hours of uphill walking. During early hiking season, snow shoes will be available in the village at no extra charge.

Sunshine Meadows is known as one of the most stunning alpine settings in the Canadian Rockies – so scenic Where Magazine once named it one of Canada's Top 10 summer attractions. When it's in full bloom in mid-summer, the meadows are ablaze with colourful wildflowers setting off the jaw-dropping views of surrounding peaks, including Mt. Assiniboine, "the Matterhorn of the Canadian Rockies."

Situated at approximately 2,200 metres (7,300 feet), Sunshine Meadows sits on the border of Alberta and British Columbia – the Continental Divide. The gravel trails are family friendly and can be walked by anyone who is in reasonable physical condition.

Again in August, Sunshine Meadows will be the setting for the sixth annual Plein Air Paintout, an event where some of the region's best artists come out for the day and paint landscapes of the area, using the plein air technique. Shuttle trips up the mountain are priced at $26 return ($15 one way) for adults, including GST, and just $15 return for children, aged 5 to 12. A four-hike daily guided hike is priced at $69, including return bus fare from Banff. By July 1, bus service runs from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

White Mountain operates the Sunshine Meadows Alpine Shuttle every day throughout the summer until Sept. 30, weather dependent. Shuttles run every hour from the Sunshine Village parking lot and once daily from designated spots in the town of Banff. Visitors coming on weekends or during mid-morning are advised to make reservations to avoid disappointment.

For more information on the Sunshine Meadows, call 403-760-4403 (pre-season) or (403) 762-7889 (during the season) or visit sunshinemeadowsbanff.com.