NEWS
50 Years in Banff National Park and Still the Peak Attraction of the Rockies!
Tweet
ShareOn Saturday, July 18th, 1959 the Sulphur Mountain Gondola officially opened. It was the first bi-cable gondola in North America and the first gondola of any kind in Canada. Today, 50 years and over 18 million visitors later, the modernized Banff Gondola is one of the most visited attractions in the Canadian Rockies. In celebration of its 50th anniversary this Saturday, July 18th, the Banff Gondola will be offering free admission to all visitors born in 1959 for the one day. Local radio personality, Rob Murray with Mountain FM, will be broadcasting live on location from the mountain summit.
The Banff Gondola mountaintop experience begins with an eight minute journey to the summit of Sulphur Mountain in a modern, fully-enclosed four passenger gondola cabin. The views become more and more spectacular upon arrival at the summit at 2,281m (7,486 ft) above sea level - the departure point for a collection of mountaintop activities awaiting visitors this 2009 season. One of the most impressive activities is the Banff Skywalk; an easy 1km self-guided interpretive walkway along the summit ridge of Sulphur Mountain that leads to the to the Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site of Canada and the historic Sanson's Peak Meteorological Station. Another popular activity is the Giant Interactive Compass, a favorite among visitors that have the opportunity to find out the distance and directi on to home and other cities around the world. The newest addition to the Banff Gondola experience is a Starbucks coffee lounge at the mountain base, where guests can enjoy their favourite Starbucks drink, while overlooking spectacular mountain valley views.
The Banff Gondola has been a part of the Canadian Rockies National Park experience since 1959, and with fifty years under its belt, this attraction really knows how to ‘wow’ visitors. For more information on the Banff Gondola, visit www.explorerockies.com/banff-gondola.
About the Banff Gondola™
The Banff Gondola™, a division of Brewster Inc., shares an unobstructed 360 degree view of six scenic mountain ranges from 2,281m (7,486 ft) above sea level and the incredible Banff Skywalk. The Banff Skywalk is an easy 1km self-guided interpretive walkway that leads to the Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site. Other services at the Banff Gondola include two gift shops, two restaurants, one snack bar, interpretive hiking trails and an interactive giant compass.
Images of the Banff Gondola are available for download from Brewster’s image gallery.
For more information, contact:
Joanna Buckingham
Brewster Inc.
Senior Marketing Manager
Telephone: (403) 762-6712
jbuckingham@brewster.ca
