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Gondola at Sulphur Mountain Photo By Chensiyuan.

10 Facts about Sulphur Mountain Gondola, Banff

Millions of visitors flock to Banff National Park every year to enjoy the raw and rugged beauty of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

With the  beautiful mountain ranges and the Bow valley floor, the best way to appreciate the magnificence of the Canadian Rockies is from top of Banff mountain.

To grasp the best view from the mountaintop is via taking a ride on one of the excellent Banff gondolas.

The Banff Gondola was  opened in 1959  and carted over 21 million visitors. In the year 2016 it underwent a massive make over estimated to have costed USD 26 million.

The newly re-developed Gondola facility on is a multipurpose complex providing all support facilities .

At the  Banff  you will enjoy  panoramic views while sitting in a glass-enclosed 4-person gondola cabin or a 2-person chairlift.

It offers a relaxing sensation of floating above the ground as you watch the forest floor drop away, where once in a while  you might get a glimpse of adventurous hikers climbing the serpentine paths to the top.

All the area’s gondola’s offer breathtaking views.

Below are some interesting facts about the Gondola at Banff;

1 The Banff Gondola is Located at the Base of Sulphur Mountain.

To reach Banff Gondola, from Banff town, cross the Bow river bridge and turn left onto to Mountain Ave, the Gondola terminal is located at the end of the Mountain Avenue, besides Upper Hot Springs. The sulphur Mountain are famous for hot springs and are great source of attraction.

2  Construction of the Sulphur Mountain Gondola Began in the Fall of 1958

After surveying the mountain for the most suitable area, the track was cut followed by the installation of a temporary construction lift. The upper and lower terminals were built and the construction of the towers came after.

3. Its an  Approximately Eight minutes Ride Each Way

The track of the gondola is approximately one mile long, and you’ll climb 698 meters to the summit ridge.  Each gondola car fits four adults, while a baby or small child can comfortably join to make five.

4. It’s owned by Jan and Adam Waterous

Liricon Capital Ltd purchased the long-term lease for the Banff Train Station, as well as the 13 hectares of land that surround it, four years ago.

Liricon, which owns the Mount Norquay ski resort in Banff, holds a long-term lease for the Banff train station.

The company has been working for years to develop a multi-modal tourism and transportation hub. Their goal is to create what they call an eco-transit hub aimed at transforming how visitors come to and move around Banff National Park.

According to Liricon, building a passenger rail line between the popular tourist town and Alberta’s largest city would dramatically reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions in Banff National Park.

5. It Provides a 360 Degrees View of the Expansive Park

The Banff Gondola at the top of Sulphur Mountain doesn’t disappoint. Indoors, the experience is equal parts excitement and exploration, with an interpretive centre and theatre to captivate the child in all of us.

You can get lots of photos of that 360-degree view of the what is reffered to as the  Canadian Rockies as you ride the gondola within the eight minutes either way, it goes by quickly.

The track of the gondola is approximately one mile long, and you’ll climb 698 meters to the summit ridge and offers views of the town of Banff, Bow Valley, and six different mountain ranges.  

6. You can  Takes one Way trip on the Gondola

A one-way trip down on the Banff Gondola is available for half the regular price of admission , for kids below five years it free.

Fitness enthusiasts who prefer to hike their way up and take the gondola down always have that as an option. However if you  take this choice to take the Banff Gondola up and hike down, you must purchase a full-price ticket.

7 There are Four Levels in the Banff Gondola Upper Terminal.

At the first level there is  Castle Mountain Coffee, a gift shop and is where you’ll board the gondola for the ride back to the base.

At the second level there is  an interpretive centre and the multi-sensory above Banff Theatre. Its meant for kids of all ages in this area  they will enjoy the many interactive interpretive exhibits.

At the third level this where you find the two Banff Gondola restaurants that is Sky Bistro and Northern Lights Alpine Kitchen.

At the fourth Level there is the  outdoor 360-degree rooftop observation deck with an iconic glass bear. It has plenty of sitting places and you will also find many comfortable chairs around several firepits during the winter.

8.The Gondolas are Not heated thus Warm Dressing is Recommended

The gondola cabins are well enclosed and protected from the wind however it worth while to note that  they are not heated. It therefore advisable to keep warm if you are planning a gondola ride.

During the spring and Autumn it may get colder than usual 

9. Has there Ever Been an Accident on the Banff Gondola?

The Gondola has always been raised as  a safety issue especially due to the height involved, just in case it happens. It is not the first time the gondola has seen a safety issue. In February, 2014, shortly before the attraction opened to the public, an empty gondola cabin fell to the ground. An investigation into that accident found it was caused by a combination of environmental and operational factors along with high winds.

10.The Gondolas was Reconstructed in 2016

The Gondola has seen an increase in number of visitors over the years. In order to meet the increased demand and trend in the tourism industry, the gondola and related structures were redeveloped into a state-of-the-art complex significantly improving the visitor experience.
The new gondola complex is 30% larger than the previous structure and adds a 48-seat theatre as well as cafes, restaurants, and improved the washroom facilities.

It also included an outdoor climbing wall, an expanded rooftop viewing deck, and a 150-person conference space for weddings and corporate events.

The design utilized the existing foundations and overall footprint of the existing structure, including the foundation on all levels of the building, thus minimizing potential environmental impact during the redevelopment of the structure.