I love and hate Banff at the same time. I find the townsite disgusting. One after another shop filled with overpriced junk. But, head north of Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway and Banff becomes magical. The Wapta and Waptiuk Icefields are amazing, with some of the finest ski mountaineering on the planet. Molar Meadows is amazing regardless of the time of the year. The Skoki backcountry is beautiful summer and winter. Oh, the list goes on and on...