BANFF, Alberta - We were three overworked women in need of a getaway. But what we didn't realize when we arranged our ski trip to Banff was how many other outdoor adventures were available in the area -- and how difficult it would be for three Type-A personalities to actually turn off and relax.

We had planned to fill our week with downhill skiing, deep-down massages, decadent meals, gallery-hopping and shopping. We did all that, but along the way, we tried dog sledding and ice climbing, gave snowboarding a shot, and hiked through an ice canyon.

We also discovered the therapeutic properties of a Hungarian mineral pool, figured out how to cook venison to perfection in a fondue broth, and drove the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper, one of the world's most breathtaking routes.

THREE COMRADES

Two friends joined me on this adventure: Hilary, a diehard skier from Maine who will tackle any slope as long as it doesn't require an avalanche beacon, and Maribeth, an intermediate skier from Ohio who's a professional photographer and an expert shopper.

''All that matters,'' said Maribeth, as she patted her credit card-filled wallet, ``is that there's a place where we can do damage.''

We met in the Canadian Rockies, scene of some of the best skiing in North America: Sunshine Village is known for its bowl skiing and champagne powder, and Lake Louise is known for its stunning views and 4,200 square acres of skiable terrain, with four mountain faces and everything from cruisers to steeps and bumps.

We wanted to do a women's ski clinic, but since none of the resorts have them, we created our own ''chicks on sticks'' program. We hired an instructor from the Fairmont Snow School to be our guide for three days.

We chose the ski resort each day and Kim Shippam, our instructor, met us there. Shippam was just 20, but she'd been skiing since she was 2 and had spent nine years ski racing, so we trusted her judgment and skills.

Having one instructor for three days had benefits. Shippam quickly learned our skiing styles and ''issues,'' so we didn't have to break in a new instructor each day.

Since she knew the terrain, we could cover a lot of ground and get the most out of each ski area.

EASING INTO IT

We spent our first morning at Ski Norquay, a no-hassle, locals' mountain on the north side of Banff. It's known for its groomed runs and flexible tickets -- you can buy a half-day or even just a two-hour ticket, if you want to ease into it. We did, especially after traveling from sea level to Banff -- located at 4,500 feet -- the previous day.

Shippam gave us tips on proper stances, weighting our skis and breaking old habits, and offered good feedback.

We spent the next two days honing our skills -- learning to carve better turns, stay balanced and bend in all the right places -- while covering more than 35,000 vertical feet at Sunshine Village and Lake Louise.

One of the best parts of the day was returning to the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, a magnificent baronial castle and one of Canada's most famous and historic railway lodges. After our daily ski lessons, we'd head to the hotel's three-story Willow Stream spa for its luxurious Ski Performance Treatment -- a combination of massage, reflexology and resistance stretching -- and a soak in the mineral pool.

When we weren't on the slopes or in the spa, we explored Banff, visiting the Whyte Museum to learn about local history, shopping for anything silver or semiprecious, and eating our way through town.

We also tried dog sledding at nearby Lake Louise. Martha and Doug Hannah have been running Kingmik Sled Dog Tours for 22 years and offer 30-minute Intro to Mushing classes to two-hour tours in western Alberta.

We opted for the two-hour Great Divide Experience, during which our mushers and dogs -- eight huskies per sled -- whisked us 12 miles through forests and along paths to the border of British Columbia (which marks the Great Divide) and back. En route, they taught us the art of mushing -- how to maneuver the sled and when to yell out key commands..

NORTH OF BANFF

After a week in Banff, we drove north along the Icefields Parkway, a stunning 145-mile route that links the Banff/Lake Louise area with Jasper, a laid-back, frontier type of town.

The parkway cuts through the Rockies, offering views of dramatic, chiseled mountains, more than 100 glaciers and dozens of icefalls, as well as the Columbia Icefield. When we reached Jasper, I tracked down a local climber, Lloyd Gaskell, who took me to Schwartz Falls just outside of town to give me a short lesson on how to scale icefalls.

LAST HURRAH

Schwartz Falls was a 40-foot frozen waterfall located just a 10-minute walk into the woods from the main road. As we stood at the base of the frozen falls, Gaskell showed me how to strap on and work my climbing harness, ropes, ice axes and crampons, and gave me a lesson on rappelling -- and dealing with my fear of heights. It's important to have a sense of fear, insisted Gaskell, or you'll get sloppy and make mistakes.

Since I was on a belay device -- attached to a rope that went around a tree at the top of the icefall and secured by Gaskell below me -- I knew there was no chance I would fall. That's why I didn't mind when my feet slipped off the ice, leaving me dangling by my ice axes. With time, I learned how to keep all fours on the icefall so I could climb up about 35 feet.

After a 10-inch snowfall overnight, we decided to give snowboarding a try at Marmot Basin in Jasper, knowing that the powder would make our learning experience a lot more enjoyable. By midday, we were linking turns on an intermediate slope and spending more time on our feet than on our elbows and knees.

Before we left for home, there was one last adventure: a mid-winter hike through Maligne Canyon. Here, Murray Morgan of the Jasper Adventure Centre guides hikers through the limestone canyon -- 165 feet deep in places -- taking them across a thick floor of ice, below dramatic overhangs, and past tall, frozen waterfalls.

We reached the canyon via a path that wound through forests of Engelman spruce and lodgepole pines. At its entrance, we strapped rubber soles with metal cleats onto the bottom of our boots, then set off through the canyon atop a frozen river.

The Maligne River flows through the canyon and slowly freezes on top. Eventually, the water level beneath the ice drops, leaving big chambers of air up to 25-feet deep. That's why, in areas, Morgan asked us to follow behind him single-file.

The canyon's limestone walls were chiseled and rough in some areas and as round and smooth as a teacup in others, where the river had carved them out and polished them over time. As we walked, we found thick, bulbous icefalls, some of which towered 80 feet overhead and had ice caves near their bases.

The combination of world-class outdoor adventure -- for all ability levels -- and four-star food and lodging makes the Banff and Jasper areas unique. As we packed for the trip home, Hilary, Maribeth and I agreed we would visit the area again, to work on our snowboarding moves, take ice climbing to the next level, and maybe give heliskiing a shot.

 

VISITING BANFF

Getting there: Air Canada, American Airlines and Continental fly from Miami to Calgary daily with one stop en route.

Banff is 80 miles from Calgary. Lake Louise is another 36 miles beyond Banff via the four-lane, plowed Trans Canada Highway. Banff to Jasper is about 150 miles. Visitors can also take the Snow Train to Jasper from Vancouver or Edmonton, a scenic journey on VIA Rail's transcontinental route. http://www.snowtraintojasper.com/.

WHERE TO EAT

• Café Soleil, Brewster Mountain Lodge, 208 Caribou St.; 403-762-2090, a new tapas and wine bar.

• Cilantro Mountain Café, Buffalo Mountain Lodge, Tunnel Mountain Rd.; 403-760-4488, a local favorite, featuring homemade pasta, Southwestern dishes and creative pizzas.

• Saltlik Steakhouse, 221 Bear St., Banff; 403-762-2467, a meat-lover's favorite, though vegetarians with a light appetite will survive here, too.

• Bow Valley Grill, Banff Springs Hotel, 405 Spray Ave., Banff; 403-762-6860, offers scrumptious dinner and breakfast buffets, including an assortment of Japanese cuisine. Overlooks the Bow Valley and Mount Rundle.

• Walliser Stube, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, 111 Lake Louise Dr., Lake Louise; 403-522-3511, has a famous fondue dinner, which features 14 kinds of fondue, from blue tomato cheese to ahi tuna, followed by chocolate fondue.

WHERE TO STAY

• Banff Springs Hotel, 405 Spray Ave., Banff; 403-762-2211 or 800-441-1414; www.fairmont.com/banffsprings/. 19th-century Scottish baronial-style castle is a spot of luxury and charm, with a down-home feel. Doubles from $275.

• Spruce Grove Inn, Banff Avenue, Banff; 800-879-1991; http://www.banffvoyagerinn.com/. Cozy, affordable accommodations in a new lodge, 10-minute walk from downtown Banff; year-round access to outdoor heated pool. Rooms from $95.

• Chateau Lake Louise, Lake Louise, 403-522-3511 or 800-441-1414; http://www.fairmont.com/lakelouise/. One of Canada's grand hotels, which opened in 1895; 55 minutes from Banff. Arrange guided hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and other adventures through the Mountain Heritage program. Doubles from $265.

• Jasper Park Lodge, 800-441-1414 or 780-852-3301; http://www.fairmont.com/jasper/. Located in Jasper National Park, has views of an emerald lake and the Rockies. Luxury log cabins and cedar chalets with stone fireplaces. From $160.

• Torquin Inn, 100 Juniper St., Jasper; 780-852-4987 or 800-661-1315, http://www.tonquininn.albertanetwork.com/. Offers everything from rooms with kitchenettes to large family suites with fireplaces and saunas; outdoor hot tubs. Rooms $68 to $95.

THINGS TO DO

• Ski Banff @ Norquay (Norquay Road, Banff; 403-762-4421; http://www.banffnorquay.com/). Although small (190 acres), considered the locals' mountain, Norquay has the most expert terrain. Lessons: http://www.banffskischool.com/.

• Sunshine Village, 403-762-6500; http://www.skibanff.com/. Just 15 minutes from Banff, it's known for its long seasons, short lift lines and champagne powder. Lessons: Sunshine Ski and Snowboard School, 877-542-2633.

• Lake Louise, 403-522-3555; http://www.skilouise.com/. Resort has 4,200 acres of skiable terrain and spectacular views. You can eat dinner mid-mountain at the Whitehorn Lodge, then ski down by torchlight. Lessons: 403-522-1333.

• Fairmont Snow School, 403-760-7731 or 800-760-7731. Offers three-hour to three-day lessons for up to six people at any of the three Banff National Park ski areas.

• Club Ski and Club Snowboard, run by Ski Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine (http://www.skibig3.com/) in downtown Banff, offers private lessons.

• Kingmik Sled Dog Tours, 877-919-7779 or 403-763-8887; http://www.kingmikdogsledtours.com/. Offers trips of 30 minutes ($88) to two hours ($185).

• Jasper Adventure Centre, 306 Connaught Drive, Jasper; 706-852-5595 or 800-565-7547; http://www.jasperadventurecentre.com/. The Centre can arrange ice-climbing, ice canyon-walking, snowshoeing, hiking and other adventures.