Close to heaven

However, the most important ingredient of a great resort is of course the skiing and Lake Louise, founded by Englishman Sir Norman Watson 67 years ago, provides a veritable feast.

Its 84 runs on three mountains are 25% beginner, 45% intermediate, and 30% expert. There are powder bowls, super steep faces, chutes, and, because you can go anywhere apart from a few permanently closed avalanche areas, an incredible amount of tree skiing. It has the usual North American mix of interconnecting runs cut through the forest and the same high standard of grooming.

There are green runs from the top of all eight chairs right to the bottom of the hill and you can ski to the car-park from any run.

Tomba came to town six years ago when Lake Louise hosted a World Cup slalom. The racers had priority in the lift queues but obviously not enough for the best skier in the world. He shouldered his way to the front, knocking over a woman. The liftie remonstrated with Tomba but was treated with disdain.

However, the owner of Lake Louise, Charlie Locke, was in the queue and immediately ordered the lift stopped, despite the rapidly increasing line of skiers behind him. The tycoon, who made his fortune in share dealing and oil and whose holding company is called Locke, Stock, and Barrel, strode to the front and asked La Bomba to apologise to the somewhat upset lady.

``You don't know who you are talking to,'' said Tomba. ``No, you don't know who you are talking to,'' said Mr Locke and reached over and tore up the Italian's lift ticket, adding: ``If you want to race today, you have a long walk in front of you.'' Nice one, Charlie.

Tomba turned on his heel, marched off, and did not take part in the race. That is putting the customer first.

The director of sales at Lake Louise is a Scot, Sandy Best, a former Cairngorm ski patroller, Meribel chalet owner, and Alpine guide. Who better to show me the lake's hidden delights, especially the deep powder? Unfortunately, it had not snowed for a few days and the only virgin powder was in places a little out of my league, as Mr Best candidly pointed out after watching me take a nose dive over a cruddy mogul.

We travelled up the Top of the World chair on the Lake's front side facing its base area and, as its name predicted, the view from 8200ft was amazing. The Alps can be beautiful but the sheer scale of the Canadian Rockies is awesome. Across the valley, the massive, jagged white peaks stretched from one side of the horizon to the other against a brilliant blue sky.

We moved over to the Larch area and into the blue-rated Rock Garden where Mr Best assured me was some lovely, soft, puffy powder. A little voice in my head warned: ``Why is it called the Rock Garden?'' but I threw caution to the winds, concentrated on commitment, kept my weight forward, and powered into the knee-deep snow and waist-high mounds of white stuff.

Thwack. I did a horizontal version of the splits as I wrapped myself round one of the white mounds. ``Those are rocks, not powder,'' said Mr Best. Now he tells me.

As I picked myself up, I could see a skier making beautiful tracks in waist-deep powder high above in the double black diamond Elevator Shaft, an extremely steep chute starting near the summit of the 8902ft Lipalian Mountain. It was Rocket Miller, a ski patroller who likes to live up to his nickname. Ski patrol at the Lake might seem a dream job but a few weeks earlier the patrollers had been out all night in -40C looking for two lost snowboarders, who were eventually found safe and sound.

Lake Louise has something for every type of skier. Experts will love it but there are greens and cruisy blues everywhere and the piste map has excellent guides on routes and runs to suit every level. There are also the Ski Friends - 120 volunteer skiers of every ability who will guide you round the mountain at no charge.

There is tough skiing off virtually every lift. The Lookout Chutes of Larch chair, Exhibition Trees and Ptarmigan Chutes off Ptarmigan chair, the old poma line off Eagle chair, and the three steep faces of the 8765ft Mount Whitehorn - to name but a few.

The standard of instruction at the Lake's ski school was just as impressive. I joined the Ski Week class, which includes a video workshop and Nastar dual slalom race and costs #57 for three days, #17.50 for extra days.

There were only two others in my group and our instructor was David Gilbert, a young, quietly- spoken Quebecois who let his skis do the talking or, more precisiely, let our skis do the talking.

With the perfect balance between demonstration, explanation, and supervision, he helped me in two days to take a signicant step from that dark and dismal place that is the intermediate plateau. In a photograph taken on my second day, I actually looked as if I was doing something right. Something, not everything.

Speaking of doing things right, that definitely applies to the Lake's catering. Ranging from wide-open cafeterias to restaurants where you wait to be seated, the common denominator is excellent value. Burgers and hot dogs start at about #1.50 but the best deal is the buffet in the North Face restaurant in Whiskyjack Lodge at the base station and Sawyer's Nook restaurant in the gorgeous wooden-beamed Temple Lodge at 6608ft. You can eat as much as you like for $10.95 (#5.50).

In case you think the Lake sounds too good to be true, it does have its faults. Its lift system does not compare favourably with the large American resorts, some of it being rather old and slow. However, since the maximum number of skiers on the hill is about 7000, the queues do not get too long.

The main drawback is the size of Lake Louise village. With eight hotels and a few shops, it has mainly up-market accommodation and does not have the depth of nightlife for the dedicated party animal.

However, that was no problem for a mature skier like myself and I do not mean I never change my socks. My host for the trip, Frontier Ski, a small English company specialising in Canada, had quartered me in the impressive Chateau Lake Louise, built on the lake shores in 1890 but much extended since then. With 513 guest rooms, including 66 suites, giant chandeliers, and rolling staircases, this splendid building recently underwent a #33m refurbishment.

My room overlooked the frozen Lake Louise and the Victoria Glacier, and underneath my window fascinating forms took shape as competitors in an international ice sculpting event worked on their frozen masterpieces. My favourite for first place, not because of their work but because of their name, was a team called Two Dudes and a Babe, from San Antonio, Texas. Yes, sunny, boiling-hot Texas. I suppose they must have been very fast ice sculptors.

Although the Chateau is definitely in the five-star class, its prices are not astronomical. Frontier Ski charges #649 for a one-week, accomodation-only package, including car hire, in January

Continued on page 8