February 11–15, 2026
I should have anticipated the anticipation. I’d felt it before — arriving back in Kansas City after walking the Camino through Portugal and Spain, physically exhausted but electric the moment I saw Carol at the airport. This was the same feeling, building quietly the night before she was set to fly into Bozeman.
“Don’t Blink” — written by Casey Beathard and performed by Kenny Chesney — ran through my head as I waited. We’ve been married since July 5, 1985. Over 40 years.
I remember thinking: don’t blink. But don’t quit living either.
Our marriage isn’t perfect. Whose is? We’ve been through a lot of what life throws at a couple — kids, careers, aging and dying parents, new and growing grandsons, Covid, retirement, health issues. We have never given up. She certainly didn’t give up on me during some of my worst moments and challenges. I like to think I’m there for her too. That night in Bozeman, I knew I could do better.
So the night before Carol arrived, I worked at making our reunion special. I did my laundry, reorganized the Tahoe, went grocery shopping, and picked up a card and flowers for her. After a month of peanut butter & honey sandwiches, hostel kitchens, and Super 8 motels, I was thinking about someone else’s needs for a change.
When I finally got to bed, I slept like a rock.
Bozeman airport is genuinely pleasant — mountain views, good coffee, the kind of regional airport that reflects its surroundings. I got there early, explored, found a spot just outside the security gate, and watched other people wait for and embrace arriving loved ones. I did my daily Duolingo. And waited. It seemed like hours.
Then there she was. Wow, was she beautiful. I felt the emotions well up as I kind of skipped toward her, wrapped her in a hug, kissed her, took her carry-on, and handed over the flowers. We hugged again and then found a coffee shop and just sat together for a while — no rush, nowhere to be yet. After nearly a month apart, staying in touch by phone but living completely different lives, it was good just to be next to her.
We had one concern going into the Canadian Rockies: altitude. Carol has had issues with it before, and Banff sits higher than Bozeman. My sister Trish had reassured Carol during an earlier call that she hadn’t experienced problems at Big Sky’s elevation. As it turned out, Carol had the same experience — no issues in Bozeman, and none on the journey north. Staying at base level in Banff helped, I’m sure.
We drove north from Bozeman. About an hour in, we hit Townsend — a good-looking little town. We weren’t in a hurry, so we stopped for lunch. After a slow drive down Broadway, we pulled into Mountie Moose Bakery. Perfect choice. We split a sandwich on gluten-free bread. I got a donut.
We crossed into Canada at Carway. We’d anticipated a delay — two questions, passports checked, and we were free to roam. The road improved immediately and dramatically. Literally going from potholed rough asphalt to freshly paved highway. I noticed.
We arrived in Calgary and stayed at a Holiday Inn Express, then pushed on into Banff the next morning. Carol had handled all the arrangements — hotels, timing, logistics built around my desire to ski all three mountains and her focus on enjoying the hotel amenities. She’d done her homework.
What she’d booked us into first was the Fairmont Banff Springs. At first I wasn’t sure whether to consider her choice a reward or economic punishment for spending a month skiing my way across the West.
Then we arrived. The Fairmont Banff Springs is one of those places that photographs well and still manages to exceed expectations in person — a castle in the Rockies, mountains surrounding it on every side, the kind of setting that makes you feel like you’ve arrived somewhere that matters.
The concierge met us at the Tahoe. He opened the back hatch and said, “You’ve been road tripping, haven’t you?” He helped unload the bags, and when I tried to tip him he wouldn’t hear of it. Carol went up to the room. I hopped back in the Tahoe and headed straight for a half day of skiing.
My Ikon pass was blacked out on February 14th and 15th. I’d love to tell you Carol had noticed this and built the stay around Valentine’s Day on purpose. In truth I hadn’t realized there were blackout dates until the night before she arrived. Three nights at the Fairmont, blackout dates falling right in the middle. I’d ski the 12th (half day) and the 13th, and Valentine’s Day and the day after we’d have together. I’d skip Mount Norquay — just another reason to return someday.
Sometimes the logistics work out better than you planned.
Sunshine Village — Day One
Sunshine Village is about 20 to 30 minutes from Banff. There’s a gondola from the parking area up to the village — a long gondola ride — and by the time you reach the top you understand why people make the trip. The mountain is spectacular.
Day one I covered the majority of the Sunshine Village lifts and slopes, deliberately saving Goat’s Eye for the second day. The long ski down to the parking area at the end was better than the gondola ride up. Ikon logged 42 trails and 13.2 miles.
I got back to the Fairmont in the late afternoon and Carol was still in the spa. I showered and had a few minutes to stand at the window and stare at the view before she returned. We took it in together, talked about our days, then headed down the hall to the Gold Level exclusive lounge for evening canapés. What I’d expected to be small decorative finger foods turned out to be bountiful and delicious. We cancelled our dinner reservation at the Chop House and made a meal of it right there. Carol finished the evening with a chocolate martini. Hard to argue with that.
The daily breakfast the next morning was exceptional. I managed to spread peanut butter on excellent bread, drown it in honey, and head back to Sunshine Village.
Sunshine Village — Day Two & Goat’s Eye
On the drive back, I noticed the traffic was heavier than the day before. Rounding the last bend before the parking area I found a checkpoint — Royal Canadian Mounted Police checking vehicles for park passes. I’d apparently blown past the ticket booth on the way in from Calgary. They sold me the pass I needed, added a small fine, and sent me on my way. Not my finest border moment.
Goat’s Eye was boldly next level. After a couple of runs I understood why — I couldn’t maintain my edge. The snow was thin and icy up high, the wind was stripping coverage off the exposed terrain, and I was spinning out on runs that demanded more precision than I had that day. Maybe it was conditions. Maybe it was skill. Probably both. After a couple of hard lessons I made the call: back to Sunshine Village.
It was the right call. The Sunshine Village terrain more than made up for it. Ikon logged 45 trails and 22.7 miles — my best day at Sunshine.
Carol was enjoying a facial when I returned. The evenings at the Fairmont were her domain, and she’d earned every minute — a month of holding down the home front while her husband skied his way across the continent. We explored the town of Banff a little, but mostly we were content to just be in the place, together, after so much time apart.
Valentine’s Day
Saturday, February 14th. No skiing. Blackout dates, perfectly timed.
I’m not sure the Ikon pass planners intended their blackout dates to function as a romantic intervention. But they did. We were grateful.
Three nights at Fairmont Banff Springs. Two days of skiing at one of the most beautiful resorts I’ve ever seen. A Valentine’s Day that arrived exactly when it was supposed to.
After all those weeks of Super 8s and hostel dorm rooms and a dollar a machine for laundry, the Fairmont Banff Springs was exactly the right place to land with my wife. She’d planned it that way. She usually does.
The next morning we drove to Lake Louise. One more mountain. And as it turned out, one more day of skiing than I’d planned — the mountain had its own ideas about when we’d leave.
💡 Ski Camino Tips — Chapter 8
Bozeman airport: A genuinely pleasant regional airport with mountain views on the main concourse. Worth arriving early if you have time to explore before a pickup.
Altitude acclimatization: If you or your travel partner has altitude sensitivity, spend a night or two at a lower elevation before heading higher. Bozeman to Banff is a gradual ascent — it helped us considerably.
Fairmont Banff Springs: Worth every penny for a special occasion. Drive in through the gold reception entrance for the full arrival experience. The concierge service is exceptional — and apparently non-tippable.
Sunshine Village gondola: Budget extra time for the gondola ride from the parking area up to the village. It’s long — but the views on the way up set the tone for the whole day.
Goat’s Eye at Sunshine: Conditions dependent. In thin snow years the coverage can be icy and technical. Check recent snow reports before committing your day to it — the Sunshine Village terrain is exceptional and more than worth your time if Goat’s Eye isn’t delivering.
Banff National Park pass: Don’t miss the ticket booth on the way into the park. The RCMP checkpoint on the Sunshine Village road will find you if you do. Ask me how I know.
Ikon blackout dates: Check your blackout dates before booking accommodation. What looked like a limitation turned out to be a built-in Valentine’s Day. Sometimes the calendar knows what it’s doing.
Next: Chapter 9 — Lake Louise, Snowed In & One More Day
