It’s tough to tear yourself away from the slopes in Alberta, where dry fluffy snow falls in every resort. But travel the road between three of its leading resorts, Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, and you’ll be in for a whole host of new thrills.

Don’t let the distance on Highway 93 put you off. This is no ordinary highway, this is known as the Icefields Parkway, and it cuts through some of the Canadian Rockies’ most dramatic scenery. So settle back behind the wheel and let the open road unfold in front of you.

While you could do the whole drive in four hours, you’ll more likely want to spend double, at least – there are towering peaks, rugged lumbering glaciers and frozen waterfalls to gaze at and explore, and if you’re lucky you could be spotting elk, big horn sheep and moose too. Pack lunch and a Thermos and soak up the picturesque spots near the stunning Athabasca Falls or Crowfoot Glacier, happy in the knowledge there is plenty of the Icefields Parkway yet to see, and an equally epic ski resort awaiting your arrival as the one you left behind.