Wafted eastwards by strong winds, in 2002 the beastie made its debut in northern Alberta and further south in the national parks of Jasper, Banff and Kananaskis on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

ECONOMIST: Pining for a cold winter

But Fairmont is trying to lure visitors with a new "Cruisin' the Canadian Rockies" package, which kicks off in Banff, an hour-and-a-half drive from the Calgary airport, and includes two nights each at their three luxury Alberta resorts: the JPL, the historic Chateau Lake Louise and the Fairmont Banff Springs .

FORBES: Rocky Mountain High, Canadian-Style