Skiing Lake Louise – A Great Rockies’ Resort

Lake Louise Ski Resort

Banff, Alberta

The Canadian Rockies were seemingly made for skiing and snowboarding. There is a host of resorts to choose from. In the Banff area alone, there is Norquay and Sunshine. However, there are few places better to head off to early on a Sunday morning than the Lake Louise ski area. Away from all the hustle and bustle of Banff, yet only a 40 minutes drive – it has got to be classed as one of the best ski resorts in the Rockies, if not North America. With 4200 acres of skiable terrain and some of the most consistent and excellent snow around, it is no wonder it is a favorite with locals and visitors alike.

Skiing is always better downhill than up!

It was a gorgeous January day when I woke up and looked outside. The temperature was perfect. It had snowed in town during the night and everything was covered in a light white blanket. Unfortunately so was my ever unreliable car, which not-so-surprisingly refused to start. Though Lake Louise is very close – it is not quite within walking distance of Banff Ave. I headed off to the ski rentals shop, leaving behind my rarely used snowboard and woke up a friend for a ride to Lake Louise. It’s strange how some people hate being woken at 8:30am on a Sunday morning.

There is a major difference between Lake Louise and the other two big local hills. It is so big that it never seems too busy. The lifts and gondola are used so efficiently that even on a busy Sunday, I never had to wait in line for more than a minute. This is the stuff that skiers dream of. After a quick hot chocolate and morning spring roll in the very fairly priced Whiskyjack Lodge, the slopes could wait no longer. The boots were forced on, jackets closed tight, valuables stored and Lake Louise was ready to be tamed.

I hadn’t even clicked into my skis when I had my first fall straight from the Gondola. I probably should have taken this as a foreboding of the many falls to come. The thing about Lake Louise is that it is perfect for any level of skier or snowboarder. It is the first resort I would bring a beginner but would also happily dash down the black slopes like a lunatic. There is a green slope from every lift and there are lots of jumps and off-piste to keep the most restless entertained. There is something about Lake Louise that makes you feel like the ski hill belongs to you. It is wide, un-commercial, spacious, challenging and the runs seem to go forever. Definitely don’t let a visit to the Rockies pass without a ski trip to Lake Louise.