Lake Louise Ski Area
- March 28, 2004
- Rated 4 of 5 by
Kiera03 from Lake Louise, Alberta
If you are looking for some extreme skiing, fresh snow, great groomers, long seasons and variable weather, this is the place to be. It has been improved upon greatly under new ownership and is turning into a great resort. Limited by being in a National Park, this resort does cater to those looking for a nature experience as well. What you won't find here is Intrawesty type villages and accommodations at the base, or extreme convenience like the new age resorts. Due to park limitations, the resort is only able to make minor modifications/additions/upgrades. Still, the lift lines are short, the choices of terrain abundant, and the views spectacular.
From journal The Epic Mountain Town
Editor Pick
Lake Louse Ski Area
- February 7, 2001
- Rated 4 of 5 by
jj2 from Madison, Alabama
A short bus ride from the Chateau will whisk you to the slopes of the Lake Louise Ski Area, one of the premiere ski resorts in the Canadian Rockies. Buses to and from the hotel are frequent and operate on a first come-first serve basis, just take care not to miss the last one out! This full service ski area boasts a 3250 foot vertical rise topping out at 8650 feet and an extensive base complex with multiple dining options, equipment rentals, ski lessons and pro shops. Looking up from the decks at the base, you see a variety of trails; however, you are only looking at a small portion of the ski area. It extends much further up and back and provides opportunities for skiers of all abilities in its 4000 skiable acres and 105 runs.
The mountain has three major areas serviced by eight lifts (3 quads, 2 triples and 3 doubles): the South Face, the Back Bowls and the Larch area. I am a solid intermediate skier, and I found plenty of options. My preference is to get out of the base area as quickly as possible and enjoy the Back Bowls and Larch for the majority of my time. Larch has one lift serving some long and optionally steep blue runs. Most of the runs were groomed during my visit, but there were powder options and some challenging moguls, especially in the back bowls. Conditions were good in February that year, comparing favorably with my usual haunts in Utah and Colorado. The runs are 30% black, 45% blue and 25% green. My wife, a non-skier, found comfortable places to wait for me, and the staff treated her well during her long stays at various establishments.
I opted to rent skis at the Chateau, but a better option would be to rent and store the skis on the mountain if you only plan to ski at Lake Louise. The prices are roughly the same, and you are spared the ordeal of carrying them on and off the buses. In my case, I also skied at Sunshine, so I kept the skis at the hotel, took them with me when we moved to the Banff Springs hotel and returned them at Banff to avoid the hassle of a second fitting.
For more information, check out their web site at .
From journal Lake Louise: Emerald of the Canadian Rockies