Skating on the lake, skiing three mountains, and the cozy lodges that make a Rockies winter special.
By the Global Escapes travel team · Updated
There are few places on earth like it: a frozen lake ringed by mountains, with a glacier at the far end and a grand hotel on the shore.
Lake Louise usually freezes in mid-December. Once it’s solid, the team at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise clears a rink, keeps it swept of snow and floods it often for smooth ice. Skates are available to rent at the hotel, the rink is lit for evening skating, and there’s usually a pickup hockey game to join or watch.
Most people skate between mid-morning and late afternoon, so come after dark and you may have the ice almost to yourself. In early February, the Ice Magic festival fills the lakeshore with ice sculptures; in 2027 it runs February 3 to 7.
Banff National Park has three ski areas, each with its own personality. A SkiBig3 lift ticket covers all three, with ski shuttles from town, so you can try a different mountain every day.
Banff’s hometown hill, about seven minutes from town. Smaller and friendly, with great views over the valley and night skiing on select Friday and Saturday evenings in midwinter.
High on the Continental Divide, known for plentiful natural snow and wide-open alpine bowls. A gondola carries you up to the village, home to Sunshine Mountain Lodge, the only ski-in, ski-out hotel in the park.
The biggest of the three, with 4,200 acres of terrain and some of the most beautiful views of any ski area anywhere, straight across the valley to the peaks above the lake.
Split your stay between Banff and Lake Louise. Banff has the restaurants and shops; Lake Louise has the quiet, the stars and the lake.
The “castle in the Rockies,” a grand railway hotel above the Bow River with a celebrated spa and plenty of places to eat without leaving the hotel.
Right on the shore of the lake. Step out of the lobby and you’re on the ice, with skate rentals just inside.
A warm, wood-beamed lodge in Lake Louise village by the river, known for its dining room and its wine cellar.
The only ski-in, ski-out stay in Banff National Park, up at the Sunshine village. When the last gondola goes down, the mountain is yours.
You don’t have to ski to fall for a Rockies winter. Some of the best days here happen off the mountain.
Walk the catwalks of Johnston Canyon on a guided icewalk, past frozen waterfalls. Ride the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain for the view over town and the Bow Valley, then thaw out in the Banff Upper Hot Springs, which are open year-round. A dog sled ride through the snow is a highlight for every age.
In town, Banff Avenue is lined with cafés, galleries and shops, and the restaurants are good enough to make dinner the main event. If your heart is set on a Rockies road trip, though, save it for summer. Moraine Lake’s road is closed in winter, and storms can close the Icefields Parkway, so winter trips stay close to Banff and Lake Louise.
The small things that make a mountain winter feel easy.
It’s cold but usually dry. A warm base layer, insulated jacket, hat, gloves and boots with good grip make every outing more fun.
Christmas, New Year’s and Presidents’ Day week fill first. January and early March are quieter and often a better value.
Winter roads can be icy. We arrange a private transfer from Calgary, and ski shuttles cover most of the rest.
Skip hauling skis on the plane. We arrange quality rentals that are ready when you arrive.
Canada requires a valid passport for U.S. travelers flying in. Check that yours runs well beyond your return date.
Elk often wander through Banff in winter. Give them plenty of room and enjoy them from a distance.
Planning the whole trip?
Coming back in summer? Month-by-month weather, a route map, the Icefields Parkway, Jasper and the Rocky Mountaineer train.
See the Canadian Rockies guideTell us when you’re thinking of going and who’s coming along. An advisor will take it from there.