Lake Louise

Lake Louise if one of three Banff ski resorts and is hands down the most beautiful. From Banff, It will take you about an hour to reach the resort. Lake Louise is often compared to resorts in the Alps because of the numerous peaks, valleys, and lakes that surround the area.

As if to show off its Peacock like beauty, the Resort allows ski access from all sides revealing amazing views of mountains, valleys and Lake Louise. On top of Whitehorn Mountain, you can get spectacular 360-degree views of this majestic area. Lake Louise is one of the most beautiful ski areas I’ve ever skied.

Viewable from the mountain is Lake Louise. and the adjacent Chateau Lake Louise, one of Nort America’s great hotels. It sits on the edge on a beautiful Lake Louise, surrounded by majestic mountain peaks. See it here.

Expert Skiing at Lake Louise

Back Bowls, Whitehorn Mountain via Summit Platter

Vail has its back bowls. Lake Louise’s are steeper. Whitehorn Mountain and the surrounding ridgeline is almost Cirque like (it’s a full Crescent) and it’s all skiable. To get there, you take the Summit Platter up the front side and then hike a couple of hundred feet to reach the backside. From here you have a choice of nine gullies (A through I). You can also traverse, and hike skiers left, just below and behind the ridgeline to Shoulder Roll, the North Chutes and Boundary Bowl. Always good to ask a local or ski patrol for directions if you haven’t made the traverse.

Back Bowls vis Paradise Chair – Skiers Left

This area from Big 7 to Read’s Way is filled with short couloirs, cornices, chutes and rock faces. In between are fun runs like Dropout, Vertical Cornice, Couloir The Beast and Jackpot. Lots of short challenging terrain.

Back Bowls via Paradise Chair – Skiers Right

Almost the opposite of skier’s left, on this side of Paradise Chair you’ll find wide-open bowls, longer and more open chutes and glades. Paradise Bowl is wide open and easy to ski to. If you hike the ridge a bit, you’ll reach Fenceline Gully, Swedes, E.R. 3, Cowboy, Upper Alley and 2/3 Shoulder. Keep traversing, and you’ll reach Crow Bowl and East Bowl.

Elevator Shaft and Glades Via Larch Express

Lapalian Chutes and Tower 12. Off of Larch Express, you can make the hike to ski Elevator Shaft. Skier’s left below the Chair are great glades off of Tower 12 and Lookout Chutes.

Back Bowls – Area Off Ptarmigan Chair

Lots of tree skiing and bump runs off of Ptarmigan. Stay skiers right to find the Ptarmigan chutes. With fresh snow this area is awesome. It’s mostly southern facing so it can bake.

Snow Hunting at Lake Louise

Chasing North facing runs is generally your best bet when snow is in short supply, or the sun has been baking runs facing other aspect. At Lake Louise, these are the back bowls. Skiers right off of Paradise Chair from Fenceline Gully to The Heart are snow holders. Likewise, skiers left off of Paradise Chair offers hair raising snow stashed from ER 6 to Jackpot. Last but never least are the bowls off of Summit Platter.

Lake Louise Insider Tips

On a good snow day hike from Summit Platter to Boundary Bowl.

Operations at Lake Louise used to run a great blog. It has lots of great insider information on Lake Louise skiing and how the mountain operates. If they’ve left it up, its worth looking at: see it here.