Early January, a traveler landed at Calgary International Airport and headed west on the Trans-Canada Highway. After about 90 minutes, the prairie gave way to the snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies, and the sky turned a bright, relentless white.
Winter arrival and the lure of Banff
Banff National Park’s “SkiBig3” trio—Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise Ski Resort and Mount Norquay—was already deep in its season, while much of the American West faced a rare snow drought. The region’s December had been one of the snowiest on record, according to local climate data.
The historic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise sits on the lake’s frozen edge, a legacy of the 1885 Canadian Pacific Railway expansion. Founder William Cornelius Van Horne built the original Chalet for fishing and alpinism; it was rebuilt in 1925 as the grand Renaissance-style resort that now offers 539 rooms.
Guests at the Chateau can book snowshoe hikes, Bavarian curling lessons, and rent ice skates and Nordic skis from the lobby-level Guide’s Cabin, which still displays vintage alpine photographs. The hotel’s staff wear lederhosen-inspired uniforms, a nod to the Swiss guides Van Horne hired to teach early tourists the sport of skiing.
Beyond the slopes: snowshoeing and hot-stone baths
On the first morning, a guide named Kevin Kirkpatrick led a “Powderfest Snowshoeing” trek. The group left the groomed lakeshore trail and climbed the shoulder of Fairview Mountain, where dense fir and larch trees stood bent under a foot of fresh powder.
During the hike Kirkpatrick recounted the 1882 story of Edwin Hunter, a Stoney Nakoda member who showed Tom Wilson the lake the Indigenous people called Ho-run-num-nay, later renamed Emerald Lake and finally Lake Louise for Queen Victoria’s daughter.
After three hours of high-stepping, the guide’s party returned to the Chateau for a session at Basin Glacial Waters, a guest-only thermal bathhouse designed by Italian architect Matteo Thun. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the frozen lake and surrounding peaks, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor experience.
The centerpiece is an Aufguss sauna ritual, where a sauna master waves scented towels over hot stones while a playlist fills the room. Guests then plunge into an outdoor cold bath, feeling a rapid shift from heat to icy exhilaration.
While the sauna’s theatrical flair might seem out of place in a mountain setting, it reflects a growing trend of European wellness practices finding a foothold in North America’s high-altitude resorts.
In the afternoon, the traveler caught the complimentary Fairmont shuttle to Lake Louise Ski Resort.
Back on the mountain, the skier rode the Summit Chair to the West Bowl, where the snow felt “like backcountry” despite being within resort boundaries. Later, a sudden drop in visibility turned Rodney’s Ridge into a vertigo-inducing black-diamond run.
Later that day, the group gathered at the on-mountain Whitehorn Bistro for a farm-to-table lunch. The menu featured pickled beet carpaccio with goat cheese and a crispy duck breast finished with black-cherry jus, all served with panoramic views of the glacier-fed valley.
Cultural immersion beyond the slopes
Beyond the ski lifts, visitors can experience a horse-drawn sleigh gliding along the powder-lined edge of frozen Lake Louise, pulled by draft horses that echo a bygone era. The ride weaves past life-size snowmen and a miniature ice castle that mirrors the grand hotel’s silhouette, offering a picture-perfect moment for photographers.
Guided Nordic outings incorporate Indigenous traditions.
Evening programs at the lake feature an outdoor bar constructed entirely from ice blocks, where guests sip mulled wine and spiked cocoa while the lanterns cast a soft glow on the surrounding peaks. The bar’s frosty architecture blends seamlessly with the natural scenery, creating a uniquely alpine lounge that operates after dark.
Evening delights and town charm
After a day of outdoor pursuits, the nearby town of Banff welcomes guests with a collection of eateries that emphasize regional ingredients. A locavore-focused kitchen serves breakfast dishes such as caramel-drizzled French toast, while its dinner menu showcases wild boar chops and bison burgers topped with smoked cheddar, all prepared in a rustic setting that respects local design standards.