The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Lake Louise's summit reaches 2,637 metres, dropping 991 vertical metres to a base at 1,646 metres across 160 runs spread over roughly 1,700 hectares within Banff National Park, Alberta. Terrain splits 45 per cent intermediate, 25 per cent beginner, 19 per cent advanced and 11 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 7.3 metres. The resort carries Ikon and Mountain Collective affiliation. Ten lifts, including four quad chairs, one six-person chair and one gondola, serve the mountain alongside one triple chair and three surface lifts.
Lake Louise holds a genuinely distinctive place among Canadian Rockies resorts, spread across four separate mountain faces that give the resort exceptional terrain variety for a single connected ski area. Its considerable scale, combined with sweeping views over the turquoise lake and surrounding glaciers, has built Lake Louise's reputation as one of the most visually striking ski destinations in North America.
Skiing history at Lake Louise dates to the 1930s, when Temple Lodge was built in 1938 on what is now the resort's Larch side, following the earlier construction of the nearby Skoki Lodge. A rope tow was built behind Temple Lodge in 1952, replaced by a detachable Poma lift in 1954, before the area's various slopes were formally amalgamated as the Lake Louise Ski Resort in 1971.
Charlie Locke became a primary investor in the resort in 1974 and sole owner by 1981, operating the mountain for two decades before Resorts of the Canadian Rockies assumed sole ownership in 2003. Locke reacquired a 50 per cent share in 2008, and the resort remains family owned and operated by Locke, his wife Louise, and their daughters Robin and Kimberley. Adult daily tickets run from 145 to 175 Canadian dollars.
991m
Vertical
160
Runs
4,201 acres
Skiable
7m
Annual snow
Ikon / Mountain Collective
Pass
The Terrain
160 runs across 4,201 acres skiable
Lake Louise spreads 160 runs across 4,201 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 45%, with 40 beginner runs to find your feet and 48 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
160
runs
160 runs across 4 grades
Beginner40 runs · 25%
Intermediate72 runs · 45%
Advanced30 runs · 19%
Expert18 runs · 11%
Time it right
When to visit Lake Louise
The 2025-26 season at Lake Louise ran from 4 November 2025 to 4 May 2026, a roughly twenty-six-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 7.3 metres. This extended season reflects Lake Louise's considerable elevation and reliable early and late-season conditions within Banff National Park.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions across Lake Louise's four mountain faces. As an Ikon and Mountain Collective resort, Lake Louise draws substantial visitation from pass holders alongside destination travellers drawn by the resort's renowned alpine scenery.
Lake Louise's considerable scale supports strong visitor capacity during peak weekend and holiday periods, with terrain spread across four faces helping distribute crowds relative to the resort's popularity. School holiday periods bring substantial family visitation given the resort's varied terrain across all ability levels.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since the Locke family regained majority ownership in 2008, Lake Louise has continued building on nearly a century of skiing history since Temple Lodge's 1938 construction. The resort's considerable scale and striking alpine setting remain central to its enduring international reputation.
Season 2025 - 2026
4 Nov 2025
Opens
4 May 2026
Closes
181
Days open
7 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Lake Louise, and where to stay
Lake Louise sits within Banff National Park, Alberta, with a base elevation of 1,646 metres and a summit at 2,637 metres across a 991-metre vertical drop over roughly 1,700 hectares spanning four mountain faces. This setting places the resort beside the renowned Lake Louise and surrounding glacial peaks.
The village of Lake Louise, a small national park hamlet, offers lodging and dining within a short drive of the resort, while the larger town of Banff provides more extensive services roughly 45 minutes away.
The Trans-Canada Highway provides direct access to the resort from both Banff and Calgary. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled highway is regularly maintained given the resort's status as a major national park destination.
Calgary International Airport, roughly a two-hour drive away, is the primary gateway for visitors flying into the Canadian Rockies, with Lake Louise's considerable international profile supporting substantial destination travel alongside more local Alberta visitation.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Lake Louise, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Aspen Snowmass Marks 80th Anniversary With $3.75 Throwback Lift Tickets
Aspen Snowmass turns 80 this December, and it's marking the milestone with $3.75 lift tickets on the anniversary itself - the original 1946 price. A discounted long weekend, $19.46 dining specials, lodging deals up to 46 percent off, and a season of anniversary programming round out the celebration across all four mountains.
17 Sept 2026
Doppelmayr Group Posts 9.1% Revenue Growth in 2025/26, Passing 1.3 Billion Euros
Doppelmayr closed its 2025/26 business year with revenue up 9.1 percent to 1.3 billion euros, driven by projects including the Big Sky Explorer Gondola, Deer Valley's Mayflower East Village Gondola, and the first TRI-Line installation at Hoch-Ybrig. Headcount grew too, with the ropeway manufacturer now employing almost 4,000 people worldwide.
16 Sept 2026
Hintertux Glacier Replaces 40-Year-Old Gondola to Tuxer Fernerhaus
Hintertux Glacier is retiring its 40-year-old gondola to the Tuxer Fernerhaus. The replacement carries 10 people per cabin instead of four, with seat heating and nearly 40 percent more hourly capacity. Doppelmayr's new line opens at the end of October 2026, right as the glacier's high-altitude terrain becomes accessible again for the new season.
16 Sept 2026
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026