Compared to sunshine, I personally prefer lake louise more because of the better snow conditions, no flat spots (I m a silly snowboarder), and generally more intermediate blue runs around the ski resort.
Lots of runs and beautiful mountains. Lines for lifts were not too busy and often we were alone on our little part of the run.
A great ski resort with plenty of terrain. We ate at two different place and both were excellent. Prices were good!
This is a pretty versatile mountain. Good customer service.
Great slopes, good runs. Can get windy and icy. Top of world is a good long run
Expensive place. Good skiing view from the gindola make it jusr spectacular and a different look from the ground. Come here every 2 yr. The lake is different every time.
Always amazing. Great runs, lots of variety and the amenities are top notch.
Beautiful ski hill, and so big that it never feels ovetcrowded
Lots of variety. Not so fun when it's icy here. Views are crazy amazing.
Pros: Many spots with tight trees keep powder hounds happy for a week or two after a snowfall. Back bowls have good conditions most of the time. Slack country is great...ask a local about West Bowl which is out of bounds with one helluva traverse out. Sunny Alberta means you can saturate yourself with spectacular views of glaciers across the valley where if you are a 5 star hotel type you can enjoy a stellar stay. Lake Louise is a quiet village. If you want to "party" stay in Banff.
Cons: Can be cold. Front side pistes get a lot of traffic and therefore scraped off quickly which when combined with sun affected slopes makes for some hard to edge conditions. Summit platter and Paradise slow triple chair serve the back bowls and are slow.
Summary: Dedicated skiers will love LL in pristine Banff Nat Pk.
NB: Alpine touring is good just up the valley and Rogers Pass is in reach for back country day trips. Epic experiences are available.
Nice and clean. You have to be there early. After 10am its getting busy!
I visited this ski resort in April last year, on my way driving from Toronto to Vancouver.
This was my 3th time visiting Banff/Jasper, but the first time sky in Banff.
This was my best experience of skiing.
Love it. will go again when there is a chance.
One of the best ski resorts in the Rocky mountains. Bit far from Calgary, but the variety of runs and length make up for it.
Fun resort. Beautiful setting with a variety of terrain. I loved the back bowls!
During the summer you have a chance of seen wildlife but not guaranteed. Gondola ands chair lifts available to go up the mountain.
The gondola ride was definitely a must do! The view from the top of the mountain is incredible and the wildlife interpretive trail was very interesting. The gondola ride was so beautiful and peaceful and a nice break from all the crowds.
Visited during Summer and it was OK. Nothing amazing, no bears.... Might be nice during winter and ski season.
Had a great time on the gondola. The food is excellent here.
Beautiful resort at Lake Louise. The slopes are amazing and at the top, the view is phenomenal.
Great family ski resort. Staff is friendly. Arrive early as this resort gets very busy. Great variety of terrain. If you are the more advanced skiier/snowboarder. All the snow is in the bowls on the backside and requires a hike.
I love Lake Louise. Many fantastic runs, awesome staff, awesome terrain park, amazing back bowls and more. Lake Louise Resort is worth every dollar and I can't wait to shred some more!
Had a great season this year (2017-2018) but this varies year to year. There are a few hidden gems around the resort, but a lot of the areas can get pretty ridden out. It's also incredibly busy, and the pricing isn't the best. Still, the resort is massive and gorgeous and its always a fun day!
Would have expected more given the location. Prices are definitely there.
Hill is best in Alberta. Food services could be better.
One of my favourite ski hills in the world. I learned how to ski here and have never stopped loving it, it is definitely the best hill in the Rockies.
Highly recommend doing the gondola and hornet package if you re visiting!
Fantastic view above cable car on the Rocky Mountains and Lake Louise
Long runs good conditions world class boarding. Plus info on surrounding area offered by select staff
The view is superb. Lots of ski terrain including the steepest slopes you can find. Beautiful resort well designed with several slopes and several lifts. Only thing is that it snows less than other stations in Western Canada
*CHECK GROUPON FOR GONDOLA RIDE TICKETS* They're A LOT cheaper through Groupon than buying online or at the ski resort. We took an enclosed car up the mountain. Although we spotted a lot of bear signs, we didn't see their famed grizzlies, even though we hiked up the Kicking Horse trail a bit.
On the ride down, we took an open chair. *HOLD ON TO YOUR HAT* IT'S VERY WINDY AND COLD, however you cannot miss the views from the open chair.
I've only tried the scenic gondola ride. Expensive but worth the view.
I'm not a skier but I thoroughly enjoyed the gondola ride up the hill. The view and resort facility is worth the fame.
Front side was quite icy. Back side has good snow but chair lifts are a bit slow
Great expert terrain. A bit further from Calgary than Sunshine or Norquay but worth the extra 45 mins. Snow usually stays soft from the cold Alberta temps so conditions stay good for weeks after a big dump of snow
Beautiful bluebird day. Can't say enough. I just love this mountain
The ski resort rental and tickets lines were hectic in the morning but died down towards the afternoon. The food areas can get extremely crowded during peak season. The gondola, chairlifts and staff were all great! If you're staying in a hotel in Banff, look out for the free charter bus that will take you to the resort. If your driving during busy times, the road to the resort may get backed up, and parking is a tough one. A small camera may be a great capture opportunity for both the gondola and chair lifts.
Love this resort but avoid on the long weekends! Especially if one of the lifts is down!
Loved it beautiful on top of the world. I got hurt not paying attention to a new boarder while on the bunny hill.. When I should have been on a different run. They Where awesome and refunded my pass.
Better than Whistler! We went on a beautiful Sunday in January. Good snow coverage in general, but the back bowls had a lot of rocks to navigate around. It would be amazing after a 1+ foot fresh snowfall.
Tip: Pay $20 and park right in front of the lodge. I have a family that does not like to schlep skis or right shuttle buses in ski gear. This was worth every penny.
Tip 2: Eat at Temple Lodge in the back side of the mountain. We stopped at 11:30 and didn't have any trouble getting a seat. It didn't seem crazy crowded when we left an hour later.
Sunshine is a better mountain for people who like to cruise on greens and blues. My wife and daughter definitely preferred it over Lake Louise. The greens and blues at Lake Louise seemed like they should be rated one step higher in difficulty. The greens are tight and skied over, so they can get icy pretty fast.
Skied it tons of times and wasn't as big on it as others but, over the years, as I've come to know it's quirks and corners, it's come to be an anticipated trip. Snow depth is sometimes an issue vs. Sunshine or spots on other side of the Divide.
Great place to ski, tons of runs for all skill levels.
Very varied ski area and just a bit larger than Sunshine Village. Snow quality also very good here. Various restaurants varying in price from $ to $$$. Parking free. Canadian friendly service. No RFID but very old-fashioned ticket system with barcodes and hand scanners. Every time your ticket that is attached to your jacket with a tierap must be scanned. Very eighties.
Great variety of terrain and all of the staff i spoke with were very friendly and helpful. The bowls on the backside had lots of snow which was great. Getting to the top can be difficult as it's unfortunately a very long tbar, but it's worth it especially if you are looking for powder bowls. Lodge amenities seemed decent, but no obvious water fountains for skiers and snowboarders though, so I was forced to buy water.
Nice views of the valley in the late summer. Not too crowded this time of year but not snow yet
Nice place to be. We were here 2 times. No bear the first time, but we did see the beautiful view. In a few days we were more lucky to see a heavy grizzly, at a distance.
Had lunch on coffee outside, that was fine.
I recommend this place.
Better than I expected, I'll give it that. We caught good snow too. So there's that.
Great mountain for advance and expert skiers/ riders.
Nice place to go with excellent scenery . Ice-cream tasted good and the price is good.
Pricey but great experience. If you got money check it out for sure
Coming from Colorado I was sceptical skiing the canadian Rockies. Boy was i wrong. This place is incredible. Challenging lines, steep terrain and crazy good conditions. So worth a trip.
We just did the gondola ride for the view nice place
It was good, but I don't think it's necessarily the best hill like everyone says. I'd check out Nakiska, especially if you have a family.
Did a nighttime guided snow shoe tour with Daniel (Madrid, Spain) and he was awesome. It was pretty chilly that night and no complaints. He was entertaining, the snow was powder fresh and knee deep.
Will definitely be doing more snow shoeing out there this year.
Thanks Daniel for a memorable experience.
-Scott-
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