Bed and Breakfast Cross-Country Ski Getaway at Lake Louise

Lake Louise is always a safe bet for a cross-country ski weekend from mid-November through early April. The Moraine Lake Road and the Great Divide Road are usually trackset by the third weekend of November (earlier if we're lucky) and you can safely plan a spring break trip to Lake Louise, knowing you'll still have great snow to ski on. (Often we're even able to ski at Louise for Easter!)

Spring Skiing on the Moraine Lake Road

Table of Contents for this Guide:

1. Early Season Skiing on the Moraine Lake Road

2. Early Season Skiing on the Great Divide Road

3. Our Favourite Ski Trails at Lake Louise

4. Other Ski Trails from the Great Divide Parking Lot

5. Skiing the Pipestone Trail Network at Lake Louise

6. Bed and Breakfast Accommodations at the Mountaineer Lodge

Lake Louise is a magical location for a family cross-country ski getaway

Family bonding is always special in the mountains

Cross-country Skiing on the Moraine Lake Road

The Moraine Lake Road is not plowed or open to vehicles in winter. Instead, it is usually groomed and track-set by mid-November and is a popular ski trail throughout the winter until early spring.

The Moraine Lake Road is double trackset for classic skiing (with a skating lane and an extra track for passing on the way up) for 9 km to a viewpoint where you can see the peaks that surround Moraine Lake. You can't see the lake, and proceeding past this point puts you into avalanche terrain. Regardless, it's a great workout even if you can't reach the lake, and it's an easy intermediate level trail with no big hills to climb or descend.

The road climbs ~ 275 metres at a gentle angle and you can usually climb/descend much of it by staying in the tracks. Newer skiers may feel more comfortable getting out of the tracks on a few steeper sections to descend.

Dogs are not allowed on this trail, but it is shared with hikers and cyclists on fat tire bikes who are requested to stay off the ski tracks.

Mount Temple as seen from the Moraine Lake Road 

Moraine Lake Road Parking:

There is a small parking lot at the entry to the Moraine Lake Road. If it's full, you can park above at Lake Louise and ski down the Upper Tramline Trail. This adds 2 km (one way) with just under 100 metres of height loss as you ski down the trail to the Moraine Lake Road. The challenge comes at the end of the ski when at least one person has to ski back up for the vehicle.

If you have children with you, send one adult back for the vehicle while a second adult skis the Lower Tramline Trail with the kids down to the old train station beside the Bow River. It's fun to get picked up at the bottom and it's downhill the entire distance for ~ 3 km.

** See the resources after the Great Divide section below for map and trail conditions links.

Early season skiing on the Moraine Lake Road 

Cross-country Skiing on the Great Divide Road

The Great Divide is also normally groomed and track-set by mid to late November and is another early-season favourite. Being an old road, it doesn't take much to cover up the pavement for skiing (as is the same with the Moraine Lake Road.)

Unlike the Moraine Lake Road, the Great Divide Road is not open to vehicle traffic at any time of the year. It's always a hiking, biking, or ski trail.

Ski from the trailhead at Lake Louise to the Divide where you'll see the big arch on the Alberta / British Columbia border. It is a 7 km ski to the Divide. You can also continue for an additional 3 km to the Lake O'Hara parking lot in Yoho National Park. 

The trail is double trackset for classic skiing with a skating lane. Expect to see dogsled teams along the one side of the trail and the occasional hiker.

The Great Divide Trail is relatively flat with one large hill down to the arch. The trail does trend downhill though as you head towards the BC border so you may feel like you're slowly climbing most of the way back. The trail loses 100 metres of height heading towards BC.

Dogs are not allowed on the trail (other than the ones that belong to the guided dog sled operation.)

The Great Divide on the AB / BC Border 

Ski the Great Divide Trail One-Way Alberta to BC:

If you have two vehicles, consider setting up a shuttle and skiing one-way from Lake Louise to the Lake O'Hara trailhead. You want to start at Lake Louise to enjoy more downhill skiing and less climbing.

Alternately, start at the Lake O'Hara parking lot and ski out and back as far as you want. This way it will definitely feel more downhill on the way back to the  car. (And as a bonus, it's usually easier to find parking on the BC side when the Lake Louise parking lot is full.)

See the two trailheads with the trail on Google Maps. 

Skiing this trail with children:

With young children, ski out and back from the Lake O'Hara parking lot to the arch at the AB border for a pleasant 6 km return ski. It's relatively flat and easy skiing. 

Another fun option with two adults and kids: Start out with the kids + a parent at Lake Louise and start skiing towards O'Hara one-way. The second adult will drive to the O'Hara parking lot and ski back to meet you. This allows the kids to ski the full 10 km distance one-way in the downhill direction. Parents can fight over who gets to ski with the kids. (I always win in our family.)

Early season skiing on the Great Divide Road

Resources:

Current Trail Conditions for Banff and Lake Louise

Parks Canada Trail Brochure for Lake Louise - scroll down to find the "Winter Trails at Lake Louise Brochure." You can pick up a hard copy at the Lake Louise Visitor Centre in the Village too.

Cross-country skiing at Lake Louise

Our Favourite Ski Trails at Lake Louise

Skiing the Tramline Trail 

This is the absolute BEST ski trail for families with young children because you can ski it one-way from the lake down to the village, and it's relatively all downhill. And except for one hill, it's all very gentle, double polling, stay in the tracks, skiing. You won't be descending crazy hills or having to snow plow for kilometres on end. The entire trail is basically rail grade and perfect for teaching kick and glide with a bit of gravity in your favor.

The trail is single trackset for classic skiing. Expect to see the occasional hiker on the trail as well but they are requested to stay off the ski tracks. Dogs are not allowed on the trail.

Our fav. scenic bridge on the Tramline Trail at Lake Louise

My family always skis this as a shuttle. My husband drops us off at the top and then drives down to the old train station parking lot in the Village. He skis up to meet us (getting a good workout) and we benefit from a family-friendly outing that my son loves.

Tramline is only 4.8 km one way and you'll lose 195 metres of height on your descent down to the Village. 

See the Tramline Trail on the Parks Canada Trail Brochure for Lake Louise- scroll down to find the "Winter Trails at Lake Louise" Brochure. You can pick up a hard copy at the Lake Louise Visitor Centre in the Village too.

And you'll want to have this map open as you look at the extensions below.

The only intermediate section on the Tramline Trail at Lake Louise

Tramline extensions for a longer outing:

• Tramline + Lakeshore Loop - Start at the bottom and ski up to the lake for a good workout. Then turn around and enjoy coasting back down. While you're at the lake, add on the Lakeshore Loop for an additional 4 km distance. Tramline + Lakeshore Loop total distance would be approx. 14 km. - Note you'll have to remove your skis to walk from the top of the Tramline Trail over to the lakeshore trailhead, but it's a short walk.
  
  
• Tramline + Fairview Loop - Start at the bottom and ski up to the lake. On your descent, ski around the Fairview Loop before hopping back on the Lower Tramline Trail. The Fairview Loop starts at the lake and ends on the Moraine Lake Road, a short distance up from the Tramline junction. (Check out the map before completing this one so you know where you're going.)  The Fairview Loop is ~ 6 km in distance and more intermediate in nature than the easier Tramline Trail. Total distance for both Tramline + Fairview Loop would be approximately 10 km. 
  
  Families not wanting to climb Tramline can start at the top, ski the Fairview Loop, and then one adult would descend Lower Tramline with the kids while the other adult climbs back up the lake. Meet up at the old train station. We've definitely done this and it's a lot of fun.
  
  
• Tramline + Bow River Loop - Add on the Bow River Loop from the bottom of the Tramline Trail. The loop is ~ 7 km long and relatively flat, so it's a great extension. We always add on this loop after skiing down the Tramline Trail.

Once you get comfortable with the map and the trails around Lake Louise, you can continue adding trails to make bigger loops. Tramline from the bottom up to the lake + the Lake Louise Loop + the Fairview Loop + Lower Tramline down + the Bow River Loop would be a great ski day! 

Easy skiing on the Tramline Trail at Lake Louise 

Skiing The Bow River Loop

This is one of my favourite beginner-friendly trails for scenery, diversity, and general easy skiing with no hills to speak of.

The complete loop is ~ 7 km with shorter options possible. It is single trackset only which creates a more natural "classic" experience. There is no skating lane. Expect to meet up with the occasional hiker as well. 

** And this is one of the rare trails at Lake Louise where dogs are allowed (on leash.) **

We always start at the old train station parking lot in the Village where there's ample space for parking. From here we follow the trail along the village-side of the river (not crossing the bridge from the parking lot.) You have a couple of unpleasant road crossings near the Village Centre (take your skis off and carefully cross the roads) but then you get into the Lake Louise campground area where there are no more road crossings.

Powder day on the Bow River Loop 

Follow the river through the trailer campground until you reach two beautiful bridges at the far end. This is your turnaround spot as you ski back on the other side of the river, skiing through the tenting campground. One more road crossing returns you to the first section of trail (on the other side of the river.) Cross the final bridge and you're back at your car.

For a shorter ski, you can start in the campground, and just loop the campground (trail 10 on the map) or do the Bow River Loop on the east side (skipping the west side beyond the village.) If you check the trail brochure, you'll find that there are a couple of small parking lots in the campground for skiers. - And this would eliminate the need to cross any roads.

See the Bow River Loop on the Parks Canada Trail Brochure for Lake Louise- scroll down to find the "Winter Trails at Lake Louise" Brochure. You can pick up a hard copy at the Lake Louise Visitor Centre in the Village too.

Scenic bridge crossing on the Bow River Loop

There's no better scenery than a bluebird day on the Bow River Loop

Skiing The Lake Louise Loop

Skiing could not get any easier than this one! You'll be skiing straight across Lake Louise, on the frozen lake itself. There is absolutely no height gain, not a single hill, and you'll enjoy grooming with tracks to ski in.

The loop is classic trackset (no skating lane.) Follow the ski tracks across the lake until you reach Louise Falls, a beautiful set of frozen waterfalls, approximately 2 km down the lake. There is also a snowshoe trail that crosses the lake but the two trails should be separate.

Skiing across frozen Lake Louise is high on scenery and easy for novice skiers

For your return trip, either retrace your steps and ski back across the lake, or climb up to the forested trail above the lake to complete a 4 km loop. The forest trail starts by the waterfall.

The forest trail is not overly technical,  but it is narrower than the wide open lake. Regardless, it is definitely considered a beginner trail.

Save this outing for a sunny day for the best experience! And to extend your outing, bring sleds and skates for the Lake Louise skating rink and sledding hill (both located at the lakeshore.)

** Dogs are allowed on this loop (on leash.) **

Frozen Louise Falls at the end of the lake

Skiing The Fairview Loop 

This is a more intermediate trail and you'll definitely have to be comfortable at descending a few steep twisty hills. The reward is beautiful meadows that you'll traverse through. One year we even found a sofa built out of snow in the middle of one meadow.

The Fairview Trail traverses beautiful meadows 

The full loop is 7.5 km if you start at the lake, ski the Fairview Trail to the Moraine Lake Road, ski down the road back to the beginning, and then climb the Upper Tramline Trail back to Lake Louise. There is ~150 metres of climbing overall. 

The loop is best done counter clockwise so that you climb the Tramline Trail at the end. This allows you to enjoy the steepest hills on the Fairview Trail in the downhill direction. 

The Fairview Trail is double trackset for classic skiing. Dogs are not allowed on the trail. And you should not see hikers on the trail. This is a ski-only trail.

When we ski the trail as a family, my son and I continue down the Lower Tramline Trail to the Village rather than climbing back to the lake at the end. My husband climbs the Upper Tramline Trail to get the vehicle, and then meets us at the Village. 

See the Fairview Loop on the Parks Canada Trail Brochure for Lake Louise - scroll down to find the "Winter Trails at Lake Louise" Brochure. You can pick up a hard copy at the Lake Louise Visitor Centre in the Village too.

"Snowfa" in the middle of the Fairview Trail

Other Ski Trails from the Great Divide Parking Lot

If you've parked at the Great Divide Trailhead at Lake Louise, there are a few options for additional loops you can ski.

Lower Telemark Trail - As per the Parks Canada trail description: "Park at Great Divide trailhead, ski 700 metres, and turn right at the #8 trail sign. After 4.0 km of twists and turns, exit back onto the Great Divide trail, and turn left to return to your vehicle." The full loop will be approx. 8 km. 

This is an easy beginner-friendly trail. It is double trackset for classic skiing, is a ski-only trail, and dogs are not allowed.

Beautiful skiing near the Great Divide along Upper Telemark and Peyto

Upper Telemark and Peyto - Starting at the Great Divide, ski 700 metres on the groomed road until you come to the junction with both the Lower and Upper Telemark Trails. Turn left and follow trail # 7 up to the lake. It's easiest to take the "green" bypass trail up.

The trail ends by the Chateau if you want to do a lap around the Lake Louise Loop.

Starting up the Upper Telemark Trail from the Chateau Lake Louise

On the way down, the trail is divided into green, blue, and black sections. We always descend the black section but it is very steep with twisty winding hills. The Upper Telemark Trail is also a narrow trail (even though it is double trackset) so beginners will find the hills intimidating.

Take whichever division of the Upper Telemark Trail you want to take back down towards the Divide Trail. Add on a short section of the Peyto Trail if you want heading west (left) for a longer ski back along the Great Divide. If you follow Peyto to the right, you'll end up back closer to the lake and nowhere near your car.

See the Great Divide Trails on the Parks Canada Trail Brochure for Lake Louise - scroll down to find the "Winter Trails at Lake Louise" Brochure. You can pick up a hard copy at the Lake Louise Visitor Centre in the Village too.

Starting the descent down the Upper Telemark Trail where snow plow skills are imperative

Skiing the Pipestone Trail Network at Lake Louise

2025-26  update: There will be trail closures in the Pipestone area for Lake Louise fire guard work. Check updated trail reports to see which trails are affected. 

The Pipestone Trail Network is located across the TransCanada Highway from the Village of Lake Louise. You can see it here on this Google Map link. 

There are several trails here but the largest loop is the Pipestone Loop, an intermediate 13 km loop that is very hilly and requires a strong ability to climb and descend hills. The loop is typically skied counter clockwise. 

The Pipestone Trail Network is great for intermediate skiers

For an easier loop start on the Pipestone Trail (#20) going counter clockwise and then turn off onto trail #22 (Drummond.) This relatively flat trail takes you to Pipestone Pond where you can connect to trail #21 (Hector) to return to the parking lot.

Drummond is 2.7 km one way and is a beginner-friendly trail. Hector is 3 km one way and is also beginner-friendly though it does descend 95 metres from Pipestone Pond back to the parking lot (so don't choose it as your first ever ski trail.)

One final trail that has proven useful for us on occasion is the beginner-friendly Merlin Trail (#23) which works as a good shortcut trail off the top of the Pipestone Loop, heading down towards Pipestone Pond. Merlin is 2.3 km and it descends gently from the top of the Pipestone Loop. Watch out for the old cabin along the trail.

All trails in this network are single trackset classic. There is no skating lane and the trails are designated for skiing only so you should not meet hikers. 

** Dogs are permitted on these trails (on leash.) **

See the Pipestone Trails on the Parks Canada Trail Brochure for Lake Louise - scroll down to find the "Winter Trails at Lake Louise" Brochure. You can pick up a hard copy at the Lake Louise Visitor Centre in the Village too.

Climbing skills are imperative for the intermediate Pipestone Loop 

Bed and Breakfast Accommodations at the Mountaineer Lodge

It's always hard finding affordable family lodging at Louise, but it's such a treat to stay in the area, skipping the 4 hours of driving round trip from Calgary. - and as a bonus, you get 2 days of skiing when you spend the weekend!

On our most recent visit, we stayed at the Mountaineer Lodge in an extremely comfortable Mountaineer Suite which had a separate bedroom with two queen beds, a cozy living room complete with sofa and chairs, and came equipped with mini fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and a kettle! We could have happily stayed for several days.

Cozy Family Suite at the Mountaineer Lodge 

Free breakfasts included in every stay at the Mountaineer Lodge

The lodge has a variety of rooms and suites but all stays include:

• A mini fridge + microwave in every room/suite
  
  
• A free hot breakfast (waffles, eggs, bacon or sausages, hashbrowns, fruit and yogurt, cereals, and pastries) - and awesome coffee!!
  
  
• Free Wi-Fi, free parking, and use of the lodge indoor hot tub. There's laundry facilities on site as well for longer stays.

Breakfast of champions before a big ski day!

No lounging on hotel beds when you have a suite!

It should be mentioned too that this lodge has some of the friendliest staff I've found at a resort including the housekeeping, breakfast staff, and front desk clerks!

You'll also enjoy super comfy beds and pillows, and extremely quiet rooms! - Seriously, we heard nothing from our neighbors or people in the hallways. (Just a few trains going by, but it's Lake Louise and the train goes through the village.)

Our private bedroom with separate living area!

We spent our weekend skiing the trails around the lake + village and appreciated the convenient location of the lodge. It was a short 2 minute drive to the lake, but you could access all trails around the village by just walking out the front door, skis or hiking boots in hand. 

For downhill skiers there is a convenient shuttle bus to the ski hill, and you'll be able to skip the 6am wake up call in Calgary! 

This is one of those hotels that quickly becomes a family favourite, and that you know you'll visit regularly.

We spent the day skiing around the Lake Louise trail system from our lodge

Additional Resources

The Best Beginner Cross-Country Ski Trails near Calgary

The Best Early Season Trails for Cross-Country skiing near Calgary

Discover the BEST Cross-country Ski Trails near Calgary this Winter 

Disclaimer: Our recent stay at the Mountaineer Lodge was hosted. As always, all opinions are my own and I wasn't paid to write this story.

The Ultimate Group Backcountry Ski Weekend at Shadow Lake Lodge

Shadow Lake is one of my favourite places to visit in the Canadian Rockies with a gorgeous backcountry lodge located near the lake. Spending a weekend at the lodge breaks the trip up into two very reasonable ski or hiking days with a third day spent exploring around the beautiful lake.

Shadow Lake Lodge in backcountry Banff National Park

I was extremely fortunate to visit Shadow Lake Lodge  twice last year, and I was able to return to the lodge last month for an incredible ski getaway with a large group of friends.

Once again, I got to experience the luxury of going backpacking in the Canadian Rockies without a tent or sleeping bag, and I carried nothing other than my regular ski gear, lunch for the first day, and basic overnight items (PJs, toothbrush, etc.)

Waiting for me was my own private cabin at the lodge which I shared with a girlfriend, gourmet meals prepared by a chef on site, hot water + showers, and a comfortable bed to sleep in!

Note for the winter season of 2024 going forward, all stays will be self catered. (Read more below.)

Gorgeous Shadow Lake, visited from the nearby backcountry lodge

Introduction to Shadow Lake Lodge

The Alpine Club of Canada maintains a large collection of backcountry huts, cabins, and shelters across Southern Alberta and BC, but Shadow Lake is their first luxury property offering private cabins rather than one shared cabin where you sleep slumber party style all together with other users.

The lodge is situated in a beautiful meadow half a kilometre from Shadow Lake (easily visited on skis or snowshoes in the winter while spending the weekend at the lodge.)

In previous years, stays at Shadow Lake Lodge included meals prepared by a chef on site, and each cabin was equipped with beds that had sheets, blankets, pillows, etc. 

See below for operational changes that will significantly change the lodge experience.

Private cabins at Shadow Lake Lodge

NEW Exciting Operational Changes as of Winter 2024-2025

The following is from the Alpine Club of Canada.

"Looking ahead to 2025, we’re excited to share some significant changes to our operational model. Going forward, we will be providing accommodation with fewer services and a corresponding reduced price. These changes will make the lodge and this breathtaking backcountry area of Banff National Park more accessible to all of our guests and ACC members."

 Here is what you can expect from a stay at Shadow Lake Lodge:

• A self-catered kitchen shared by all of our guests. Guests will bring and prepare their own food.
  
  
• Private, heated cabins with the same excellent facilities, but without linens. Guests will bring their own sleeping bags.
  
  
• Cabins will remain private (not shared with other guests or groups) and will accommodate between two and five guests each.
  
  
• Continued access to the communal washhouse, lounge, and dining areas for your enjoyment.
  
  
• A full-time custodian who will host our guests.
  
  
• Wine, beer, and SLL merchandise available for purchase.

Evenings at Shadow Lake Lodge are very cozy and warm

A Lodge with Private Cabins, Showers, and Hot Water

Nothing says decadence in the backcountry like hot water and sleeping in a real bed off the ground! Take a hot shower when you arrive and enjoy a comfortable sleep in your own private heated cabin with two double or queen sized beds per cabin. (A couple of cabins also have king beds and there's one family cabin with a single bed, bunks, and a double bed.)

There are no bathrooms in the cabins, but the heated bathroom cabin is a short walk away where you'll find toilets, sinks with hot water, and showers. (Bring your own towel.)

Other than the private cabins, there are two shared cabins, one for meals, and one with a fireplace for common gathering. Come winter the shared fireplace cabin is a very cozy place and we enjoyed afternoon yoga sessions after skiing. The cabin is also loaded with a variety of games and a large reading selection (books + outdoor magazines.)

Photo below shows a queen cabin when blankets and linens were provided. Now you must bring your own sleeping bags. Pillows will be available as long as guests bring their own pillow case. (You will not receive a pillow if you don't bring a case.)

No backcountry camping here! 

Overnight Stays at Shadow Lake Lodge

In previous years, the lodge required two night stays from their guests. That has changed now, and you can stay for one night. There is no minimum two-night requirement.

The lodge is also now open 7-nights a week rather than weekends only as in previous seasons.

All stays are priced based on a cabin fee (for 2-5 people.) So if you visit the website and see $350.00, that is per cabin, and not per person.

For information on rates at the lodge, visit the Shadow Lake website.  And I encourage you to sign up for their newsletter where they promote their specials.

Easy winter travel to Shadow Lake Lodge with light overnight packs

Big Reasons to Plan a Group Getaway to Shadow Lake Lodge

For my recent trip to Shadow Lake Lodge, I managed to successfully gather enough adults from my ski group to book 8 cabins and it ended up being a very easy trip to organize and plan (and brilliantly fun with a lodge full of friends, new and old.)

Advantages to booking your next group trip at Shadow Lake Lodge:

1. A Fully stocked kitchen where you can prepare group meals.

This isn't a backcountry hut. There is a large industrial professional kitchen which will be more than comfortable for group cooking. It even has running water!!

There is a propane oven, and there's also a propane fridge guests are allowed to use.

Note with the fridge, please be mindful that you could potentially be sharing the single fridge with 30+ other lodge users. Plan for a backcountry trip with a few special treats you'd like to store in the fridge. Don't pack in multiple cases of beer and expect to be able to fill the fridge.

Gourmet meals used to be included with stays at the lodge

2. Separate cabins for privacy and quiet time. 

Not everybody is an extrovert, but Shadow Lake Lodge provides individual cabins so that the introverts in your group can retreat to their own space in the afternoon or evening to nap, read, or simply unwind. 

I wouldn't know what that's like since I was always in the shared cabins playing games, but we had several people in our group that preferred to have their own space.

Individual private cabins at Shadow Lake Lodge

3. An access trail for all abilities. 

We had different paces and abilities in our ski group, but we had split into small groups for the ski in/out, and non-skiers could have easily hiked in as well. The Redearth Creek Trail as a hike would be doable by anybody with an average fitness level. - And mixed groups can always ski or hike in separately, still spending the weekend together at the lodge and doing day trips together on Saturday.

Cross-country skiing to Shadow Lake Lodge on a wide groomed trail

4. Group bookings are easy peasy to make. 

There was no way I was putting 8 cabins on my credit card. Fortunately, I knew the lodge had many cabins available for the weekend, so I just announced the trip to a large ski group, and then I had everybody make their own booking. I played the job of matchmaker trying to pair singles for the trip, but I didn't have to deal with any of the actual booking logistics.

If you want to plan a group trip to the lodge, just send them an email and ask which weekend would have the most space. Then you'll know how many friends to round up. (I suggest doing it early in the season to grab the most availability.)

For an exclusive trip, there are 5 standard cabins (2ppl), 4 queen cabins (4ppl), 2 king cabins (2ppl), and a new "family cabin" (5ppl).

An easy group trip to Shadow Lake Lodge for 16 people

5. Stays at the lodge are extremely fun as a group! 

The dining cabin is large with several tables, and you can spend hours playing games in the fireplace cabin next door.

Skiing or hiking to the lake is also an easy half day adventure that anybody can do with a pair of snowshoes. My group tried to ski to the Ball Pass Junction and there was no shortage of laughter as we took turns pulling each other out of snow drifts after tumbles on the hills. We are definitely solid friends after that adventure!

We had fun skiing in and out of the lodge together

Ski touring around the lodge was fun with my girlfriends

6. The lodge is perfect for making new friends. 

I paired complete strangers for this trip who then carpooled and skied to the lodge together, and shared cabins! And then I watched strangers become best friends. I watched new friends laughing and enjoying incredible time together at each meal sharing stories and creating memories.

It was beautiful to watch and I know each person on my trip appreciated the opportunity to make new adventure partners. It's hard as parents to get away as a couple, so it's important to have friends to enjoy these trips with. And even if you don't have children, it's not always easy to find somebody who can take 3 days off work, responsibilities, life, etc. Group trips are great for creating new adventure groups.

Backcountry trips are perfect for expanding your adventure group

7. A trip to Shadow Lake Lodge is just challenging enough to push past your comfort zone. 

The trip to the lodge isn't "hard" but it's still 4 hours of skiing, all uphill! Even hiking in winter can be an undertaking if it's cold outside or one isn't used to snowshoeing.

Skiing to the lake requires navigating a narrow singletrack trail and for those new to ski touring, it will be a solid adventure! And even beyond the skiing or hiking, for many people this will be their first winter backcountry trip ever! It could even be their first overnight trip carrying a backpack.

Nobody comes away unchanged from a trip like this. People grow, they build resiliency, and they develop self confidence.

An adventure getaway has to be a little bit thrilling and challenging

The rewards are huge for a backcountry trip to Shadow Lake Lodge

Tips for planning a group trip to Shadow Lake Lodge 

As mentioned above, planning group trip to the lodge is quite easy, but there are a few things that worked well for me this time, or things I'd do differently next time.

1. I created a Facebook messenger group to organize logistics such as carpooling and to discuss the trip (packing, questions people may have, etc.)
   
   
2. I encouraged people to create small groups for the ski in because it would be hard to ski in a group of 15+ people.
   
   I would recommend that you encourage people to plan their groups carefully though. A person who hasn't skied in 3 years might not be a good travel companion for somebody who skis every weekend and prefers a faster pace. They can hang out at the lodge together, but they might want to ski in with others better suited to their pace and ability. - and it's easiest to carpool with those you'll ski with.
   
   
3. We brought extra games that were personal favourites, but you really don't need to. The lodge has a large selection.
   
   
4. We had a mixed group (mostly ladies, but also a mom/son team, and a couple looking to get away together.) This worked well, no complaints, but you may find it easier to have a theme to your group booking. Our trip felt more like a girls' weekend and I was hoping that our two men didn't feel out of place.

It was easy to find a group of friends eager to spend a weekend in this paradise!

Mt. Ball looms over Shadow Lake

Winter Access to Shadow Lake via Redearth Creek

Shadow Lake is easily reached year round via the Redearth Creek Trail. The trail can be hiked, biked, or skied as a long day trip (14 km one way,) but  I recommend splurging on an overnight stay at the decadent Shadow Lake Lodge. Most people won't appreciate a 30 km round trip ski day.

The Redearth Creek Trail follows an old road for 11km to the junction with Pharaoh Creek and then you continue for a final 3km on a narrower trail to the lodge.

Between the ACC maintenance team and Parks Canada, there will be regular tracksetting and grooming for cross-country skiers wanting to visit the lodge this winter. It will take place at least once a week pending trail conditions.

The link above goes to the All Trails website and shows the full route to the lodge.

The Redearth Creek Trail is trackset before each weekend's guests arrive

Beautiful backcountry skiing to Shadow Lake Lodge

Hikers are welcome on the Redearth Creek Trail as well, but please walk beside the ski tracks and make sure you are not creating divots with your boots. (If so, you should be prepared to snowshoe because holes in the trail are dangerous for skiers coming down steep hills.)

The first 11 kilometres is a gradual climb on a wide packed trail. Skiers may have to herringbone sections near the bottom and it's an exciting ski back down, requiring upper intermediate ski abilities. The trail does flatten out in the middle though and you'll be able to ski in the tracks for long sections.

Skiing the packed and trackset Redearth Creek Trail

The final 3 kilometres starts with a steep hill that most skiers will walk (up and down,) carrying their skis.  It takes about 15 minutes to get up the hill, and then the trail flattens out again up top. This section however, is rolling with short punchy climbs and steep twisty descents (in both directions.) On my recent trip we walked large sections on the way out because the snow was very fast and the trail is quite narrow (making it hard to snow plow.)

Overall, the trail gains approximately 400 metres of height, spread out over the 14 km. It took us 4 hours to ski to the lodge on my recent trip, and only 2 hours to ski out.

Skiers with strong intermediate abilities should be fine with regular Nordic skis and you do not need backcountry skis. I used my skin skis with metal edges and did appreciate my edges on the fast trail coming out.

The upper trail to Shadow Lake Lodge has steeper sections that can be challenging on descent

Avalanche hazard: From the Parks Canada website: "From the trailhead, two avalanche paths cross the trail at kilometres 3.3 and 4.4. Between kilometres 6.3 and 8, avalanche paths from Copper Mountain exist above the trail. Do not stop in these areas."

The first two paths are signed, so stop when you reach the slope, listen and look. If all appears clear, you'll be safe to cross (even if something starts to slide while you're crossing.) They're short paths and they typically would only run in late season (every 10 years.) I also recommend skiing across one at a time, and then waiting on the other side for each member of your group.

The third area starts after the campground you'll reach at kilometre 6. Stop here to have snacks, eat lunch, or address clothing issues. I was told this avalanche slope only slides every 100 years, so it's not a huge risk. Caution should always be taken though along with a good steady pace through this section. You can stop when you reach the junction to the lodge at the start of the big climb.

The first two avalanche paths are signed so you won't miss them

Winter Day Trips from Shadow Lake Lodge

If you've booked two nights, there are several options for day trips you can take from the lodge in winter.

A couple of the options are easier with snowshoes so consider strapping a pair of snowshoes to your back and bringing your winter boots for exploring once you arrive.

Top choices of places to explore from the lodge will include:

Shadow Lake  - Ski or snowshoe to visit the iconic Parks Canada red chairs near the end of the lake.

 It took us an hour round trip to reach the red chairs from the lodge on skis. The link goes to the All Trails website and there is no avalanche danger if you stop at the red chairs. 

Easy ski touring to Shadow Lake

You can easily ski to Shadow Lake on regular Nordic skis

This outing is doable on Nordic XC skis as long as the trail has been packed down or skier tracked by others ahead of you (Guests are pretty good at keeping the trail in shape.)

It's an easy ski or hike to the Red Chairs at Shadow Lake

Ball Pass Junction - From the lake, cross the bridge, and then take the trail heading towards Egypt Lake and the junction with Ball Pass. There is a campground at the junction, and there is no avalanche danger if you stop here. The link goes to the All Trails website.

It took us 3 hours round trip for this outing on Nordic XC skis, but we had to turn around before reaching the junction when we ran out of ski tracks to follow ahead of us. If nobody has done this trail recently, you'll need snowshoes (and even if it's been packed down, it's not an easy ski trail and you'll want wider skis suited for light touring.)

Ski touring towards the Ball Pass Junction

Whether you ski or snowshoe, the scenery never ends around Shadow Lake

Hiking option for Gibbon Pass -  This makes for an excellent day trip from the lodge on snowshoes. It is only 6 km return with 450 metres of height gain. 

Don't continue past the monument at the top of the pass. There would be avalanche terrain if you were to proceed.

See the full route on All Trails covering the Vista Lake - Arnica Lake - Twin Lakes - Gibbon Pass hike. Note this is a summer route only! You'll be turning around at the pass.

The trail to Gibbon Pass is much steeper! Snowshoes required (photo from a previous fall trip)

Gibbon Pass on our last visit in September

Booking a Trip to Shadow Lake Lodge

Visit the Shadow Lake Lodge website for information on pricing and availability. Rooms can be booked on the website.

The lodge is open 7 days a week both winter and summer.

And note, the lodge is open for bookings for the entire winter + summer 2025 season! That includes late September when the whole area is filled with golden larch trees!

Shadow Lake Lodge

Additional Reading

Read about my previous trips to Shadow Lake Lodge in the summer and autumn seasons:

Read: Autumn Larch Hiking at Shadow Lake Backcountry Lodge, Banff 

Read: Backcountry Glamping at Shadow Lake Lodge, Banff National Park 

It's a fun ski out! Mostly downhill all the way to the parking lot

Disclaimer: My trip to the lodge was hosted in partnership with Shadow Lake Lodge and the Alpine Club of Canada. As always, all words and opinions are my own and I wasn't paid for writing this story.