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Winter is fun they said…

While snowbirds flee south during the colder months, Alberta winter is one of my favourite seasons. I am just kidding! Winter is not my favourite season, but I embrace it six months long. This year has been particularly cold, with temperatures dipping below the 40s for weeks on end. I kept inside over the holidays shivering. The wind chills were brutal. Growing up in Poland, the cold snaps lasted a whole day and a half with typical four seasons weather. In Alberta, the winters are long, freezing, snowy, windy and mostly cloudy. I wouldn’t exactly call it a Winter Wonderland. It was the nastiest deep freeze since 1969!

Of course, being snowed in is better in the mountains, so here are some fun ways to get you through a very long and freezing Alberta winter:

Ski Louise or Ski-in Ski-out Panorama

Skiing is awesome! It could easily be one of the most exciting things you will allow yourself to experience. I can still recall the first time I went skiing in Zakopane, Poland. It was easy to learn but hard to master. I refused to get onto a T-bar lift, and I would walk up the bunny hill and ski down. Let’s just say riding a gondola is way more convenient.

With more than two meters of snow across the Canadian Rockies this year, conditions are exceptional regardless of which resort you go to. Panorama is magical. Everything is here, and once you arrive, you settle in and forget about anything else. It’s a big mountain with a lot of terrain, almost 3,000 acres of terrain, to be exact. And no lines up ever.

I use a Mountain Collective pass to save on lodging and receive two days at each collective destination with no blackout dates. You can ski the world’s best mountains with this pass. Reasons why I also love Lake Louise, though: closer to home, longer runs, epic terrain, three different lodges for lunch and less windy than Sunshine Village, especially ever so gusty Goat’s Eye Mountain. At the top, you will either enjoy the views or get blown away — one of the two.

Panorama Elkhorn Cabin.

Where else to ski with Mountain Collective pass in Alberta and beyond:

Perfect Cloud Inversion.

Take A Hike

The fun doesn’t stop when the weather gets cold. With all the snow we’ve had this year, the avalanche risk remains exceptionally high. Most of the trails in the Rockies travel through avalanche terrain. So know backcountry and always research your hike ahead of time on the park’s website, check the Avalanche Bulletin and weather forecast. Carry a beacon, shovel, probe and know how to use them. Otherwise, stick to low-lying trails like Wabasoo Lake via Valley of the Five Lakes in Jasper, Alberta.

This trail is rated moderate for its distance, not elevation because it is a leisurely stroll without much challenge. You walk long to see many lakes with different colours and shades ranging from vibrant greens to blues. Beautiful reflections of the mountains on the water surface make it for nice pictures. There are pretty lookouts, and you can bring a picnic or vodka! From my experience, it is overcrowded during warmer months, so later in the season is the perfect time to go.

Frost Flowers In The Valley Of The Five Lakes During Winter.

Where else to hike in the winter:

  • Johnston Canyon – Banff
  • Lake Louise Lakeshore
  • Peyto Lake – Banff
  • Grassi Lakes – Canmore
  • Troll Falls – Kananaskis
Valley Of The Five Lakes Early In The Winter.
Valley Of The Five Lakes Early In The Winter.

Go Ice Skating On Lake Louise

Are you even Canadian if you haven’t skated on a lake? It’s all about the ice at Lake Louise. Besides the peaks of the surrounding mountains, the Fairmont Chateau Louise puts on quite the ice show. There is something for everyone, ice castle, ice bar (hello drinks), ice sculpting competition. Always a fun time! I learned to ice skate at an early age. My grandfather worked at a local rink in the evenings, and I have a hazy memory of skating in circles and avoiding collisions. Back then, my body could do anything athletic without thinking. Now, my body is an emergency, with no room for goofing off.

Skating on a frozen lake is a classic Canadian experience. It will make you feel like a kid again, and you will forget how cold it gets. The skate is free, and you can stay for as long as you want. The weekends are likely jam-packed, but there is space for everyone to enjoy, whether you are an experienced skater or not.

Skating On Lake Louise Is A Classic Canadian Winter Experience.

Where else to skate in Alberta winter:

  • Vermilion Lakes. One of the best locations for photographs in Banff.
  • Lake Minnewanka. It is big, deep and windy.
  • Johnson Lake. One of the first lakes to freeze over and you can skate as early as November.
  • Two Jack Lake. Offers wild ice skating opportunity.
  • Abraham Lake. Bubbles!
Fairmont Chateau Ice Bar.
Fairmont Chateau Ice Castle.

Visit Abraham Lake Bubbles

David Thompson Highway is one of the prettiest places to visit during Alberta winter, and frozen bubbles on Abraham Lake make it even more famous, especially for avid photographers. The best time to see the bubbles is late January. The bubbles are frozen packets of methane that floats to the surface and remain trapped in suspended stacks until the spring thaw. Even on a busy day, you can find solitude and convince yourself you are all alone here, surrounded by some of the finest scenery Alberta has to offer.

It is one of those things you have to see in person. The lake needs to be frozen, however, ideally with no snow on top. But it does get windy, so that the wind will carry away the snow.

Where are the best spots to see the bubbles:

  • Preacher’s Point
  • Windy Point
  • Cline’s Landing
  • Abraham Lake Shore

Go Ice Climbing

The ice climbing season in the Canadian Rockies runs from November to April. Ice climbing is similar to rock climbing, except it’s on ice and requires different techniques and gear. It is suitable for all but definitely needs some fitness level, especially to swing those axes. Swinging the tools and kicking the feet is about getting the right amount of force and using proper technique, or you will end up wasting your energy quickly and will not be able to feel your forearms for days after. I speak from experience. If you live in western Canada, you pretty much owe it to yourself to try this. It is so much fun! My bruised knees think otherwise.

Ice Wall In YEG Alberta.

Where to climb:

Ice Climbing During Alberta Winter.
Ice Climbing During Alberta Winter.

Walk The Frozen Bottom Of Maligne Canyon

Jasper is home to striking mountains, vibrant alpine lakes, glaciers, and abundant wildlife, it is also home to Maligne Canyon. In the winter, the canyon transforms into a very interesting cave system. The water only flows from May to December, allowing for the ice walks. Maligne Canyon is a natural wonder year-round, but the ice walk in the canyon is honestly out of this world cool.

Ways to explore the Maligne Canyon during Alberta winter:

Drink Bluberry Tea

No matter how cold it gets, this drink makes me feel cozy. It is a cocktail made from a perfect mixture of liquors and tea. It tastes remarkably of blueberries though none are included. Typically I use Earl Grey tea and a shot of Disarrono, but it goes well with Grand Marnier or Cointreau. Don’t forget a slice of orange. It’s a thing! Oh, so sweet, warm and fruity. A perfect answer to those Alberta winter blues.

What are the ingredients:

  • 2 to 3 parts of Earl Grey tea
  • 1 part of Disarrono or other liqour
  • Slice of orange

If you like Lake Louise, you can read about Plain of Six Glaciers Trail here and if you like David Thompson Country, you can read about Tuff Puff here.

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Happy Adventuring, and Stay Warm!