North American Ski Resorts A-Z

Banff / Lake Louise (Alberta), Canada

Resort height:

1380-1645m

 

Slopes:

1630-2730m

 

Pistes:

7748 acres

 
Banff Lake Louise ski area, Alberta, Canada - Photo: Banff Lake Louise Tourism/Paul Zizka

 

General snow cover

 

4.5/5

 

Snow quality (upper)

4.5/5

 

Snow quality (lower)

4/5

 

Resort level snow

4.5/5

 

Powder potential

3.5/5

The winter climate in Banff and Lake Louise is drier and colder than in Whistler (its main rival for a share of the Canadian UK ski market). Powder days are therefore fewer, but the risk of rain is negligible and snow quality is more consistent across the mountains as a whole.

 

Sunshine Village has the highest average snowfall in the area and also the best preserved pistes.

 

The front side of Lake Louise faces south-west and can be affected by the sun later in the season, but generally speaking all areas are very reliable for snow.

 

Extreme cold is a risk mid-winter.

See our snow reliability ratings for other North American Ski Resorts