Backcountry Skiing in Lake Louise

Things to know

• Covid measures in Lake Louise, Alberta

  57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.

  We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Lake Louise, AB, please refer to Canada’s COVID-19 travel guidelines and Lake Louise Ski Resort’s COVID-19 safety precautions.

  Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!

• What’s included?

  What you get in this adventure:

  • • An experienced, certified ski guide with extensive knowledge of the area
    • One or two days of backcountry ski touring

  What’s not included:

  • • Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
    • Transportation
    • Food and snacks
    • Accommodations
    • Lift tickets for the lift-accessed ski tour
• How fit do I need to be?

  To enjoy this backcountry adventure, you need to be in good physical shape. You will be on your feet for one or two full days, managing controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on challenging blue or black-level resort runs and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain.

  For the enjoyment and safety of everyone involved, participants must be approved to participate in advanced backcountry skiing tours either through a previous trip with the guiding service or through recommendations.

• What if I’ve never backcountry skied before?

  Backcountry skiing isn’t just for pros looking for the ultimate thrill ride, it’s also beginner-friendly, meaning anyone with a solid blue-level resort experience can have fun in the backcountry. If you’ve never backcountry skied before, heading out with a guide is your best bet. They’ll take care of the planning, introduce you to the basics, like skinning uphill, and teach you how to manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training to keep you safe.

• What equipment do I need to bring?

  For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:

  • • Alpine touring skis, telemark skis, or splitboard with skins (can be rented)
    • Touring boots and poles (can be rented)
    • Three locking carabiners and two non-locking carabiners (for glaciated tours)
    • Cord — 6mm, 4-6m (for glaciated tours)
    • Sewn sling (for glaciated tours)
    • Avalanche safety equipment (can be rented):
    • Digital, 3-antenna avalanche transceiver or beacon
    • Lightweight snow shovel
    • Avalanche probe
    • Lightweight climbing harness for glacier travel (for glaciated tours)

  For personal items, we recommend bringing:

  • • Helmet
    • Sunglasses and ski goggles
    • Gloves and hat
    • Wind and waterproof shell jacket with hood (Gore-Tex recommended)
    • Ski pants (Gore-Tex recommended)
    • Down jacket or vest
    • Synthetic or wool base layers, underwear, and socks
    • Repair kit and Leatherman for your equipment (can be shared between several people)
    • Water bottle and 1L of water
    • Thermos with a warm beverage — optional
    • Food you can eat on-the-go
    • First aid kit and small blister kit
    • Sunscreen and lip balm
    • Headlamp with fresh batteries
    • Daypack large enough to carry all items listed (around a 35-45L backpack)
    • Camera — optional
• Can I rent equipment?

  All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:

  • • Avalanche safety pack, including backpack, beacon, shovel, and probe can be rented from your guide for $20 a day
    • Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots, and poles can be rented from Wilson Mountain Sports or Ultimate Banff Sports
    • Splitboards can be rented from Ultimate Banff Sports

  Ski rental locations are in Lake Louise and Banff, AB, and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.

• Group sizes and age requirements

  Group sizes and pricing:

  • • For these adventures, the max guest-to-guide ratio is 8:1.
    • A minimum of 4 participants is required for the lift-accessed ski tour to run
    • All prices are per person.For the standard tours, the cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows.
    • For the private tours, the cost per person decreases as the group grows, so it’s the perfect opportunity to ski with friends and family.

  Backcountry skiing in Lake Louise can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

  Min. age requirements:

  • • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
    • Minors may be permitted to join private tours on a case-by-case basis.

  If your group has skiers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

• Getting there and meeting location

  Calgary International Airport is located around 1.5 hours from Banff and 2 hours from Lake Louise. From there, you can rent a car or take a shuttle service providing hourly transport from the Calgary Airport to Lake Louise.

  Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, whether that’s at the guide shop or a predetermined location. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.