Guided Backcountry Skiing and Ski Touring in Banff and Lake Louise
Ski touring in Banff and Lake Louise puts you in the Rockies: a spectacular, beautiful place, full of couloirs, steep skiing, high peaks and large glaciers. Aurora Backcountry guides backcountry skiing and ski touring around Lake Louise, in Banff National Park. We come here on road trips from the Sea to Sky, usually from January to April. ACMG-certified guides lead every day, and all our guides have 10+ years of experience. We hold a Parks Canada guiding licence for Banff National Park.
Where we ski tour around Banff and Lake Louise
Areas we guide here include:
- Bow Summit
- Observation Peak
- Crowfoot
- Mosquito Creek
- Healy Pass
- Taylor Lake
- The Wapta Icefield
Why ski tour in the Rockies
The drier snow and the higher elevation make the air crisp, and the alpine environment is larger.
A guided ski touring day in Banff and Lake Louise
We choose each objective up to 48 hours ahead, to fit the weather and conditions. On the day, your guide picks the exact terrain based on the group, the avalanche hazard and the snow.
We always keep one guide for every six guests. Mixed groups and more technical objectives also get a tail guide.
Banff and Lake Louise days suit solid intermediate skiers and snowboarders, or better.
The Wapta Traverse and the Bow-Yoho Traverse
We can go into the Wapta and do the Wapta Traverse or the Bow-Yoho Traverse. Both are popular and pretty cool. We do them in spring, usually in April.
Where we stay: Lake Louise or Golden
We usually stay in a hotel in Lake Louise or Golden, and do day trips from there. Golden is also one of our bases for Rogers Pass.
You usually book your own lodging. You will find out where the crew stays as you plan with your group and guide.
How Banff and Lake Louise road trips work
Road trips are three days or longer. The Aurora van usually comes too, and you can ride it from Squamish or Whistler. On the trip, it drives from the hotel to the trailhead, which helps with parking and keeps the group together.
The van is $35 a day if you choose to ride it. Road trips also cost $50 a night extra, toward the guide’s hotel and travel. Road trips are upgrade trips: once booked and paid, they cannot be cancelled or refunded. Every Aurora pass can be used on a road trip.
Questions about Banff & Lake Louise
Do you guide the Wapta Traverse and the Bow-Yoho Traverse?
Yes. Both are popular, and we usually do them in April.
Where do we stay for ski touring at Lake Louise?
Usually in a hotel in Lake Louise or Golden, with day trips from there. You usually book your own lodging.
How is ski touring in the Rockies different from the coast?
Drier snow, higher elevation and a larger alpine environment. The Rockies are full of couloirs, steep skiing, high peaks and large glaciers.
Are you licensed to guide in Banff National Park?
Yes. We hold a Parks Canada guiding licence for Banff National Park.
When do you run Banff and Lake Louise trips?
Usually from January to April. Road trips are three days or longer.
What extra costs come with a Banff road trip?
The van is $35 a day if you choose to ride it. Road trips also cost $50 a night extra, toward the guide’s hotel and travel.
I live in Calgary or Banff. Can I join a trip?
Yes. When a trip runs near you, you can book a day on it, or buy a pass and use it on the trip.
More questions? Read the general FAQ.
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