Banff

If you want the all-Canadian experience, that’s Banff. Tourists flock to Banff every summer as a base for picturesque views and hiking in and around the town. Lake Louise is also close to Banff. Going to Banff in the winter though, it changes the game.

The scenery is going to be quite different in winter versus the summer. You are through a mountain range, and it gets considerably cold from average lows from -15°C in January to least -1°C. A lot of the mountain tops will be covered in snow as well as much of the roads. Lakes will be frozen and will change the look of key spots around Banff. It’s also less busy but not completely empty of people.

For all these reasons, try to check out Banff in the winter at least once in your life. It’s going to be good. If you do go, these three places should be on your list.

The Road less taken - Icefields Parkway

Icefield Parkway is one of the world’s most scenic drive and a quintessential Canadian experience. It is 232 km of mind-blowing views of lakes, glaciers, and valleys. There are a lot of resources available to how to get around, including an official website. Summer is usually when everybody goes along this highway, all the key sights are going to have tour buses and visitors. This is more of the tip of how to travel here during the winter.

The facilities around the Columbia Icefields are closed during the winter season until April. This includes the big all-terrain vehicle tours and the Glacier Skywalk, a glass platform overlooking the cliffs. Always check the website here for when the season officially starts.

However, the Icefields Parkway is magical during the winter. After every turn is a gorgeous view. Driving during the winter season comes with the responsibility of making sure you have prepared yourself and your vehicle appropriately.

During the winter, there are no restaurants, gas stations or flush toilets. There isn’t cellular service along the Icefield Parkway as well. The roads are not regularly maintained and subject to anything from avalanches to bad road conditions.

Tips

Snow clearing and maintenance begins at 7 am and ends at 3:30 pm.
Plan for a lot more buffer time. Not just for random stops on the road, but if you need to drive slower through a rough patch of road, you don’t want to feel pressured from time.
Have a safety kit just in case you do get stranded for whatever reason. In the time we were on the road for about 5 hours, we saw maybe 20 cars total.
Always check road conditions before heading out: http://www.511.alberta.ca/
Fill up on both fuel and windshield wiper fluid.
Always have winter tires.

Once you’ve prepared enough, remember the old cliche that it’s not the destination but the journey. So we decided to not drive as far as Jasper to make sure we had the time to take our time taking in the sights and stopping when we want. Here are some of the stops:

Bow Lake

It’s a really quick scenic spot, right off the road. It’s also really different in winter versus the summer. The lake was frozen over, so when it’s safe, you can walk on the lake on untouched snow.

Mistaya Canyon

Mistaya Canyon is another quick scenic spot right off the highway. It’s known for its distinctive canyon formations and really easy to access. It’s about a 5-10 min walk from the parking area to the canyons themselves, even on the snowy trail. There’s a longer hike, but it’s closed during the winter.

Abraham Lake

Abraham Lake is worth it’s separate section!

Directions: Head north on HWY 1 from Banff. As you pass Lake Louise, you have an exit to go on HWY 93 - that's the Icefield Parkway. Fill up on gas in Lake Louise as that's the last place to get fuel for a while.

Website:

The Bubbles in the water - Abraham Lake

Abraham Lake is the site of the famous trapped methane bubbles that you might have seen on Instagram. I’m not good enough of a photographer to do it justice, but I can say that in-person, it was one of the best parts of the trip.

You’re looking at these bubbles in a frozen lake that you didn’t think existed, surrounded by mountain peaks. There is going to be a risk, sometimes you might not see the bubbles so clearly because of the ice conditions, and sometimes you luck out. But I can say that it’s worth making the drive.

If you want detailed photography tips, check Gavin Hardcastle’s article on Fototripper.com.

Directions: While the lake has many vantage points, an easy marker for Google Maps would be Preachers Point (offline maps just in case!). As you head north on the Icefields Parway, you’ll hit Saskatchewan River Crossing which will lead you to Highway 11 heading east. From Saskatchewan River Crossing, Abraham’s Lake is about 30 minutes one way.

Drive the scenic route - Lake Minnewanka scenic Loop

One of the best winter views near Banff is the Lake Minnewanka Scenic Loop. It is a 20 minute drive from Banff City Centre and well worth the drive for the sunrise. During the summer, the Lake Minnewanka loop goes for 24km and well… it loops around. In the winter though, the western portion of the loop is closed. Your end point is the boat launch area. You would have to exit the park from where you entered.

There’s hiking trails all over this loop, and you can find them here for winter hiking/snowshoeing/cross-country skiing, but this blog will focus on the favourite sights en-route.

On the scenic route, you’ll be able to go to these key spots:

Cascade Ponds
Johnson Lake
Two Jack Lake
Lake Minnewanka

Out of those spots, Two Jack Lake and Lake Minnewanka were my favourite. In the winter, Two Jack Lake is frozen over and has the amazing backdrop of Mount Rundle. If you catch it in the right conditions, you’ll have the tops of the mountain lightly touched by the sun and the wisps of the morning cloud. When we went, someone had cleared an area of the lake for skating and then left a shovel for the next person to be able to clear it again. Very Canadian!

After Two Jack Lake, you drive for a bit and come to Lake Minnewanka. It is the largest lake in Banff National Park and the scale of everything is surreal. It’s surrounded by mountains, including Mount Rundle and Mount Girouard, both stunning peaks. There’s also a boathouse sitting in the middle of the lake, frozen in place awaiting the summer months for boat cruises.

If you come at the right time, Lake Minnewanka will also be frozen over and you walk all the way to the middle of the lake just to be humbled. There are also some frozen methane bubbles as well! Not as clear as Abraham Lake, but worth clearing some spots to see if you can find them.

If you’re lucky, you’ll also see wildlife during your drive including deer, elks, and wolves! We saw elks on the way in, just a large pack of them sitting by the road.

Directions: Head north from Banff on Banff Ave and turn right on Lake Minnewanka Scenic Drive.

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