Lake Louise Ski Resort & Summer Gondola in Banff National Park

Sight · Banff National Park

Lake Louise Ski Resort & Summer Gondola

Ride above alpine meadows; ski five faces in winter.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Type
Sight
Nearest trail
0.8 km
Audio stories
6 nearby
  • Parking
  • Restaurant
  • Food
  • Scenic viewpoint
  • #22 of 50 sights

Hear the audio tour

Moraine Lake Shuttles at the Park and Ride

Overview

About Lake Louise Ski Resort & Summer Gondola

Why stop

  • Summer lift views over alpine meadows and wildflowers
  • A large winter ski area with options across five mountain faces

Heads up

  • The summer sightseeing lift has a short season, with dates that change each year

Map

Where it is

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SightLake Louise Ski Resort & Summer Gondola51.44231, -116.16192
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Plan your stop

Before you go

8 active Banff alerts

  • ClosureJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area closedJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area are closed to all traffic and travel through December 11, 2026, because construction work requires protecting public and workers’ safety.Official details
  • ClosureBaker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds closed to campingCamping is prohibited at Baker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds through December 1, 2026, because a grizzly bear entered campsites and investigated tents and gear; the closures reduce risk to…Official details
See all 8 alerts
A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone
Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Banff Tour Guide

Your drive to Lake Louise Ski Resort & Summer Gondola, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Banff National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

See the Banff audio tour

Recorded for this place

Moraine Lake Shuttles at the Park and Ride
0:00 / 0:30
“You're approaching Lake Louise Park and Ride by the ski resort, the boarding point for Parks Canada's seasonal Moraine Lake shuttles.”

Plays as you drive up to Lake Louise Ski Resort & Summer Gondola in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.

More stories near here in the app

  • Fish Creek: The Way into Skoki
  • Lake Louise Village: Advice, Lunch and the Old Tram Route
  • The Bird That Spirals Up a Tree
  • Lake Louise Campgrounds: Choose the Right Section
  • 185 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
  • Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
  • Works offlinemaps, 162 trails, 90 places, and audio download before you lose signal
  • CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
★★★★★
“…Loved the commentary as you drove thru. I’m sure the app can do more than I know but the tips were very helpful. I’m gonna use it when we go to Banff next month.”
tesja22App Store review
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4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

Guide

More about Lake Louise Ski Resort & Summer Gondola

A mountain resort apart from the lakeLake Louise Ski Resort is a major ski area on Mount Whitehorn, about 4 km from Lake Louise and…

Lake Louise Ski Resort is a major ski area on Mount Whitehorn, about 4 km from Lake Louise and roughly 60 km from Banff. It has two distinct seasons: downhill skiing and snowboarding in winter, and lift-served sightseeing in summer. Set it aside as its own mountain outing; the resort base is separate from the lakeshore stop.

Summer up WhitehornThe summer sightseeing ride takes you up Whitehorn by gondola or chairlift.

The summer sightseeing ride takes you up Whitehorn by gondola or chairlift. From above, alpine meadows and wildflowers spread below the lift; at the top, the Interpretive Centre has wildlife specimens. The sightseeing season usually falls between June and September, but dates shift each year. Book ahead if riding is a priority, and check the seasonal schedule before setting out.

Keep an eye on the meadows below for wildlife, including grizzlies, though sightings are never guaranteed. For a photo, include the wildflower meadows under the lift with the mountain behind them; that gives the ride its own foreground instead of another generic peak shot.

A large winter mountainIn winter this is a full ski and snowboard destination.

In winter this is a full ski and snowboard destination. The ski area covers about 4,200 acres across five mountain faces, with 170 named runs. Beginner, intermediate and expert options start from nearly every chair, which helps groups with different abilities share the same mountain day.

Food and the base areaThe base is at 1 Whitehorn Road. The base has ample parking.

The base is at 1 Whitehorn Road. The base has ample parking. Restaurants and mountain lodges make food part of the resort visit; some summer packages pair the lift with a made-to-order breakfast or lunch. If a meal or the sightseeing ride is central to your plan, check the current season and package details before going.

How the ski area grewSkiing around Lake Louise began with backcountry lodges before today’s resort lifts.

Skiing around Lake Louise began with backcountry lodges before today’s resort lifts. Skoki Lodge dates to the 1930s and Temple Lodge followed in 1938. A rope tow arrived in 1952, then a Poma lift in 1954. The front side of Whitehorn opened to lift-served skiing with a separate gondola in 1957, connecting the Trans-Canada Highway to Whitehorn Lodge. Those early Larch/Temple and frontside operations merged into one Lake Louise ski area in 1971.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Banff

All Banff wildlife maps

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.

Keep exploring

Near Lake Louise Ski Resort & Summer Gondola

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Trails nearby

More stops nearby

Parkwolf’s Banff ranking

Top sights in Banff

All 90 places
  1. 1Lake LouiseSight
  2. 2Moraine LakeSight
  3. 3Peyto Lake ViewpointSight
  4. 4Johnston CanyonSight
  5. 5Banff GondolaSight
  6. 6Cave and Basin National Historic SiteSight

Take Parkwolf to Banff.

The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.

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