XC-Skiing into Skoki Lodge in Banff National Park
It has always been a dream of mine to cross country ski in the high-alpine of Banff National Park and stay at Skoki Lodge. With the promise of hearty meals and a rustic, cozy atmosphere around a fire, it sounded like the perfect winter getaway.
This year, as my birthday approached, my husband, Chris, decided to surprise me with my dream adventure trip. He had been ski touring in the Skoki Valley for a couple years and knew the trail would be suitable for a chariot and a 33-year-old pregnant mama. If only my husband’s memory was as good as his optimism! More on that later.
The reservation system is easy enough if you can find availability, but becomes tricky for last-minute reservations since you can’t see which rooms are booked on which days. Best to simply call and ask. At Skoki, you can book a minimum of two nights unless you’re booking within 60 days in which you can opt for a one night stay. No surprise, this year was already booked (including the entire summer season!). We did find one night available in the Honeymoon cabin at the end of March. Families with little kids are only able to book a stay in the cabins so that lodge guests have a relaxing experience. The playpen/crib is provided at no extra cost.
Getting to the trailhead
It was quite a whirlwind accessing the trail. First, we had to check in at 9 a.m. at “Experience Lake Louise” in the Samson Mall of the Lake Louise village. Once we signed the waivers and got a VIP parking pass for the Lake Louise Ski Resort, we drove up to the resort, located the Guide’s Cabin, checked in and picked up our lift tickets. Since we opted for light touring gear ($40 per person) we also had to pick up our xc-ski equipment from the rental building. The trail is not suitable for anything without skins.
All right. By then, it was 10:30 a.m. We had a chariot with all the ski attachments and the light touring gear packed up, ready to load the gondola via the VIP express line. The lift attendants weren’t expecting a chariot (most Skoki guests have a bag) and having as little to load as possible makes things easier for everyone. Thankfully, two long ski straps saved the day, allowing us to tie poles, chariot attachments and skis into one big bundle. Once we reached the top we made our way to the Ptarmigan chairlift. The lift operator stopped the lift and allowed us to load our backpack, chariot and skis on one chair, followed by us on the next one. I used a front carrier to keep our 14-month-old daughter, Amalie, strapped to me on the ride down, but if you’re comfortable holding your little one tight you could skip the added gear.
Once on the backside of Lake Louise we were finally able to put our skis on to begin making our way towards Temple Lodge, where we skied uphill on the left-hand side of the Marmot run (approximately 100 metres) to the Skoki Lodge trail sign. This is the steepest part of the entire trail, so don’t get discouraged thinking you’re in over your head!
The Skoki Trail
The trail to Skoki Lodge is approximately 11 kilometres with a total elevation gain of 470 metres. It’s not that my husband forgot how long it was but he underestimated how much harder it would be with a 60-litre pack and he had me believe the passes were more like little hills rather than steep climbs. The trail does not cross any avalanche paths and is very well marked.
The first 4 kilometres to the Halfway Hut are a relatively gentle incline through the forest. We stopped 3 kilometres in to have lunch and give Amalie a little stretch/play time. We brought a lot of fruit, bars and pouches so she could snack every couple hours. We started back on the trail at 12:30 p.m. and Amalie fell asleep soon after. Once passing the Halfway Hut, the next 3.5 kilometres make up the majority of elevation gain – something my husband neglected to tell me! First we climbed up Boulder Pass to the base of Ptarmigan Lake. We crossed the lake and before beginning the steepest climb to the top of Deception Pass, we pulled over for our second much-needed break. It’s a gorgeous, sunny day, but at 3 p.m. we realize we should get going. Once we made our way to the top of Deception Pass, the last 3.5 kilometres of the journey is a descent to the lodge. I tried to ski down with the skins, but it was too fast on the narrow trail, so I decided to jog down instead.
Experiencing the Lodge
At 4:30 p.m., we made it to the lodge, checked in and unloaded our packs in the cabin. We were just in time for tea, warm soup, freshly-baked bread and a charcuterie board. The main lodge and three cabins provide accommodation for 22 guests. We didn’t have a chance to see the lodge rooms, but the Honeymoon cabin was absolutely dreamy, with a king-sized bed, down comforters, a wash station and a fireplace.
Amalie had just started walking, so we spent most of our time in the main lodge letting her explore and meeting other guests. Dinner was served at 7 p.m. sharp and it was truly a gourmet meal – 3 courses! For Amalie, we brought food that we knew she liked and was easy to heat: pre-cooked broccoli, zucchini and sweet potato. With no electricity, we left her food in tinfoil on the wood stoves. Toasty! We also brought our own milk, but I’m sure that if we had asked for any food in advance, it wouldn’t have been a problem. They will also prepare a kids portion of everything on the menu if your child isn't a fussy eater. The staff were some of the nicest people, which added to the experience. The only downside (if we’re nitpicking) is that they didn’t have a high chair, so we couldn’t enjoy the gourmet dinner together. A small price to pay for such a great experience. After dessert we went straight to bed!
We all woke up at 7:30 a.m. to a thermos of hot water (for washing up) and another bluebird day. Chris and I were sore and tired, but so thrilled about the whole trip. Breakfast was served at 8:30 a.m. and we took our time, enjoying every minute of the rustic lodge before having to hit the trail again. As much as we would have loved to stay another night, we packed our bags, picked up our sandwiches, snapped a photo in front of the lodge and left shortly before 11 a.m.
On the return trip we stopped for one break (instead of two), since the return is much faster - Not to mention we had to be back at the ski resort by 4 p.m. to catch the last chairlift. I lost one of my skins in the deep snow after taking a spill down Deception Pass, but surprisingly one skin provided the perfect balance for speed and breaking on the tight trail. Even Chris added one skin onto his skis after seeing how successful I was – highly recommend!
We made it back to the ski resort at 3:30 p.m., happy and amazed by how smooth everything went and with the hope to go back with our two kids in the future.
My final thoughts
I would advise booking at least 2 nights to make the most of your experience.
Since the temperature in the Rockies can really drop in the winter, spring skiing seems to be ideal for a longer trip with the kids.
I’d recommend intermediate to advanced ability on your equipment. There were sections where the chariot was side-slipping down the slope or the trail was very narrow, but with a little caution there is little to worry about. Bringing a double chariot also shouldn’t be a problem, other than the extra weight (ha!).
The family trip to Skoki Lodge was the highlight of our winter and we have nothing but great memories!
