WinterStart

WinterStart – it’s all anticipation.

As soon as the snow starts falling in Banff National Park – usually in October – the landscape becomes a virtual winter wonderland. A sprawling wilderness of green pine trees is topped by tufts of snow, wildlife tracks trace through the white forest floor and people start getting excited about the upcoming season. Residents of Banff and Lake Louise embrace the start of winter, sharpening ice skates to glide across frozen lakes, waxing skis for cross-country trails and checking out the ski and snowboard gear for another six months of outdoor adventures in the Canadian Rockies.

Each November the WinterStart Festival in Banff and Lake Louise kicks off with the heart-pounding World Cup alpine races in Lake Louise. The fastest skiers on the planet hurtle down the mountain at speeds that easily top 100 kilometres per hour over two consecutive weekends of men’s and women’s ski racing.

Christmas in the Rockies celebrates the season with holiday crafts, family outdoor activities, caroling and a gingerbread house decorating contest. In Banff the streets are strung with Christmas lights and displays and the annual Santa Claus parade circles through downtown streets. Nothing says Christmas like the Canadian Rockies.

Bombardier Lake Louise WinterStart World Cup at Lake Louise Mountain Resort

Come out to watch as the fastest alpine skiers from around the world come to Lake Louise for the first stop on the North America World Cup tour!

November 29 & 30, 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Men's Super G & Downhill

December 5 - 7, 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Women's Super G & Downhill