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5 Ice Adventures in Banff and Lake Louise 

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Dec 5, 2017
Ice Skating on Lake Louise, Banff National Park, AB

It's no secret that Canada can be a cold country, and there's no better place to enjoy the icy adventures than in Banff and Lake Louise.

Taking advantage of the best activities to do with ice, here's a list of the top 5 must-try ice adventures!

Ice Skating

Constantly ranked among the world's most beautiful skating rinks, Lake Louise is the quintessential Canadian spot for the best skating. Complete with an ice castle and ice rinks that are groomed and made smooth daily, Lake Louise is also a prime location for a game of hockey.

Three friends play hockey on a frozen lake with mountains in the background on a sunny winter dayThree friends play hockey on a frozen lake with mountains in the background on a sunny winter dayThree friends play hockey on a frozen lake with mountains in the background on a sunny winter day

Ice Walks

Hiking in winter is made possible with snowshoes and ice cleats which are available for rent throughout Banff and Lake Louise. The Johnston Canyon ice walk is a popular winter hike that takes visitors to two sets of frozen waterfalls through a sparkling, Narnia-like canyon. Enjoy this adventure with cleat rentals or through an interpretive experience with White Mountain Adventures or Discover Banff Tours. For a unique take on the Johnston Canyon experience, try the evening Icewalk.

A tour group stand on a snow covered bridge overlooking a frozen canyonA tour group stand on a snow covered bridge overlooking a frozen canyonA tour group stand on a snow covered bridge overlooking a frozen canyon

Ice Climbing

Another ice adventure you can try at Johnston Canyon is ice climbing – Yamnuska Mountain Adventures offers introductory ice climbing courses for beginners that allows visitors to explore frozen waterfalls and climb to the top. For a different option, Alpine Air Adventures offers an introduction to ice climbing course that will have you familiar with ice and learn all of the basics.

Two men climb a frozen waterfall using crampons, ice axes, and climbing ropesTwo men climb a frozen waterfall using crampons, ice axes, and climbing ropesTwo men climb a frozen waterfall using crampons, ice axes, and climbing ropes

Ice Fishing

Perhaps one of the most Canadian things to do in winter is to go ice fishing. Hawgwild Fishing will give you an unforgettable day on the lake complete with classic stories and fried fish that you caught that day.

Glacier Adventure by Pursuit

From May until October, climb aboard a Pursuit snowcoach as your driver takes you onto the Athabasca Glacier at the Columbia Icefield. This is one of only two triple continental divides in the world, meaning water flows to all three oceans in Canada from this icefield. The Glacier Adventure allows you to walk on a real glacier safely and even sip some glacier-fresh water.

Rentals for all of your icy adventures in Banff National Park can be found at:

Banff:

Snowtips-Bactrax

Banff Adventures

Ultimate Sports

Chateau Mountain Sports

Lake Louise:

Wilson Mountain Sports

Alpine Social Rentals

Jonny Bierman

Jonny Bierman

Jonny is an Albertan who grew up skiing Banff’s slopes before globetrotting and studying on Vancouver Island. He now lives in Banff and enjoys all things outdoors and adventure.