Ice Skating in the Rockies
Scenery:
Beautiful ice-covered mountain lakes
Difficulty:
Some hiking involved to reach high alpine lakes
Skating conditions:
Best in the fall before the first snowfall, and after two weeks or more of very cold weather
The gentle hissing of skate blades on crystal-clear ice was the only sound as we glided across Lake Annette, with shining white mountains and azure-blue sky for a backdrop. The early afternoon sun was just warming the valley, adding to the pleasant ritual of hot chocolate on the shore. For many years, late fall had been a time of waiting ... a time after hiking season and before winter skiing. That was until we discovered the joys of ice skating on alpine lakes.
Our journey this day began with a short bike ride up Moraine Lake road near Lake Louise, now closed to vehicle traffic for winter. Then we hiked up the scenic Paradise Valley, marvelling at the last Larch trees still holding onto golden needles, and the first ice formations carved by moving water. We jokingly referred to this as our “senior’s triathlon” ... bicycling, hiking, and ice skating!
After almost two hours of hiking, we reached Lake Annette and found an inviting, smooth ice surface just for us. I pulled out a small hand drill and drilled the ice, to make sure it was safe enough to skate on. Three inches is minimum, and we were aware that the ice would be thinner near the outlet of the lake, where moving water carved the underside of the ice.
With almost childlike joy, we donned our skates for an outing on our own private skating rink. The peak of Mount Temple, capped with deep blue glaciers towered above us as we glided around the lake, stopping now and then to check the thickness of the ice.
The ice was so clear that we could see the green water below and multicoloured rocks on the bottom. After an hour of skating, we stopped for a snack and our hot chocolate from a thermos. The autumn day had warmed up, but mountain breezes over the glaciers and ice made us glad we had brought our down jackets.
We skated for another hour, enjoying the changing colours on the peaks as the sun moved across the sky.
Now that cold weather had settled in the mountains, we were eager to explore other lakes. Johnson Lake near Banff often froze early, and this year was no exception. We glided along glass-smooth ice, watching our shadows play along the sandy bottom of the lake. Now and then, a fish would swim beneath us, adding to the magic of skating on this lake.
The ice was so smooth that we returned one evening with headlamps, confident that there were no cracks on the surface that might catch a blade. Stars twinkled in the night sky, and the white ethereal shapes of mountains glowed in the low light. We glided across a plane between earth and sky, with no horizon for reference,
The cold weather remained, with no snow, so we headed to Kananaskis country to check out Loon Lake, not far from the Pocaterra day-use area. The ice was minimum thickness, so we stayed close to the shore of the shallow lake. It was another magical day, with a backdrop of mountains behind us. Looking down was like peering through a plate glass window, with the long stride of moose across the muddy bottom of the lake, interspersed with deer tracks and partly chewed twigs from beavers. Two shadows preceded us as we glided along the ice – one on the surface, and another on the bottom of the lake, only two feet beneath us.
Inspired by that day, we headed to Carrot Creek, and were rewarded by another smooth surface, almost a kilometre-long loopfor our skating pleasure. The Three Sisters loomed in the distance, as we skated in the shadow of Rundle Mountain. Every now and then, the ice would shift, with a loud boom that always startled us. Schools of trout swam ahead of us as they scattered from our shadows, and tendrils green underwater plants undulated in the slow-moving current.
A few days later, we headed up to Chester Lake, a beautiful jewel of an alpine lake deep in the mountains. However, we did not get to skate this time, as a blanket of snow covered the ice. In other years, we had great skating on this lake, but each year brings different weather.
Undaunted, we headed back to Carrot Creek and Johnson Lake for two more days of ice skating, to take advantage of the short skating season before the first snow.
Now, we look forward to each autumn with the anticipation of skating on hidden mountain lakes. Glimpses of fish wintering beneath the ice, the booming of thick ice shifting, and the thrill of gliding across the surface of frozen waterways, make skating outdoors an exhilarating experience.
How to get there
From Calgary, take Highway 1 to Kananaskis or towards Banff and Lake Louise.
In Kananaskis, Barrier Lake is often ice covered in early season, as is Loon Lake just past the junction to Spray Lakes road. Farther along the road, Chester Lake and Rummel Lake are often good choices for early-season skating.
In Banff, Carrot Creek, Johnson Lake, and Vermillion Lakes are often ice covered in late fall.
In Lake Louise, Lake Annette, Agnes Lake and other high lakes in the area often offer great early-season skating.
Later in the season, the Town of Banff clears a rink on the Bow River, and Lake Louise has a skating rink on the lake. Many people frequent these places, but the scenery and unique experience of skating in the mountains make them worth visiting.
Tips
We recommend you drill any unknown ice to check for depth ... ice thickness can be deceiving. Three inches is minimum, and four inches is a safer bet. Be aware that ice thickness varies on lakes, and is thinner on the sunny side of a lake, and is often very thin where moving water is present at the inlet or outlet.
The ice on rivers is more variable and unpredictable than lakes, and extra caution is required for a mishap-free skating day. Falling through ice can be a life-threatening event, so be cautious!
The new breed of “soft skates” or “comfort skates” are far more comfortable that the unyielding skates of our youth. These are well worth the investment, as we can skate for several hours at a time.
Hockey blades are often a better choice for men and women, as figure skates give a rougher ride on the uneven surface of natural ice. If you do choose figure skates, it is an idea to file off the front picks, as these catch on cracks and uneven ice.
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