Mon 01 April 2019
Lake Louise, the hamlet within Canada's Banff National Park, is as vast as it is small. On the one hand, there are only a handful of hotels, a ski resort, no real business district and few roads. On
the other, there is the epic natural grandeur of Lake Louise and the
snow-capped Canadian Rockies, stretched as far as the eye can see. The
locale's remoteness and natural beauty creates an ambiance of peace and
perfection, as well as a desire to never travel back to the "real world."
Lake Louise Ski Resort, one of the first (and best) in North America, is one of the area's main draws aside from the lake itself. Named
the best ski resort in Canada by the World Ski Awards in November 2018,
Lake Louise contains 4,200 acres of ski terrain within Banff National
Park, part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ask
anyone who's been, and you'll likely hear how it's one of the most
beautiful places in the world. And It looks much the same as it always
has, thanks to the protection of its park designation and the
stewardship of one family.
The Lake Louise Ski Resort is
family owned and operated by Charlie Locke, his wife, Louise and their
two daughters, Robin and Kimberley. Both women grew up in Calgary and
Lake Louise and are thrilled to be running the place that was so
integral to their upbringing, "We've
been coming up basically since we were born," Kimberley says. "We each
learned to ski when we were 2, and we haven't slowed down since."
Their fingerprints can be seen all over The Lodge of Ten Peaks, which
serves as base camp for the resort. The two-story stone fireplace at the
center of the lodge is literally a product of their handiwork. "Remember when we had to collect all of these rocks?" asks Kimberly Locke."Oh
my gosh that was crazy," Robin Locke says. "Our dad put us to work as
teenagers -- gathering rocks and stones, putting them in wheelbarrows --
that are now part of this fireplace."
The sisters, who both had
careers before taking on their executive roles at Lake Louise Ski
Resort, are co-vice president, and their father is president. (With two
MBAs and a law degree between them, there isn't much about business, let
alone the ski business, that the sisters don't know.)"We
learned all about the ski area growing up, and then we learned outside
the ski industry and outside of Lake Louise and then we were able to
come back here and put all that knowledge to work," Robin says.
The resort offers lots of
activities year-round. Aside from skiing and snowboarding, there's
hiking and snow-shoeing, a wildlife interpretive center, and in the
summer, there are sightseeing gondola rides and a good chance you'll
spot a grizzly bear from your perch. They've
expanded the dining offerings at the lodge, including a sushi bar, Kuma
Yama, that might seem out of place in a rustic Canadian ski resort, but
works perfectly owing to its winning combination of quality ingredients
and culinary craftsmanship. They're negotiating with Parks Canada to
sustainably expand the resort's terrain.
"We come from the perspective
that it's such a privilege to be able to operate ski area in a national
park. That underpins everything that we do and everything that we try to
offer," says Kimberley. They've
organized a group of volunteers called "Ski Friends" to conduct guided
tours, imparting knowledge about local wildlife, vegetation,
conservation and heritage. As
they continue to balance a thriving business with family and the
demands of operating within a national park, Kimberley and Robin remain
Lake Louise evangelists. "There's
just something about this place. We've been here since we were born.
It's in our blood. It's in our DNA. We love it here. When the
opportunity presented itself to come back and set the path forward for
the next many years and decades, we jumped on it because it's somewhere
that we love," Robin says.
If you've dreamed of living the movie "Frozen," then a stay at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
on the lake is a dream come true. The property is vast, and the views
of the lake are mesmerizing. (And pony up for a room with a lake view,
since you've come all this way). There's
a lovely ice-skating area and a seasonal weekends-only outdoor "Ice
Bar." Inside is a lobby bar that overlooks the lake, a few different
restaurants, shops, a spa, indoor pool and spa, a takeaway coffee joint
and almost everything you need to brave the great outdoors. (111 Lake Louise Drive, Lake Louise, AB T0L 1E0, Canada; +1 403-522-3511)
There are a few other hotels in the area, all of which offer a different take. As luxurious but significantly more intimate is Post Hotel & Spa, which opened its doors in the 1940s. A
Relais & Châteaux property since 1990, the property's relaxed
elegance is on display in every corner, whether next to the stone
fireplace at the après-ski Sir Norman Lounge or in the 24 seat Fondue
Stübli (meaning small, cozy room) which serves a selection of
Swiss-style fondues every evening. The property also boasts a massive
spa, an indoor salt-water pool and a small, outdoor ice-skating rink. (200 Pipestone Road, Lake Louise, AB T0L 1E0, Canada; +1 403-522-3989)The most singular accommodationPerhaps the most singular accommodation option in Lake Louise is Skoki Lodge,
which is owned by the Lockes. There is a catch: Guests have to
snow-shoe or ski (or hike in summer) a trail of 11 kilometers (6.8
miles) from the Lake Louise Ski Area. That is unless you're royalty and
you helicopter in, as Prince William and Kate did in the summer of 2011.
A luxurious yet rustic backcountry lodge, Skoki offers an off-the-grid
experience like no other.
The
main lodge and three cabins can accommodate a maximum of 22 guests, and
there is no electricity or running water, though any and all needs are
seen to by the attentive staff. There are three homemade meals a day,
fresh bread baked daily on the premises and plenty of free time to do
absolutely nothing. (1 Whitehorn Drive, Lake Louise, AB T0L 1E0, Canada; +1 403-522-1347)
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/lake-louise-ski-resort-locke-sisters-canada/index.html