Atlas · Alberta · AB
Lake Louise
8,650′ summit · 3,250′ vert · 4,200 acres · avg 179″/yr
Long shot — Nov 1–15
Delivered 24″+ in 2 of the last 10 seasons
Over 20 winters: 5 of 20 · typical 20", most land 15"–24"
Before you book
This bet missed 8 of the last 10.
None of the last 10 came in under 8″ — a bust, under a third of the bet.
Odds count natural snowfall only. At snowmaking-dependent resorts, early-season cover can be fine in a low-natural-snow year.
The season, window by window
The bet: 12″ of new snow per week, scaled to each window. Counted from real seasons — how our odds work.
Lake Louise · the shape of a typical winter
Typical new snow, window by window
The middle season — median new snow per window, counted from the last 20 winters. A picture of timing, not a forecast. Snow is streaky; hover any window for the usual range.
| Window | Bet | Delivered | Verdict | Typical | Biggest | Leanest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1–15 | 24″+ | 2 of 10 | Long shot | 20" | 40" 2006 | 13" 2017 |
| Nov 16–30 | 24″+ | 2 of 10 · 2 busts | Long shot | 17" | 36" 2014 | 1" 2023 |
| Dec 1–15 | 24″+ | 2 of 10 · 3 busts | Long shot | 14" | 41" 2025 | 3" 2017 |
| Dec 16–31 | 30″+ | 1 of 10 · 1 bust | Long shot | 14" | 36" 2025 | 4" 2015 |
| Jan 1–15 | 24″+ | 0 of 10 · 3 busts | Long shot | 16" | 32" 2014 | 2" 2023 |
| Jan 16–31 | 30″+ | 0 of 10 · 7 busts | Long shot | 8" | 25" 2012 | 2" 2010 |
| Feb 1–15 | 24″+ | 1 of 10 · 2 busts | Long shot | 12" | 30" 2018 | 2" 2026 |
| Feb 16–28/29 | 24″+ | 1 of 10 · 4 busts | Long shot | 10" | 29" 2024 | 2" 2015 · 2 of 20 |
| Mar 1–15 | 24″+ | 1 of 10 · 1 bust | Long shot | 15" | 42" 2012 | 7" 2021 · 2 of 20 |
| Mar 16–31 | 30″+ | 1 of 10 · 2 busts | Long shot | 15" | 39" 2026 | 2" 2023 |
| Apr 1–15 | 24″+ | 0 of 10 · 2 busts | Long shot | 13" | 30" 2012 | 5" 2016 |
| Apr 16–30 | 24″+ | 0 of 10 · 3 busts | Long shot | 13" | 22" 2010 | 7" 2023 |
Biggest and leanest are the two ends of the same 20 winters Typical is counted from — the year is when it happened, most recent first where more than one season ties.
At the snow sensor
Reading the snow sensor…
Field notes
Banff's scenery-and-scale flagship — a huge back side of bowls and chutes from West Bowl to Paradise, larch glades, and the most beautiful sightlines in North American skiing. Snow totals are modest for the terrain's ambition; the cold preserves what falls.
Fly into Calgary, about two hours out. The SkiBig3 pass structure bundles Louise, Sunshine, and Norquay. Stay in Banff town or Lake Louise village. Deep-January cold snaps are the planning constraint — late February into March is the sweet spot.
Watch this window
We'll email you when Lake Louise's odds move on the Nov 1–15 window — and the quote gets recorded as it stands today, so we can be graded on it later.
Planning a whole season? See the season outlook.
These are historical odds from the last 20 winters — not a forecast. Inside 16 days of a trip, a forecast is the better instrument; beyond that, counting real seasons is the honest play. Every number on this page is quoted under methodology v1.2.0, the same math we grade ourselves against in public.