LAKE LOUISE ON ICE
Find magic in the winter
The ice carvers gather before sunrise in the warmth of the Poppy Brasserie in the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
Outside, it is snowing and -8 C, the perfect temperature for their trade. There are 10 pairs of sculptors who each have 34 hours over three days to turn 10,300 pound blocks of ice into works of art that capture the essence of the Rocky Mountains.
When the artists get to work at 8 a.m. that morning, the only sounds are the whir of small electric chainsaws and scraping of snow as the blocks of ice begin their transformations.
Samuel Girault, 38, from France, and Michal Mizula, 35, from Poland have worked together for the past decade.
They make a living out of ice carving, travelling the globe with chainsaws, chisels and handsaws, creating frozen wonders for wellheeled clients and entering competitions.
This is their first time at the three-day Ice Magic Festival.
“We are like a second family,” says Girault. The other artists represent Canada, the United States, Russia, China and the Philippines.
“This is fun, but strict too, it’s artistic and also very technical.”
The Ice Magic Festival takes place on the grounds between the Chateau and Lake Louise, the most photographed lake in the world. The lake has transformed from its famed emerald waters into an enormous ice skating rink and snowy canvas for a variety of winter activities.
Tourists lace up their skates to participate in the most Canadian of experiences, capturing the wonder of cold that defines the nation’s image to foreigners and locals alike.
The ice surface is cleared of snow regularly by a locally crafted Zamboni. Off to the side of the big ice is a rink-sized space where hockey games break out.
On this trip two groups of Calgarians, visiting for a conference, took to the ice and played a quick and skilled game, with none of the rough stuff.
In a shinny game there’s no helmets or protection of any kind. When one player fell hard and their head barely missed the ice it was noted with laughter, “that’s why we wear toques.”
Once off the ice, skaters can grab a drink at the ice bar. November to April is the quiet time of year for the Chateau and a mid-week visit is restful and low-key. The first 16-person chalet was built here in 1890 by the Canadian Pacific Railway five years after the cross-country railroad was complete. The idea was to try to make money out of tourism to recoup some construction costs, but it wasn’t until 1982 that it opened year round — exactly 100 years after being first seen by a European.
Today, the Chateau rents skates, snow shoes, alpine and cross country skis, toboggans and snowboards to tourists from Canada and around the globe.
Activities on offer include horsedrawn sleigh rides that run both during the day as well as under the clear night skies, a guided nighttime snowshoeing trip, Bavarian curling and dogsled rides.
The easiest and most accessible of Lake Louise experiences is a simple walk, snowshoe or crosscountry ski along the northern edge of the lake to the base of Louise Falls.
The turquoise falls are frozen in winter and you will usually see upon them people ice climbing. It’s incredible to watch as the brave souls use crampons, ice axes, ice screws and rope to ascend this 110-metre climb. This is one of the easier climbs on offer in the Banff National Park and the chateau can facilitate an ice climb if you’re skilled enough.
The Lake Louise Ski Resort is 10 minutes away from the Chateau (and a shuttle will transport you back and forth every half an hour) and retains a rustic, family friendly atmosphere, while offering extreme skiing at the high elevations. It is a great place for learners and is relatively inexpensive.
Lake Louise remains a remote, luxurious and affordable destination for local and international visitors alike. The Chateau is also easily accessed from the Calgary International Airport by the Brewster Express bus service.
This is a place where you can carve out your own winter experience in the same way the ice sculptors do — one block at a time.