LAKE LOUISE, ALTA. -- Skiing to Skoki Lodge is for cross-country skiers what playing a round on the Banff Springs Golf Course is for aficionados of that sport. You dream about it, and when the time comes you jump at the opportunity.
There may be other places you long to ski, but there's something special about earning your stay at this rustic lodge tucked below the peak of Fossil Mountain. To reach Skoki, skiers carry their luggage over a demanding four-hour route that climbs high snowy passes and crosses frozen alpine lakes. And this year, the oldest backcountry lodge in Western Canada is turning 75.
Just as golfers imagine they will smack perfect drives and putt with precision while on the Banff Springs course, I hoped the sun would shine, the snow would be perfect and my three days at Skoki Lodge would exceed my wildest dreams. It didn't work out quite as I had envisioned: The snow conditions were best described as ice atop untracked crust, I had rented less-than-ideal equipment, and had ended up with a cold that turned the 11-kilometre trail to Skoki into a real endurance test.
Built from logs harvested nearby, the lodge sits at just over 2,150 metres above sea level. Owned by Parks Canada -- since it is situated in Banff National Park -- its past managers are local legends. They attracted guests who pioneered skiing in Canada's West. Dressed in thick woollen clothing and using three-metre-long skis with pine-tar bases, they would make the trip in and then stay for weeks.
The skiers who head for Skoki these days usually stay for two nights. They come to make telemark turns or, with today's backcountry equipment, carve through untracked powder. Many, however, clip into cross-country skis and head out on the many trails that can be reached from the lodge. Unfortunately, poor snow conditions and a high avalanche risk during my stay limited guests to a few well-marked routes (Jones Pass, Baker Lake and around Fossil Mountain).
Skoki can house 22 guests within the rustic main log building and in several surrounding cabins. January and February are the low season because of the potential for intense cold (at minus 30 C or below, guests are turned back at the trailhead). March is when Skoki shines.
Given the poor skiing during my stay, I appreciated Skoki's welcoming philosophy. Jen, a graduate of the Stratford Chefs School, who created fabulous meals, told me, "Maybe if the snow isn't good we can make up for it with good food."
On my first night, the menu included chicken and mushroom pesto lasagna, with frozen lemon soufflé with raspberry sauce for dessert. In short, ideal fare after a long ski. On the second night, the staff joined a handful of guests at a communal table and supped on herbed pork tenderloin with roast vegetables and spinach salad. Homemade bread accompanied all meals, and wine and beer flowed freely. Each morning, a hand bell announced that a hearty breakfast of fresh fruit, pancakes, muesli, eggs, bacon, tea, coffee and juice was ready to kick off a day of skiing.
Skoki doesn't pamper its guests in a Butterfield & Robinson sort of way: There is no electricity, the bathrooms are of the outdoor variety, and don't expect the assistance of a guide with a first-aid kit or avalanche equipment. But the outstanding food, friendly staff, warm ambiance, wood-burning sauna and roaring fires create the perfect backdrop for guests' nightly tales of their skiing exploits. Each night I would curl up between cozy flannel sheets and get lost in the down duvet that kept me warm.
From the trailhead near the Lake Louise ski resort, the well-marked access trail passes through a spruce forest that soon opens into a broad meadow surrounded by soaring mountains. With good snow conditions, the gradual climb should be just enough to keep a relatively fit skier warm. It was exceptionally icy during my ski in, and we donned skins from the start. Seldom used except in the backcountry, they make it possible to climb steep hills and slow down icy descents.
The first test is Boulder Pass. The trail winds between huge rocks up a short ascent to Ptarmigan Lake. White-out conditions are notorious, and even though the mercury hovered near zero when I made the traverse, the wind caused me to shiver when it penetrated my sweaty clothing.
The next challenge is Deception Pass, so named by Cyril Paris who, with Cliff White, built the original lodge. Paris once said Deception Pass was "the most deceptive thing I ever climbed." As I crept up the steep slope, I had to stop after every 50 steps to catch my breath. Having come from close to sea level in Toronto the night before, the 2,400 metres of altitude had my heart racing. But my skiing mates, Natalie and Kevin, who both worked in Banff, waited in the afternoon sun for me at the top of the pass. Once reunited, we gazed back over the lake and the wide valley. I was struck by the immensity of the landscape. It made me realize that in the Rockies, it's often the view at the end of a climb that makes a route memorable. From here, it's a three-kilometre slide down to the lodge. We kept our skins on to check our pace, and arrived about 3½ hours after we had departed.
Jo, the smiling manager, greeted us with mugs of sweet tea and bowls of curried squash soup before ushering us up to our rooms. It would have been a welcome greeting at the best of times, but taxed by the trip and with my sinuses clogged, I quickly succumbed to Skoki's warmth and charm.
Pack your bags
GETTING THERE
After checking in at the Lake Louise ski resort, you are instructed to drive to the nearby Fish Creek Parking Lot, where you will be transported by bus to the trailhead. For a reasonably experienced and fit cross-country skier, the trip in is a pleasure. But for the uninitiated, getting to Skoki Lodge would be challenging.
WHEN TO GO
Dates of operation for Winter 2004-05: Dec 17 to April 17.
MORE INFORMATION
Skoki Lodge is managed by Resorts of the Canadian Rockies. For reservations, call 1-800-258-7669 or visit http://www.skokilodge.com. Rates range from $119 a night (meals included) in January and February to $159 in March. Hikers can stay at Skoki during the summer, but rates are higher.
