Editor’s note: The banner image above features a travel brochure on ski resorts at Banff and Jasper, courtesy of the Provincial Archives of Alberta.
Written by: Emily Guthrie-Plouffe, Government Records Archivist, Provincial Archives of Alberta
While some Albertans may balk at the lengthy transition from winter to spring, wishing for temperatures to rise and snow to disappear, there are others who gladly embrace the snow for as long as possible, especially from the sunny slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
Spring and even summer skiing is not unheard of in the Rockies, where snow can be found on the highest peaks nearly year-round. Take, for example, the 1954 Waterton International Summer Ski Race, as described in an article sent by E.S. Bryant, Director of Publicity, Alberta Department of Economic Affairs, to Beverly W. Hall, News Editor at Skiing Publishing Company (below).
Further north up the mountain range, in 1969, a day of spring skiing at Mount Temple Lodge was photographed by the Government of Alberta. A receding snowline signals warmer days, and the skiers look happy as ever, sashaying down the hill and lounging blissfully with the Lodge behind them.
First opened in 1939, the Temple Lodge—also known as the Temple Chalet or Temple View Chalet—was named for Mount Temple, the highest peak in the Lake Louise area at 11,000 feet (3,400 metres). The lodge itself was not built on Mount Temple but on nearby Whitehorn Mountain, and its construction marked the beginnings of what would eventually become the Lake Louise Ski Resort.
Prior to the Lodge’s construction, arduous treks and advanced skills were required for skiers to access the surrounding area. The new lodge, situated half-way between Banff and Lake Louise and high-country ski points, offered much desired accessibility and accommodations with the bonus of alpine views. A portable rope tow was installed above the lodge in 1952, followed by a Poma lift, or surface chairlift, in 1954, bringing the spot further into the modern age of ski.
In 1976, the original Temple Lodge was tragically lost in a fire, and temporary facilities put in place until a replacement was constructed in 1978. This version of the Temple Lodge still operates today as a place where skiers can gather for midday rest, refreshment and camaraderie, as they have for nearly 90 years.
Sources
Harmon, Aileen. 1938. “High Country Ski Spots Become More Accessible Under New Development.” Calgary Herald, December 3: 6-7.
Hayden, Reg. 1939. “Ski Notes and Queries.” Calgary Herald, March 9: 7.
Herald Banff Bureau. 1976. “Temporary facility set for Temple.” Calgary Herald, June 16: 32.
Recompsat, Juliette. 2020. SkiBig3.com. February 28. Accessed April 1, 2026. https://www.skibig3.com/blog/legendary-lodges-of-skibig3-temple-lodge/.
Round, W.E. 1938. “SKIS-IANA: From The Powder Snow Country.” The Calgary Albertan , December 8: 14.
Thomas, Don. 1976. “Outdoors guide for a fun winter.” Edmonton Journal, December 4: 33.
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