A cross-country ski trip into Shadow Lake Lodge in Banff National Park (now owned by the Alpine Club of Canada) sure makes the long winter season enjoyable. I try to plan trips well in advance throughout the winter so I always have something to look forward to. That’s especially important in Calgary as the snow is usually flying by the end of October and it doesn’t typically end until late March.
I decided I wanted to spend Alberta’s Family Day weekend (a three-day weekend) up at a backcountry ski lodge, about seven months prior to visiting. I’d heard about Shadow Lake Lodge and decided that it would be worth checking out. It most certainly is.
New in 2025
As of winter 2025 you will need to bring your own sleeping bags. You’ll also have to plan your meals and bring up whatever food you’ll need. Cooking is now your responsibility too. These changes have been made in order to reduce costs for overnight stays. Costs in 2025 are $250 – $350 plus tax per cabin per night. It doesn’t look like their are minimum stays.
There will be a custodian onsite who can orient you to the property and sell you snacks, soft drinks, and alcohol. There is no corkage fee if you bring your own alcohol.
Cross-country skiing into Shadow Lake Lodge
Shadow Lake Lodge is in Banff National Park. It’s only accessible on skis or on foot via a 14.4 km trail. The trailhead is located 19 km west of Banff just off the Trans-Canada Highway at the well signed Redearth turnoff. It’s a straightforward and relatively easy trail for the first 11 km.
Then it’s a steep climb once you reach the trail intersection to Shadow Lake. Some people walk this section. When you’ve grunted your way to the top, the rest is easy and in 30 minutes or less you’ll be at the lodge. It took us less than three hours with a break for lunch to ski to the lodge from the highway.
The cabins at Shadow Lake Lodge
The cabins at Shadow Lake Lodge offer rustic simplicity. Outfitted with a bed and night tables, they also boast solar powered lighting, a propane heater and a drying rack. There is a jug and bowl for washing up in the cabin – otherwise you need to walk out to the central shower. There are toilet facilities there too.
Apart from the dining room, there is a common room with a wood-fired stove and plenty of games, puzzles and books to keep you occupied.
The food at Shadow Lake Lodge
New in 2024/25: The kitchen and dining areas will now be shared by all guests at the lodge. All cooking and eating utensils are provided as is a commercial-grade gas stove and oven, and both hot and cold running water.
Going forward you’ll need to bring your own food – and cook it too. Some snack foods and soft drinks and alcohol will be available for purchase.
In the winter meals can be taken in the dining room. In the summer there are also picnic tables in the meadow and the private porch of your cabin.
Pre – 2025 at Shadow Lake Lodge
When you first arrive – around mid to late afternoon for most people – there is a tea. Think more in terms of the Brits version of tea. Not only is there tea and hot chocolate but assorted cheeses and crackers, veges, and dip and a wide assortment of cookies, bars and cakes. That has to last you for about three hours when dinner is served.
Every dinner started with freshly baked bread and homemade soup. Then there was a buffet style main course with salmon, beef, chicken etc. offered as well as vegetables and salad. Vegetarians were accommodated and the meals I saw looked mouth-watering. To end there was dessert and a hot beverage.
Breakfast was served at 8:30 AM in the winter. It started with a serve yourself buffet featuring a different type of porridge every morning, yogurts, granola, a giant and well-composed fruit salad and homemade muffins. If that isn’t enough to satisfy you then there is always the egg dish, pancakes, sausages or bacon and a never ending cup of coffee.
Lunch was a make it yourself affair. Right after breakfast all the fixings for sandwiches are set out along with GORP, bars, cookies and fresh fruit. Load up, fill a thermos and water bottle and off you go.
Day trips skiing &/or snowshoeing from Shadow Lake Lodge
There are several ski or snowshoe tours you can do from Shadow Lake Lodge. Snowshoes are available so you don’t have to carry them up.
The easiest tour is a 1.9 km ski to Shadow Lake where you get a beautiful view of Mt. Ball if the sun is shining.
Day trip cross-country skiing to Haiduk Lake
From Shadow Lake Lodge you can continue to Haiduk Lake, 6.3 km further away. That was our plan for the day though we didn’t make it quite as far as the lake.
The snow was very deep, the wind was howling and part of our group didn’t have climbing skins for the steep part. So after 20 minutes of sweating, groaning and cursing we turned around. Next time.
Gibbon Pass snowshoe or cross-country skiing from Shadow Lake Lodge
Another option is to snowshoe or ski 3.1 km one way to Gibbon Pass from Shadow Lake Lodge. If it had been a clear day we would have done it before skiing out, but it wasn’t and I didn’t want to go without getting a view. I understand it’s a steep climb up, so snowshoes are probably the better option.
Ball Pass, 2.7 km away, can also be visited as a day trip. It’s located on the Great Divide between Alberta and British Columbia.
When is the lodge open?
Shadow Lake Lodge is only open from late January until the third week of March depending on the year. It reopens again in late June for the summer.
Rates were $580.00 – $700.00 per cabin per night based on double occupancy in the winter. Summer rates are slightly more expensive. The rate includes accommodation and all meals. In 2025 they are considerably less, but now you’ll need to pack in food and a sleeping bag.
For more information on Shadow Lake Lodge visit their website.
Location map of Shadow Lake Lodge in relation to Banff
Further reading on lodges that are great winter destinations
- Cozy Log Cabins in Banff National Park to Visit
- A Stay at Storm Mountain Lodge in Banff National Park
- A Trip to Stokely Creek Lodge for Cross-country Skiing
- A Winter Visit to Skoki Lodge in Banff National Park
- A Winter Weekend at Lake O’Hara Lodge in BC
- The Glamping Experience at Mount Engadine Lodge
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