9 reasons the Rockies are way better in the winter

You can walk on the bottom of a river

Lots of the Rockies’ raging rivers slow down in the winter and even completely freeze over. At Maligne Canyon, you can walk around on the bottom of the deep canyon, which is normally filled to the brim with water in the spring and summer. Walk past towering frozen waterfalls and into ice caves.

The night skies are darker and last longer

Not only are winter nights longer, the skies in the winter are clearer. Crisp winter air is dryer than the more humid summer air that can disperse starlight and moonlight. Jasper National Park is a Dark Sky Preserve, which means artificial light pollution is restricted. Bundle up and head outside to enjoy the show.

Two words: hot springs

The hot springs run all year long but they’re extra-special in the winter when the air is chilly but the pools are so, so steamy. Try the Banff Upper Hot Springs in Banff.

Climb walls of ice

Descend like a White Walker on one of the parks’ many ice walls (no dragons, please). In the winter, mountainside waterfalls throughout the Rockies freeze over leaving towering walls of ice. What do you do with those? Climb ‘em. For more seasoned climbers, Weeping Wall is super close to HI Rampart Creek Wilderness Hostel and offers a bunch of different routes. There’s also lots of off-the-beaten-path climbing in Nordegg.

Top-notch skiing

Where there are mountains, there is good skiing, and Banff and Jasper have some of the world’s best. Ski the Big 3 in Banff at Sunshine Village, Lake Louise Ski Resort and Mount Norquay, or head up to Marmot Basin in Jasper.

Outdoor skating

Skating on an outdoor rink is one thing, but skating on an outdoor rink surrounded by some of the most iconic mountains in the world is tooootally different. Rent skates and go for a twirl on Lake Louise, and check out the ice sculptures during the Ice Magic Festival.

Way smaller crowds

So apparently word is out that Banff and Jasper are beautiful spots, and they’ve got the crowds to show it. But summer is by far the busy season, and the crowds start to thin out as the temperatures drop. So you can get the perfect snowy shot of Lake Louise without 45 heads in your way, and cruise up to the front of the Banff gondola line with ease.

Different wildlife

While the bears hunker down for a full-season hibernation, plenty of other wildlife stay out year-round and without bears around to scare them off, you’ll get a better chance of spotting them in the wintertime. Look out for moose, elk, wolves, bighorn sheep, but as always, keep a safe distance.

Christmas done fancy

Even if you don’t have the cash flow to splurge on spending the holidays at a Fairmont, you can still head to one of the three majestic hotels in the parks to see them decked out in their Christmas best. With the snow, the mountains, the lakes and rivers in the background and all the evergreens and ornaments, it can warm even the Scroogiest of hearts.