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Just 25 Gorgeous Photos of Alberta in the Winter

12/23/2016 by Kristin Addis 21 Comments

The cold air hit me like a wave as I stepped out of the airport doors. The wind blew little wisps of white snow along the ground, and the super moon glowed in the crystal clear sky above me.

25 magical photos of Alberta, Canada in the winter | Winter Photos | Alberta Canada Travel | Banff National Park | mountains | lakes | Be My Travel Muse #Alberta #Wanderlust
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At first it’s a shock to the system stepping into -30 degree weather (-22 Fahrenheit). Your lungs feel tighter, your skin starts to tingle, and the hairs in your nose feel like they’re freezing. If you hang out long enough your eyelashes will be next, or your moustache, if you’ve got one.

I looked up at the sky and smiled. It’s ideal like this, because when it’s this cold, the crowds stay away, the ice in the air forms rainbows around the sun, and the sunrises are almost like those in the desert, appearing like a layer cake of purple, blue, and pink.

The locals said it was an uncharacteristically cold spell. They apologized (oh, Canadians!), for the cold weather.

But it was perfect, I said, because when it’s wintertime in the Rockies in Alberta, it looks like this:

Photos of Alberta in the winter
Taken from a bridge in town in Canmore

What is it about the winter in Alberta that’s so amazing? It might be these mountains — the three sisters — posing with the rising sun.

*Special thanks to the bridge for holding up such a nice frame of big, crystallized snowflakes.*

Photos of Alberta in the winter
Standing at Vermillion Lake in Banff (photo of me by InAFarawayLand)

Or this much-loved sunrise lake, frozen.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
The view of Banff from Mt. Norquay

Perhaps it’s in this gorgeous view of Banff from above, and those rays of sunlight.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
A little avalanche falls off a tree in Johnston Canyon

Or when the snow came to play in Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park, flying right off of tree branches and out of the sky, simultaneously.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
Ice climbers in Johnston Canyon

It could be the ice climbers making a playground of the icicles.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
A hidden spot just under the trail in Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park (Photo of me by InAFarawayLand)

Perhaps it’s little hidden places in a snowy Johnston canyon.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
The lower falls at Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park

Or the way that a partially frozen waterfall seems like popcorn icicles cuddling together.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
Lake Minnewanka

It could be the solitude of a lake that’s otherwise often packed, except for in the cold of winter.

(Photo is a selfie).

Photos of Alberta in the winter
Lake Minnewanka

But that’s when it turns white, and ices over, and makes these incredible patterns.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
At Paintbox Lodge in Canmore

The magic could lie in a room that looks like a Pinterest masterpiece, warming you from the outside in just by looking at it.

(This is The Paintbox lodge)

Photos of Alberta in the winter
A frozen river in Canmore

And just down the road, it’s the sunrise reflection on this frozen river in Canmore, a perfect looking glass for the three sisters.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
Taken in Canmore

 

Or when you find a crack in the ice, drawing a racing line in the snow.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
Snow Shoeing at Lake Louise Ski Resort

It’s in the novelty of the snow machines, operating since it was literally too cold to snow, causing steam at the Lake Louise ski resort.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
A frozen Lake Louise in Banff

And a little sliver of the famous Lake Louise still left unfrozen, and a guy in the red who was kind enough to make this photo a bit more interesting by braving a walk on the ice.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
-30 degrees on top of the mountain at the Lake Louise Ski Resort

It’s enchanting in this snow globe.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
On the Spray Lakes drive outside of Canmore

Where every few minutes you have to pull over and just stare on in astonishment.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
On the Spray Lakes drive outside of Canmore

At the dramatic Rockies, and the way the rising sun made them glow gold.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
Kananaskis Country

Or the super moon saying goodbye for the day right behind them.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
A gorgeous drive

It could be the way that the mountains seem to grow as you come closer, and rise up as you move farther away.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
Snow Shoeing in Kananaskis Country

And the way that the sun in that crystal clear sky shines through, unobstructed.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
Snow-shoeing to Chester Lake in Kananaskis country

And makes the ground sparkle.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
The delicious tea spread with cheeses and bison speck at at Mt. Engadine Lodge

It’s the tea spread that you look forward to that warms you right up.

(at Mt. Engadine Lodge)

Photos of Alberta in the winter
The cozy room at Mt. Engadine Lodge

This is the kind of place where I could snuggle up for days and days.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
Laying on a frozen Chester Lake in Kananaskis country

And find my inner six-year-old again.

Photos of Alberta in the winter
Near Chester Lake in Kananaskis Country

Yes, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes the Canadian Rockies in Alberta so magical.

Let’s just put it this way: You can now count me among the many Americans who are googling ‘how to move to Canada.’

*This post was brought to you in partnership with Travel Alberta and Banff & Lake Louise Tourism. Thoughts shared are genuine. Seriously, Canada rocks. 

Why should you visit Alberta in the winter and where should you go? What makes it so wonderful? Click to see why Alberta is so magical in the winter.
Why should you visit Alberta in the winter and where should you go? What makes it so wonderful? Click to see why Alberta is so magical in the winter.
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About Kristin Addis

Kristin Addis is the founder and CEO of Be My Travel Muse, a resource for female travelers all around the world since 2012. She's traveled solo to over 65 countries and has brought over 150 women on her all-female adventure tours from Botswana to the Alaskan tundra.

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Comments

  1. Kristin says

    12/23/2016 at 11:50 am

    I would love to visit BC next. I have heard amazing things. How is it in the fall?

    Reply
  2. Ijana Loss says

    12/23/2016 at 8:16 pm

    Oh my god I want to go there right now!!! I love love love the freezing cold and ice and snow and all that stuff and unfortunately live in Las Vegas, kind of the polar opposite of that 😛 I try and get a winter escape every year. Gotta start planning an Alberta one!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      12/25/2016 at 9:38 am

      Luckily this one isn’t too far. Thanks so much again for coming to the reader meet up. Was great to finally meet you!

      Reply
      • Ijana Loss says

        12/26/2016 at 5:50 pm

        Hey, you recognized my name! So great to meet you too, I’ve wanted to forever.

        Reply
  3. Ashley says

    12/25/2016 at 1:20 am

    Amazing photos! I’ve been to Alberta in the summer and it was beautiful, but it looks as though wintertime is even more picturesque.

    Reply
  4. Krishnendu Kes says

    12/28/2016 at 2:12 am

    Oh My God! So many eye-catching pictures. I cannot take my eyes off from these pictures I already looked at these pictures so many times and still want to see it again and again. I can’t wait to visit there. Thanks for posting these images.

    Reply
  5. Marlies says

    01/02/2017 at 10:09 am

    I love Canada! I did all of this in the summer but I want to see it in the winter one day though 🙂

    Reply
  6. Ryan says

    01/02/2017 at 11:23 am

    Alberta looks incredible! And nobody around! I need to add Canada to my destinations this year for places to go. And that lodge looked so so so cozy!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      01/02/2017 at 12:44 pm

      I really liked it. I could see myself spending a season there

      Reply
  7. luxurybackpacking | Emma says

    01/02/2017 at 12:52 pm

    I absolutely LOVE Alberta, both for skiing and for summer too! It is definitely in my top 3 for favourite most magical places in the world! These pictures are exactly why! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  8. Milton Garcia says

    01/11/2017 at 4:07 am

    You’re right, all of these photos are extremely gorgeous! I’m falling for Alberta, wanna go there!

    Reply
  9. Sophie Nadeau says

    01/13/2017 at 11:04 am

    Wow, all of these photos are just so pretty- and like, the view from your bedroom at the lodge is just unreal! I’d love to visit the West Coast of Canada one day!

    Reply
  10. Jan says

    04/08/2017 at 8:12 am

    I highly recommend that you visit the small towns of Rossland and Nelson, BC. I think you would really love it here.

    Reply
  11. Christina says

    05/25/2017 at 7:48 pm

    Nice photos! I live in Calgary so I get out to the mountains often, lots to explore there. So magical for those willing to brave the cold weather. Hopefully, you can make it back in summer too.

    Reply
  12. Pauline says

    06/21/2017 at 7:58 am

    I have been to Canada many times in the summer but this yearin December I am going to the Rockies on a tour, t is such a beautiful country.

    Reply
  13. Gene says

    07/09/2017 at 6:10 pm

    Kristin, what did you drive there in the winter? I rented a regular sedan (not all-wheel), and the winter drive from Banff to Jasper last year, although scenic, was too icy.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      07/11/2017 at 3:58 am

      I had an SUV and would definitely suggest something with at least all-wheel drive though 4-wheel is ideal.

      Reply
  14. Bria says

    08/05/2017 at 1:22 pm

    I saw in another post of yours that you took these photos with your Sony a6000 & I’m just curious what lens(es) you paired it with for these shots? Beautiful Photos!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      08/06/2017 at 6:53 pm

      This are almost all the wide angle.

      Reply
  15. Claire says

    08/23/2018 at 6:28 am

    What would it be like in feb please

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      08/23/2018 at 8:04 am

      Probably still like this!

      Reply

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