There is no denying that both Copper Mountain and Lake Louise are on the ‘must visit’ list for skiers and riders across North America, and if these 2 amazing resorts have made your shortlist for this year’s ski vacation, the following information should help you decide which of the two ski areas will suit your requirements best.
GATEWAY CITIES
If your visit to either of these ski resorts involves a flight, your first destination will be either Denver Colorado (for Copper Mountain), or Calgary Alberta (for Lake Louise). These 2 cities are actually quite similar in that they are both relatively young and prosperous cities within easy reach of the Rocky Mountains. When en route to the Canadian Rockies it is entirely possible to travel directly from Calgary Airport to Lake Louise without having to overnight in Calgary, however if you arrive late in the day, or if you would like to visit the city, there are many downtown Calgary hotels which would provide a comfortable stopover while at the same time being well located for some of Calgary’s most popular tourist attractions. There are also several cheap motels in Calgary, many of which are located in Motel Village in the north west of the city.
Similarly, flying into Denver you could simply bypass the city and travel directly to Copper Mountain, but if you would like to spend some time in Mile High City, there is a wide range of places to stay and things to do while you are there.
ACOMMODATION
Lake Louise has a small but sufficient selection of lodging, and although there are no Lake Louise hotels located directly at the ski hill, there is a reasonable range of places to stay within a short (5 to 10 mins) ski bus ride. Accommodation ranges from 5 star luxury hotels to moderately priced inns and lodges, including some hotels with kitchens. There are also some charming cabins in Lake Louise, some of which are open during the ski season.
Copper Mountain has a good selection of lodging conveniently located within a few minutes walk of the ski lifts, in the Village at Copper, East Village or Union Creek. Although there are hotel rooms available, much of the available accommodation is condo-style with kitchenettes or full kitchens, ranging in size from studios to 5 bedroom condos, ideal for families and larger groups.
THE SKIING
The ski area at Copper Mountain boasts 2465 acres of skiable terrain, 126 marked trails and 22 ski lifts. Although Lake Louise ski resort has just 9 lifts, the ski area is much larger than Copper, with 4200 acres and 139 trails. Both ski resorts have a similar percentage of beginner terrain, however with 54% advanced/expert terrain Copper Mountain has more to offer the advanced skier and rider, while Lake Louise has a larger proportion of its terrain (45%) dedicated to intermediates. The top of the mountain at Lake Louise stands at 2637m and the summit at Copper Mountain is over a vertical kilometer higher at 3767m, yet the vertical drop at Lake Louise is larger, at 991m compared to 793m at Copper.
Both resorts get plenty of the all important white stuff with Copper boasting an annual snowfall of 710cm and Lake Louise 480cm, allowing both resorts to have an impressively long season stretching from early November to late April/early May.
OTHER RESORTS NEARBY
From a skier’s or snowboarder’s point of view, both Copper Mountain and Lake Louise have an excellent location close to other world class ski resorts, with Copper being within easy reach of Vail, Keystone and Breckenridge, and Lake Louise being an easy day trip from Sunshine Village, Norquay, Kicking Horse and Panorama.