For the past few weeks, a new morning ritual has emerged in my day-to-day. Before I open my inbox, I sip my first coffee along with a little virtual shopping for gear. Sure, I have a closet full of insulated, waterproof, and merino wool options, but that’s not really the point. It’s more like another layer of anticipation. My go-to online stores in Quebec for all things ski and snowboard are Empire and Oberson. They never fail to have what I need, along with a few things I probably don’t need, but want.
While the routine of fall and the anticipation of spooky season settles in, those of us chasing a northern winter already have our heads in November. While a first glimpse of high-altitude white appeared in the Canadian Rockies in late August, the momentum truly locked in by late September. On September 29 at 7:38 a.m. MT, an automated weather station tracking at the upper reach of Lake Louise Ski Resort — 8,541 feet (2,603m) near the peak of Mt. Whitehorn — recorded a temperature of 28°F (-2°C) and a fresh 4-centimeter (2-inch) dusting of snow.
Atmospheric signs of winter have also appeared on the east coast. A cold front tracking through Quebec is currently bringing the potential for up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) of snow to the higher peaks of the Laurentian Mountains and the Gaspésie region. Vermont’s Stowe Mountain Resort reported its first white flakes on Mount Mansfield on October 5. With webcam proof stacking up across the continent, the crunch of leaves underfoot is a sensory placeholder for the smooth glide of a freshly waxed base on snow.
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An early-season dusting is not the only reason to shine the spotlight on Lake Louise this season. The resort is heavily focused on improving on-mountain traffic bottlenecks. Key updates to the Top of the World Chair will yield faster loading times and much-needed relief on windy ridge days. Meanwhile, the newly added trails like Grove Glade, Pikaboo, and Prunepicker act as effortless connective tissue — simplifying movement between the Back Bowls, Richardson’s Ridge, and the Larch area.
The late-September winter wake-up call in Alberta means the clock is ticking fast. Lake Louise is scheduled to spin its lifts for the first time this season on Friday, November 6, 2026, one calendar month away. The time is now to tune gear, map travel calendars, winterize rigs, and finally press purchase on a couple of new items in the shopping cart. Autumn may still hold the valleys, but up in the alpine, winter has officially made its presence known.
Let’s go!!!!
