Snow tires – check.
All-wheel drive rental – check.
A boot full of snowboarding gear – absolutely.
Sense of adventure? Permanently packed.
Back in early 2023, Darryl and I swapped our Kiwi summer for one seriously snowy detour through Alberta and British Columbia. Over five days, we road-tripped across the Canadian Rockies, chasing powder at Banff, Lake Louise, and Revelstoke, soaking in hot springs, testing our ice-driving skills, and falling in love with more than one mountain town along the way.
Days One & Two: Banff – Sunshine (Literally and Figuratively)
We kicked off our trip with a half-day of snowboarding at Sunshine Village after arriving in Banff. The gondola took us up into the clouds, and the slopes were as scenic as they were leg-burning. Our snowboarding muscles needed some warming up—but there’s nothing like a bluebird afternoon to make you feel like a winter sports hero (even when you’re not).
So good, in fact, that we came back the next day for more. With slightly less jet lag and slightly stronger legs, we spent a second session cruising the runs and soaking up those Rockies views.
💡 Pro tip: Buy your lift passes in advance online—lesson learned after paying $50 more per person at the resort gate.
After all that carving, we rewarded ourselves with a long soak at the Banff Upper Hot Springs. $9 entry, 40°C mineral water, mountain views… it doesn’t get much better. Worth every pruny fingertip.
But the real surprise? Banff town itself.
It’s almost too cute—like someone built an alpine village from a Christmas movie set. Log cabin-style shops, twinkling lights, and mountains looming in every direction. We took a stroll through town after dinner, absolutely convinced it was well past bedtime. Turns out it was only 7pm, but something about the crisp air, quiet streets, and jet lag made it feel like midnight. It was calm, magical, and just the right amount of surreal.
Day Three: Lake Louise – Frozen Lakes and Mind-Blown Moments
On day three, we gave the snowboards a rest and took a day trip to Lake Louise—one of the most iconic winter landscapes in the country. The lake was completely frozen over and full of people just… walking on it. Playing hockey. Skating. Having a picnic. Totally normal.
We didn’t snowboard here—we just wandered, marvelled, took photos, and stood in disbelief that we were literally standing on a lake. No matter how many times we said it out loud, it didn’t feel less wild.
The surrounding peaks, icy trees, and crisp air made it one of the most visually stunning stops of the whole trip. Canada really does know how to do winter.
Days Four to Six: Revelstoke – Tree Runs, Grizzlies (Sort Of), and Powder Days
From Lake Louise, we headed west to Revelstoke, where we based ourselves for three days of snowboarding, soaking, and small-town magic. The drive in was stunning—windy alpine roads, forest tunnels, and the kind of scenery that makes you lean out the window even when it’s -5°C.
Revelstoke Mountain Resort seriously delivered. Darryl tackled the steep runs while I cruised the lower slopes—snowboarding solo and soaking up the magic from the gondola. What struck us both was just how different this kind of snowboarding felt. The slopes were carved through dense pine forest, with trees flanking nearly every run. It was a far cry from home—where we’re used to boarding on an exposed volcanic cone with barely a tree in sight.
There’s something quietly magical about gliding through a run bordered by snow-dusted trees. It felt more intimate, more storybook. The air was still, the snow was deep, and for a few hours each day, we forgot everything except the feeling of floating down the mountain.
We made sure to embrace the full après-ski experience too—sampling local Revy brews and working our way through the town’s finest comfort food. Let’s just say we may now hold the unofficial record for Most Poutine Consumed by a Couple in Three Days. Fries, cheese curds, gravy, repeat. No regrets.
And then there was Revelstoke town itself. Quaint, stunning, and completely charming. Picture heritage buildings, snow-topped roofs, tiny cafés lit up with fairy lights, and friendly locals who seem to know everyone by name. It didn’t take long to understand why so many Hallmark Christmas movies are filmed here—it really did feel like we were wandering through a film set. All it was missing was a snowball fight and a small-town holiday romance (though, to be fair, we brought our own).
We stayed with friends-of-friends (who quickly became actual friends), got a taste of Canadian home life, and yes—shared living space with a taxidermy grizzly bear. Casual. Classic Revelstoke.
By the end of our third day, it was clear: we weren’t done with this place. Revelstoke had cast its spell. Between the mountains, the town, and the people, we were already plotting a return trip—this time in It Zwibble, our 2021 VW Crafter we converted back home in New Zealand. A slow summer vanlife loop through British Columbia? Yes, please. Sunshine, hikes, lakes, and maybe fewer layers of thermals.
Final Leg: Highway Antics on the Way to Whistler
The last stretch of our journey took us from Revelstoke toward Whistler, winding through some of the most stunning scenery we’d seen so far. We drove through valleys, tackled icy switchbacks (which reminded us a lot of NZ mountain roads), and kept our eyes peeled for elk and moose (spoiler: no sightings, but plenty of hopeful yells).
As we rolled into Whistler with tired legs and big smiles, we knew this Rockies leg of the trip would go down as one of our favourites.
What’s Next?
Next up, we explore Whistler itself—more snowboarding, more scenic chaos, and more of the real-life travel moments you don’t always see on a postcard.
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Thanks for reading, and if you’ve got any questions about snowboarding the Canadian Rockies, drop them in the comments!
The Peterson Odyssey 