Skating on Lake Louise in Canada? What about Vancouver or Seattle Rinks?

[AW1]

Just curious - we're travelling to Canada for a White Christmas. The ski resort we're staying at has an outdoor ice rink, which I assume will be small.

Some people I was talking to said you cannot go to Canada and NOT skate on Lake Louise - but is it really that great that we need to do a side trip to go skate there? What is so fantastic about it?

So far we've only been given 1 piece of advice about skating outdoors. Don't wear your good skates, use rentals because the blades get hacked on the outdoor rinks.

Otherwise, we will be in Vancouver for a few days, as well as Seattle in the US, so are there any good indoor rinks there we can go to? I'm sure my daughter will be itching to skate, as will my brother (and hopefully me providing my knee is better by then).

Thanks in advance!

[Award]

So far we've only been given 1 piece of advice about skating outdoors. Don't wear your good skates, use rentals because the blades get hacked on the outdoor rinks.

It depends on which outdoor rink you go to. If it's very crowded, then definitely your skates might come out worse off. If it's a very large rink, like the 5 acre rink at Keystone (colorado), you probably won't have anybody skating near you for 50 metres around you.

And this is just a part of that rink only...

http://www.ripleysadventures.com/photos/fs_dcoky3.jpg

This rink is usually flat and nicely zambonied, but you still need to inspect your part of the turf for cracks. Big cracks. And, with outdoor rinks, small bits of sand and grit can get blown by the winds onto the ice, so blades can get dulled faster than on nicely maintained indoor rink.

In canada/vancouver, not sure how big their rinks are over there. Probably can bring your skates, but get ready to rent things like lockers if you don't want to use them.

[doubletoe]

I've been to two rinks in the Seattle area. I recently went to Kingsgate Ice Arena in north Kirkland and the freestyle session I went to was practically empty. Nice ice, too.
Here's info. on the rink: http://www.kingsgateskatingclub.org/

The other one I've been to is Highland Ice Arena on Aurora Ave. in North Seattle. I haven't been there in a long time so I can't really tell you anything about freestyle sessions, but here's their website:
http://www.highlandice.com/default.htm

[AW1]

thanks for the replies!

[dooobedooo]

If you make the trip from Vancouver, you might be better off staying overnight (pre-book accommodation) - or ask your resort if they run coach trips to Banff/Lake Louise. Lake Louise is huge and very scenic, and the ice freezes very thick. Then it snows on top of the ice (so you would be better walking on it in snowboots). Then they zamboni a small area near the hotel, and lay out hockey goals. The zambonied ice quickly goes frosted and crusty, and may have leaves and twigs on it. They also make ice sculptures. The skiing is fab ... fab .... fab, but there isn't actually that much "figure-skating" - almost nobody was skating when I was there. But it is especially beautiful, to skate outdoors in the early evening, as the sun goes down and the lights come on.

Sorry, but I don't know anything about Vancouver or Seattle.

[BatikatII]

We went to Canada a few years ago and took our skates (flew from UK) expressly to skate on the outdoor rink at Chateau Lake Louise. We splashed out and took a room there (after having been skiing based at Banff for 4 days).
It was fabulous.

The rink was in front of the chateau and was quite large and reasonably smooth as they had a mini zamboni type thing to keep it nice. In the middle was a huge ice castle - big enough to skate inside it. There was also hot chocolate available and a huge fire burning at one side of the rink to warm yourself by. I wouldn't have worn rental skates as I wouldnt' have been able to do anything in them but did find the blades on my skates a bit blunted more by the fact you have to walk through a bit of snow and rough ice to get to the smooth bits from the benches where you put your skates on, than from the rink itself. We skated a few times and sometimes there was only us on it! Absolutely spectacular in the sunshine and in the evening. There were a few bits that looked a bit cracked but we figured if the zam thing didn't fall through then we werent likely too! There were no hockey goals on the main rink but think I remember there was a smaller oval that could be used for hockey - without the masssive ice castle in the middle!:lol: The lake is surrounded by snowy mountains so skating around the ice castle with that magnificent backdrop and the chateau behind you was amazing. It woudl get my vote as the best outdoor rink ever and you daughter would love the ice castle.

Compared to prices for hotels in the UK we didn't even thinkthe chateau was that expensive to stay in and we had a mega suite type thing on the top floor overlooking the lake with a sofa bed for the kids round a corner and a huge sitting area. Fantastic.

If I could find one of the pics I'd post it (if I can work out how)

We also walked right across the lake and you can take a horse drawn sleigh ride around the edge on a path.

[the old gurl]

Which resort are you staying at? The Chateau at Lake Louise is only 10 minutes (if that) from the Lake Louise ski hill. If you're staying at Sunshine, that's closer to a half hour from Lake Louise.

Definitely don't use your 'good' figure skates to skate on outdoor rinks -- there's no guarantee that your blades won't get knicked some when on outdoor ice.

As for what's so special about it? Well, here are some pictures (http://images.google.com/images?um=1&tab=wi&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&q=%22Lake+Louise%22+winter+skating) to look at. I haven't skating on the lake, but I have walked out on the ice in early April, and the pictures just don't do justice to the majesty of the view, both of the glacier and surrounding mountains, but also back towards the Chateau itself. There are also trails that go on the west side of the lake where you can walk for a good ways and take some spectacular photos.

Go skate on the lake -- you won't regret it!

[BatikatII]

Here are some pictures from our visit. Some years ago (5 or 6 years maybe) now but I guess it's pretty similar these days.



hope this link works
http://aolpictures.aol.co.uk/galleries/gailtudor/

[saras]

and I skated on their outdoor rink - hands down, it is my favorite skating memory. I used my regular figure skates and while they needed a sharpening when I got back I was never in fear of them getting majorly ruined. They groom their rink - with a zamboni type thing that has big "sweeper" brooms on it - so it's not as smooth as indoor ice but it was perfectly skatable - I did moves (I believe I was working on novice at the time) and spins and jumps (singles). Doing a layback with mountains rising up on all sides is a pretty spectactular experience. (So is doing them at Rockerfellar in NYC with skyscrapers all around...). I skated early in the morning, midday, and at night - and rarely had anyone else on the ice.

They had a large main rink and a smaller hockey rink at the back - separated by a bank of snow/ice. I'm sure folks played pickup games there (I believe I heard that the hotel staff had a team or two organized and they played at lunch), but never when I was skating.

I'd highly recommend skating outdoors in the Canadian Rockies ;)

[Raye]

In the Vancouver area it often does not get cold enough long enough to have outdoor rinks. The skating rink in Whistler is a beautiful facility with one wall all in glass to let in the natural light and you have a magnificent view of all the surrounding snow-covered mountains while you are skating. Not quite outdoors - but a great place to skate. There's public sessions for a couple of hours every afternoon that are not overly crowded. Whistler is a one hour and fourty minute drive from Vancouver and there's lots to do that would make it a great day-trip to take while you are here.

If I ever get the chance to skate on Lake Louise - I'd do it!!!

[AW1]

thanks everyone (especially BatikatII for the awesome pictures!!)

the old gurl we're not actually staying at Lake Louise.

We'll be spending a few days in Vancouver, then going to Big White in BC, then down to Seattle WA for a few days.

This is why we're trying to decide whether to add on an extra side-trip to go to Lake Louise.

Any ice rink in Seattle or Vancouver is okay for us - that doesn't need to be outdoors.

[Raye]

I know of several rinks with adult sessions in the Greater Vancouver Area. There are a few of us forumites that skate in Vancouver and wouldn't a meet-up be great while you are here? Let me know your dates closer to when you will be in the neighbourhood and maybe something can be set up.

[AW1]

I know of several rinks with adult sessions in the Greater Vancouver Area. There are a few of us forumites that skate in Vancouver and wouldn't a meet-up be great while you are here? Let me know your dates closer to when you will be in the neighbourhood and maybe something can be set up.

I would surely love that, but would they let my daughter skate at an adult session? If not I'd have to give it a miss, because I wouldn't be able to get out without her and she would be most upset if we skated and she couldn't.

We'll be in Vancouver just after new year. I think we leave on 6th January.

[Raye]

How old is the daughter? I sometimes skate on 'open' sessions with my nearly-nine year old granddaughter. The afternoon sessions at Whistler are public (any age) sessions, and some of the other rinks I skate at - the sessions are either open or adult/teen. Do you know where you will be staying?

[kayskate]

I'm drooling over the pics of the ice castle on the Lake Louise rink! I just have to go there. Thanks for sharing.

Kay

[Tennisany1]

There are lots and lots of indoor rinks in the Greater Vancouver Area where you and your daughter can skate. Here is a link to the recreation guide for North and West Vancouver http://www.northvanrec.com//article.asp?c=218 . It is mostly spring and summer stuff now but if you check in the fall you will see the complete skate schedule for the rinks on the North Shore.

Grouse Mountain also has an outdoor rink http://www.grousemountain.com/recreation.cfm which is free once your up the mountain (that's a bit costly.) There is great bus service from downtown so a car is not necessary.

If your daughter wants to practice her figure skating, many clubs offer buy-on rates for non members. She would be considered a junior and could skate on junior and / or open sessions. I would be careful about some of the open sessions because she is so young. If you're interested in one let me know and I'll check it out in advance for you. Here are some links to clubs that allow buy ons. Usually sessions are not full with exception of Sunset where you should check in advance.

http://www.sunsetskatingclub.com/index2.htm
http://www.burnabyfigureskatingclub.com/index.php
http://www.grandviewskatingclub.com/index.html
http://www.nswc.ca/
http://members.shaw.ca/kitsfsc/

Hope this helps!

[AW1]

thank you thank you thank you!

Tennisany1, I will check out the links and see how I go from there!

Raye, shes just turned 6, but quite a good little skater - you can see her skate in my signature links. At this stage we haven't decided where to stay if we go to Lake Louise, but for most of the trip we'll be at Big White, BC, and then a few days in Vancouver City - but I do want to take a trip to Cyclone Taylor's store if I can find it ;)