In 1931 Swiss mountain guides and members of the Banff Ski Club decided to build western Canada’s first commercial ski lodge. With thousands of kilometres to choose from, they settled on a place called Skoki, selected for its scenic beauty, quality of snow, proximity to a creek, and safety from avalanches. Today, one of the oldest and highest backcountry lodges in Canada is an 11-kilometre hike from the groomed ski slopes of the Lake Louise Resort, and I’m feeling every step of it.
It’s my first time on cross-country skis, slipping and sliding forth with surprising ease. A strip of material under each ski, called the skin, grips the snow as I edge my way through pine forest, over frozen lakes, and across windy mountain passes. Every guest must ski, hike, or snowshoe in, unless you’re the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, in which case, Parks Canada will organize a helicopter. Skoki made headlines for attracting the newlywed William and Kate on their Canadian honeymoon. No electricity, no cellphone or internet coverage, no running water, no paparazzi — Skoki provided a rustic royal break from the media frenzy. It wasn’t the first royal connection, either: one of the lodge’s first guests was one Lady Jean, a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria, who visited Skoki with her travel-writer husband, Niall Rankin. While the Rankins used the outhouse like regular guests, William and Kate had a specially built bathroom constructed for their visit, which was hastily destroyed afterward, lest regular guests get any fancy ideas.
The Royal Throne
When the newly married Duke and Duchess of Cambridge needed time alone on their first royal visit to Canada, Skoki Lodge was the perfect fit: miles away from the paparazzi, relaxing, and in the bosom of the Rockies. Skoki’s staff worked with royal handlers to keep the destination mum and prepare it for the future king and queen of England (and Canada). This meant the no-running-water, no-electricity charm of Skoki would need a little polish.
A helicopter brought in a modern bathroom, complete with flush toilet, bathtub, and sink, painstakingly installed to the bemusement of long-time staff, who have always found other ways to make do. Everything went off splendidly, even if the royal stay was less than 24 hours. As for the bathroom, it was hastily demolished and cleared away. Since Skoki is a wonderful slice of rustic history, guests are directed to the outhouses, as perfectly serviceable a throne as any.
Skoki strives to be as authentic a backcountry experience today as it was in the 1930s. That means candles, blankets, and late-night stumbles to the outhouse during blizzards. It’s one of the best winter adventures in North America, with an emphasis on adventure. You’ll know this as you make your way up Deception Pass, a steep uphill that keeps going, and going, and going. By the time I arrive, covered in sweat and snow from too many downhill tumbles, the fireplace is surrounded by guests enjoying hot homemade soup. The lodge accommodates up to 22 guests, and we each feel we deserve our place on one of the sink-in couches. Among the guests are two Norwegians, a ski club from Manitoba, a couple returning for the ninth time from the Northwest Territories, a birthday party, and a couple on their second honeymoon (staying in the Honeymoon Cabin, of course). Will and Kate, who signed the guest book like everyone else, preferred the Riverside Cabin, close to the creek. I offload my gear in a cabin called Wolverine, named for the wolverine that got stuck in it and almost tore it to shreds. Although Skoki’s original builders took refuge in a special bear tree, the bears, cougars, and wolves that roam Banff National Park nowadays keep their distance. The most bothersome creatures appear to be pine martens, porcupines, and exhausted travel writers.
Skoki itself is the launch pad for hiking and skiing trails, which most guests explore on their second day. Two-night stays are typical, giving you just about enough time to recover from the 11-kilometre trek in order to do it all over again. Nobody can expect to lose much weight, however. The chef and staff somehow prepare gourmet meals, such as coconut-crusted Alaskan halibut, marinated tenderloin served with candied yams, avocado Caesar salad, and fresh home-made bread. That everything is packed in by snowmobile (horses in summer) and prepared using propane stoves makes it all the more impressive, and appreciated.
The discussion by the fire revolves mostly around Skoki’s beauty, history, and legacy. One couple sifts through the guest books until they find the last time they signed it, in 1974. Another guest plays the piano, helicoptered in sometime in the early 1980s. I read an old book about Western Canadian outlaws, play with Lucy and Bill (Skoki’s resident Jack Russells), and let the fresh air and exercise sink into my pores. On my final night, the moon is so full I can read without a headlamp. Miles away from anything, protected by a world of mountains, forest, and snow, Skoki is the perfect escape, for royals and the rest of us.
START HERE: canadianbucketlist.com/skoki