In December 2025, Calgary experienced typical winter conditions, featuring a day or two of good snowfall and extremely cold temperatures. However, the first two weeks of January brought an unexpected milder winter to the area. During a 120 km drive from Calgary to Banff, the scenery resembled the Prairies in autumn. The temperature remained around 11 °C for most of the drive, making it feel more like an autumn day than mid-winter.
Mount Rundle from Vermillion Lakes, January 16, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
As I continued my drive to Lake Louise, I began to notice a stark contrast in the amount of snow. The Lake Louise parking lot was full of cars, and the roofs of the small buildings I passed on my walk to the lake were covered in snow. Visitors were enjoying sleigh rides around the lake, and creative snow sculptures decorated the lakefront in front of the grand Château Frontenac. Before heading back to Banff, I visited the Lake Louise ski resort, where skiers were thrilled by the groomed slopes, having received hundreds of centimetres of snow in recent weeks.
Snowpacked information booth at Lake Louise, January 14, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Visitors on Lake Louise, January 14, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Visitors enjoying the mountain scenery around Lake Louise, January 14, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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The historic five-star luxurious Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, January 14, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Snow-packed historic cottage at Lake Louise, January 14, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Sleigh rides, a classic winter experience around Lake Louise, January 14, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant/ Simergphotos.
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One of several snow sculptures on Lake Louise, January 14, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Skiers at Lake Louise Ski Resort, January 14, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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A view of Castle Mountain, midway between Banff and Lake Louise, taken from the ramp exit for Hwy 93 (to Kootenay National Park) and the Bow Valley Parkway, January 14, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
On the following day, I made an early start and headed straight to Lake Minnewanka. Last year, around the same time, I had walked about a kilometre out onto the lake to marvel at the ice bubbles. This time, however, the lake appeared summer-like, with no signs of ice or freezing. The banks along Minnewanka Loop Drive had very little snow. Johnson and Two Jack Lake along the loop were frozen, but they are much shallower than Lake Minnewanka. I was concerned about visitors casually walking and even playing ice hockey in the middle of Two Jack Lake, as the ice did not appear to be very thick.
A view of Cascade Ponds and the mountains from one of several boardwalks that run through the Cascade Ponds day use area, Banff, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Adirondack (Muskoka) chairs at the popular Cascade Ponds day use area, located at the start of the Minnewanka Loop Drive, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Lake Minnewanka, Banff National Park, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Another view of Lake Minnewanka illustrating the mild winter temperatures in Banff, January 15, 2026. See the next photo for the scene in January 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Contrast this photo of the frozen Lake Minnewanka from January 29, 2025, with the previous two photos taken this year on January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Practicing long ice hockey shots on Two Jack Lake, Minnewanka Loop Drive, Banff National Park, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Visitors relax on Adirondack (Muskoka) Chairs while their dog wanders through the Two Jack Lake, Minnewanka Loop Drive, Banff National Park, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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A trio of Bighorn sheep on the Minnewanka Loop Drive, Banff National Park, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Johnson Lake, Minnewanka Loop Drive, Banff National Park, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Close-up, Mountain scenery from Johnson Lake, Minnewanka Loop Drive, Banff National Park, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Close-up, Mountain scenery from Johnson Lake, Minnewanka Loop Drive, Banff National Park, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Mountain scenery from the popular Bow River Trail in Banff, which stretches for more than 1 kilometre from the town of Banff to Bow Falls, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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A view of Cascade Mountain from Lynx Street, Banff, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Water fights its way through the frozen Bow Falls, Banff, January 16, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Mountain scenery from Bow Falls, Banff, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Visitors enjoy beautiful mountain scenery at Bow Falls, Banff, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Big Horn Sheep at Norquay Lookout Point, Banff, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Big Horn Sheep, from the previous photo, runs down a slope at Norquay Lookout Point, Banff, January 15, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Rundle Mountain from Vermillion Lakes, Banff, January 16, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant
An unstoppable place for me has always been Vermilion Lakes. Photographers flock to the lake to capture Rundle Mountain. As I drove through it, my eyes caught sight of a beautiful bald eagle perched on a bare tree. It waited for me, and I managed to take a distant photograph. It flew to another nearby tree. I quietly walked to it and took a close-up before it spread its huge wings and flew to the opposite side of the lake. What a way to cap a trip to Banff!
Now, I await the arrival of spring, which brings a totally new landscape to the gorgeous Rocky Mountains of Banff National Park.
Bald Eagle from a distant, Vermillion Lakes, Banff, January 16, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
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Bald Eagle pictured from beneath a tree at Vermillion Lakes, Banff, January 16, 2026. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Simergphotos.
Date posted: January 18, 2026. Last updated: January 19, 2026 (more photos added).
Lovely, thanks for sharing!