Temple Lodge is the mid-mountain hub of the Lake Louise Ski Resort’s Ptarmigan Valley, serving as the base for the Larch and Temple areas. Its history traces the evolution of winter recreation in Western Canada; from ski mountaineering to mechanised alpine skiing; within the constraints of Banff National Park and UNESCO World Heritage designations.

Origins and landscape. The Ptarmigan Valley was shaped by fires (mid-1700s, 1881 near Kicking Horse Pass, 1889 from the village) that cleared dense forest and created the open, gladed slopes that attracted early ski tourers. Thomas Wilson discovered Lake Louise in 1882 while searching for CPR construction equipment; by 1890 the CPR had built the original Chalet Lake Louise, establishing the rustic log precedent that would define Temple and Skoki Lodge.

Genesis: Ski Club of the Canadian Rockies (1926–1938). Cyril Paris and Cliff White explored the Ptarmigan and Skoki valleys with Swiss guides from the Canadian Pacific Railway. The Mount Temple View Chalet (1930) served as a staging point for Skoki-bound travelers. In 1932, Clifford White, J.A. Weiss, Russell H. Bennett, and A.L. Withers completed a 300-mile ski traverse from Jasper to Lake Louise over 20 days; underscoring the need for a shelter network. The Ski Club of the Canadian Rockies (SCCR), founded 1926, envisioned a “Canadian version of the skiing meccas of Europe” and planned a substantial structure in the Ptarmigan Valley.

Original Temple Lodge (1938). The original lodge was built in 1938 by the local Banff ski club and European enthusiasts, named for Mount Temple (3,544 m); the iconic peak first summited in 1894. It featured horizontal log construction, saddle-notched corners, and fieldstone chimneys in the rustic tradition of Canadian National Parks. The Halfway Hut (1931–32) was built as a transitional shelter between Temple and Skoki on the trail. Skiers arrived by train, were sleighed up the steep slopes by tractor, and earned their turns on Purple Bowl and Mount Whitehorn.

Watson era (1947–1960s). Sir Norman Watson acquired the SCCR assets in 1947. A British aircraft manufacturer and avid skier who had traveled the Swiss Alps, Watson dreamed of transplanting European alpine culture; famously including “cows and all” (curtailed by park regulations). He purchased the Lake Louise Ski Lodge (built 1942 by Jim Boyce), renaming it the Post Hotel in 1957 after Swiss “Post Hotels.” Watson operated the Post Hotel, Temple Lodge, and Skoki as an integrated network; the Post served as the trailhead for high-country lodges.

Mechanisation and corporate fragmentation (1952–1970). In 1952, the first mechanical lift; a “Model C Sweden Ski Tow” rope tow (~150–200 m, US$292.50); was installed behind Temple Lodge, shifting the focus from ski mountaineering to alpine skiing. A detachable Poma to Larch Hill followed in 1954. Meanwhile, a separate company developed the “frontside”: a VonRoll gondola (1957) from the Trans-Canada to Whitehorn Lodge bypassed the trek to Temple. The Eagle Poma (1960) allowed skiers to descend from the ridge to Temple. The two operations merged in 1970; the unified Lake Louise Ski Resort was designated in 1971.

1976 fire and 1978 rebuild. The original 1938 lodge burned to the ground in the summer of 1976; the same year the Summit Platter opened the Back Bowls. The loss was the last physical link to the 1930s mountaineering era on the backside. Rebuilt in 1978, the new lodge used timber-frame (post-and-beam) construction with traditional peg joints, built slightly downslope from the original site beside Corral Creek. Sawyer’s Nook; the upstairs table-service restaurant; honours the timber-frame builders with period photos and tools.

Charlie Locke era (1981–present). Charlie Locke purchased the resort in 1981. The Paradise triple chair (1982) dramatically improved Back Bowl access from Temple. The Friendly Giant and Top of the World detachables (1989) expanded capacity; a 1990 weld failure on the Friendly Giant led to grip replacements across Yan-equipped lifts. RCR fell into receivership in 2001; Locke returned in 2008 and implemented the Long Range Plan. The 2015 Site Guidelines traded development rights for major conservation gains: Purple and Wolverine Bowls were surrendered to Parks Canada for grizzly and wolverine habitat; one of the largest land-conservation victories in Canadian ski-area history.

Modern hub. Temple Lodge is a multi-purpose service centre: Temple Beach; the sheltered outdoor deck; becomes a spring-skiing focal point; the Temple Cantina serves tacos and beer; Temple Café features Starbucks and handmade pastries; Sawyer’s Nook offers quieter table service. The lodge remains one of the few places on the mountain without cell service. The Richardson’s Ridge ribbon-cutting (January 2026) was held at Sawyer’s Nook; a future surface lift from Temple to Richardson’s Ridge is planned.