SKIING THE WORLD WITH KEELY KELLEHER

Lake Louise: Experiencing the Canadian Rockies

By Keely Kelleher, 12-07-09

	Racing to my career best World Cup finish in Lake Louise last weekend.

This week I find myself nestled deep in the Canadian Rockies.  Lake Louise, Alberta kicks off the Women’s World Cup tour, boasting the fastest and coldest course on the World Cup circuit. The Lake Louise course is challenging and unforgiving. Today I broke the speed limit ripping down the course at 80mph.  That is faster than I usually drive…yet during my fast paced week of racing I always remember to go to my favorite spots.

Having raced here every December for the past decade I have to let you in on the best things about Lake Louise. First, eating fig bars and drinking hot chocolate at Laggan’s Bakery. After a cold, long, and intense day of competition I love indulging myself in a little treat or two. Since I am in a gravity sport the more I eat the faster I will get down the mountain, at least that’s my excuse. The locals I’ve met in the Laggan Bakery are always friendly and excited to talk about ski racing or skiing in Lake Louise.

My second hot spot is ice-skating the Lake Louise. The Chateau Lake Louise sits on the lake and its frozen piece of paradise has to be explored. Every year I’m here I skate around the ice or join a pick up hockey game.  Often a dogsled can be seen ripping around the paths that surround the lake.

Lake Louise is the essence of nature. You can see the wild in this place. Today I pondered getting lost in this wilderness. How could one survive mountains so ragged and beautifully dangerous?  They are so appealing. Understandably, that is why I am here, addicted to mountains and their unconquerable allure.

I find the easiest way for me to truly appreciate a mountain is by going as fast as I possibly can down it. Having that feeling when I am racing is like none other. The adrenaline is rushing, my heart is pounding and every bit of focus I have is directly in front of me. Cruising at speeds of 80mph, every inch of my brain and body has to be connected to my skis. A sudden slip in focus and I’m sent crashing down the hill. Think of it like being thrown out of a car going eighty. Luckily, I did not have any altercations this week with crashing. I did have a binding up the rear off a jump, slightly worried for my nether regions but fortuitously unscathed.

Keely’s Top Five: Reasons to love Lake Louise
1. The skiing.
2. The scenery.
3. Sightseeing around the Fairmount Chateau Lake Louise and meeting the “Director of Pet Relations at the Chateau.” Sunny is a yellow Labrador who guards the hotel with a cuddly and cute demeanor.
4. Spending time in Banff, only forty minutes from Lake Louise.
5. Watching Women’s Alpine skiing World Cup action (Dec. 4th-6th next year!).

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