What to pack for Banff and Lake Louise in February

Lows around 0°F. Goes under the shell when the wind picks up.

Highs below freezing. A puffy alone won't do it.

Wear one, dry one. Cotton stays wet all week here.

Lows reach 0°F and wind chill makes exposed skin burn fast.

Bare fingers go numb in minutes at this altitude and temperature.

Snow covers the terrain and ice forms under packed powder.

Snow reflects UV rays upward and bounces them back at your eyes.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

Slips on ice and falls into snow happen on every hike.

Ten hours of daylight means the battery drains fast on cameras.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Dark by 6:55pm. Every campsite chore after that is a two-hands job.

Overhead bins fill fast on flights to mountain resort towns.

Day hikes from the lodge need a pack for layers and water.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.

Snow melts on your gloves and refreezes into ice blocks.

For the mornings and the nights.

Wind funnels down from the peaks and freezes any exposed neck skin.

Wet feet in 0°F cold leads to frostbite within hours.

Tap water is safe but bottles freeze solid on the trail.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

International travel and mountain terrain make bag tracking worthwhile.

Checked luggage holds the winter gear that won't fit overhead.

Organizing clothes by temperature layer keeps you from repacking each morning.

Rolling luggage works on airport floors but not on snowy lodge steps.

Humidity hits 80 percent and damp clothes breed mold in bags.

Lows around 0°F. One blanket that packs small covers the car, the campsite and the beach at sunset.

Steep mountain slopes and deep snow require poles to stay upright.

Deep snow spills into boot tops and melts against warm skin.

Altitude and snow glare burn lips raw in just a few hours.

Mountain roads twist sharply and altitude hits some people hard.

Ten rain days mean wet hands and shared surfaces stay damp.

Cold batteries die quickly and you'll swap them multiple times daily.

Crossing into Canada requires proof of identity at every border crossing.

Luggage moves through international airports and checked bags need locking.

Winter gear takes up triple the space of summer clothes.

Moisture from snow and steam collects on all toiletries.

February lows drop to 0°F and hand warmers last for hours.

Standing still on a frozen lake or summit drains foot heat fast.