What to pack for Banff and Lake Louise in May

Lows around 28°F. Goes under the shell when the wind picks up.

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

The layer you'll wear more than any other.

Lows drop below freezing. A beanie stops heat loss from your head.

Wind at 12 km/h and 28°F lows mean exposed fingers go numb fast.

Snow lingers in May at 2126 m altitude. Boots rated below 28°F grip ice.

At 2126 m elevation, UV index 8.1 burns skin in under 15 minutes.

Fifteen hours of daylight reflects off snow at high altitude and causes eye strain.

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

Mountain terrain and snow mean twisted ankles and falls happen fast.

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

Overhead bins fill fast on routes to Banff. A 35-45L pack avoids checked bags.

Fifteen-hour days mean you carry water, layers, and a camera all at once.

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 and 11 rain days soak regular gloves. Waterproof insulated ones stay dry.

For the mornings and the nights.

Neck skin burns at UV 8.1 and freezes at 28°F without protection.

Wet socks and 28°F nights cause blisters and frostbite risk.

UV hits 8.1 here. Long sleeves beat reapplying sunscreen every hour.

High altitude and 15.6 hours of sun exposure demand shade for your face.

Tap water is safe. Altitude dehydration is real at 2126 m.

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.

Mountain terrain and remote trails make lost luggage harder to track down.

May snow and 11 rain days mean wet gear needs space in checked luggage.

Wet clothes from 11 rain days and snow stay separated with packing cubes.

International travel plus mountain weather gear fills a standard carry-on fast.

Eleven rain days in May means laundry every few days at the guesthouse.

Lows around 28°F. One blanket that packs small covers the car, the campsite and the beach at sunset.

Mountain terrain and lingering snow make footing uneven. Poles prevent falls and ankle twists.

Snow gets into boot tops on mountain terrain. Gaiters keep it out.

Altitude 2126 m plus UV 8.1 dries lips and causes cracks that bleed.

Winding mountain roads and 15.6 hours of daylight trigger nausea in some people.

Altitude and dry mountain air irritate hands and nasal passages throughout the day.

One outlet at the guesthouse. Short cables let you charge three devices at once.

You cross into Canada. A passport holder keeps documents dry in snow.

International travel to Canada requires TSA locks on checked bags.

Insulated boots and winter layers compress down to half their size.

Wet snow and rain for 11 days create damp gear that needs to dry without soaking the guesthouse floor.

28°F lows and wind chill make pockets feel thin. Hand warmers last hours.