A sought-after dog-sitter, violinist and smiling fiend, Lauren is the Administration and Guest Services Manager of Shadow Lake Lodge. How lucky she feels to call the Canadian Rockies her home! Lauren wants to live in a world where hiking trails are just out the back door, watermelon can be delivered by post, love letters are enduringly fearless, and music is plentiful & loud enough to get the neighbours joining in. You can find Lauren on the other end of SLL operations in Canmore at the ACC clubhouse. She loves making new friends so if you see her in town or on the SLL trails say hello!

Our on site Lodge Manager dynamic duo, Alex and Nessa (the pup) are excited to welcome you into the luxurious side of backcountry adventure! Alex has worked all over the world in Hospitality, but has called Banff home for the past decade. Nessa works at the lodge as Head Greeter, and is also an expert in trail exploration and lunch snacks. Outside of lodge duties, they are usually found out on the trails or lounging in the sun with a guitar or a good book. We can't wait to share our beautiful backyard with you!

Although he has an extension career primarily in engineering/academics, Mitch's heart has always been one with the mountains, so it makes sense he's become such a crucial role to our operations. He splits his time between facilitating successful flydays on the ground getting our food and resources in safely, to acting as relief lodge manager & welcoming all our amazing guests.

Passionate about food on the plate and food in the belly, Ryan de Alwis gravitates towards the challenges of cooking in the remote backcountry. He has travelled the world cooking at international yoga retreats in Greece, a remote big game hunting lodge in Northern B.C., and backcountry lodges throughout Canada. His culinary identity is rooted in the whimsy of “Elevated Comfort” and he uses food as a form of expression.

When Ryan isn't cooking he enjoys exploring food culture, making hot sauce, visual art, live music, playing slo-pitch and writing. He hopes to fuse his passion for writing and food in the form of a memoir/cookbook, weaving storytelling, recipes and an intimate look behind the logistics of food, especially in the backcountry.

For a young outdoorsman stuck in university textbooks the majority of the year, the mountains are the best place to call home for the summer. A day in the mountains, even a rainy one is always better than reading about finance. When not in school, Finn enjoys being out in the mountains with friends whether that’s skiing, biking, climbing or hiking.

Finn is drawn to backcountry cooking due to its unique challenges and breadth of creativity, allowing one to express themselves through food like nowhere else. He also loves nothing more than the smell of fresh bread in the morning cutting through the crisp mountain air, a great way to start one's day!

Nadia grew up right down the road from Shadow Lake Lodge in Canmore. Growing up in Canmore she developed a love for the outdoors and all the possible activities including hiking, climbing, backcountry skiing, mountain biking and more. She is currently a student at the University of Victoria studying geography and environmental studies but is excited to be back home in the mountains this summer. Nadia is excited to have the opportunity to share Shadow Lake with everyone up at the lodge. Happy Hiking!

Originally from Belgium, Olivia moved to Canada from the UK in November 2022 in order to pursue skiing, hiking and all things outdoorsy. As an archaeology graduate, Olivia loves learning new things about the people and places around her, and is excited to spend the summer living and working in the Canadian backcountry!

A Service Team Member and lifelong adventure enthusiast, Niko is a strong believer in the “work hard, play hard” motto. Proud to be from the incredible Rockies, he’s passionate about sharing the infinite fresh air of the outdoors with other nature-romantics. From the rainforests and beaches of the West Coast to the mountains and lakes closer to home, you can find Niko camping, hiking and biking trails, and always having a good time. He’s looking forward to meeting all of you at Shadow Lake Lodge this Summer!