Related: Ferreol Surfeur 112 Review (2025): A Playful Powder Shredder

Quick Specs

Playground: All-Mountain Powder Ski, Versatile Backcountry Ski
Length: 188 cm
Dimensions (tip-waist-tail): 137-105-126 mm
Turn Radius: 17 m
Weight per ski: 1820 g
Construction: Poplar Core, Titanal Mounting Plate, Fiberglass/Carbon Inlay
Bindings: Atomic Backland Summit 12 LSH
Binding Mount: Recommended Line
Climbing Skins: Pomoca Tour Pro

Construction

Ferreol also gave the construction a thoughtful update. An aluminum mounting plate adds underfoot rigidity for added strength and confidence when you’re carving at Mach 16. Replacing the full-length carbon layer is a 100-mm carbon strip, boosting durability while trimming down the ski’s carbon footprint compared to the previous version. Skiers will be relieved to see a rubber tail reinforcement with the ever-so-useful indentation onto which climbing skins clip. Needless to say, it’s a no-nonsense solution to the topsheet durability issue of the previous generation, specifically at the tail, observed by a few backcountry skiers. It seems like Ferreol is truly listening to its customer base.

Weight

At 1820 grams per ski, the Ferreol team updated an already lightweight all-mountain powder ski that can easily be hauled around in the backcountry. For how well its multi-layered construction can handle variable conditions, crud and chop, they have no doubt pulled a magic trick on us. The Pionnier 104 handles crud, chop and groomed runs as well as some heavier contenders such as the ever-popular Salomon QST 106 at 2190 grams per ski. Striking a thoughtful balance between weight and performance, the Pionnier is also a great option for slackcountry days where you’ll start your day in the backcountry and finish with a few inbound runs as the sun sets over the peaks.

In the backcountry, the Pionnier 104 2.0, mounted with the Atomic Backland Summit 12 pin bindings, made travel effortless. Sure, the Pionnier is no featherweight, but I prefer that. I’d rather have a supportive ski in the 1700-1850g than a 1500g noodle. Working as a ski guide in all sorts of conditions, I need my skis to handle everything the mountain will throw at me. The Ferreol Pionnier 104 2.0 will do just that.

Downhill Performance

While The Uptrack is mainly focused on ski touring, I’ve spent some time on the Pionnier 104 inbounds, shredding moguls and carving on groomers. One of my biggest gripes with lightweight skis is their erratic behaviour at speed when the tips start vibrating uncontrollably. The Pionnier’s updated construction solves that problem, making it quite damp on groomers. Its damp character, especially for its weight class, combined with the triple-point cambered shape, gave me that extra confidence to carve Super-G turns at supersonic speeds. Its 104mm-wide (105mm in the 188cm model) provided a rather snappy edge-to-edge transition for an all-mountain powder ski.

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In the glades and moguls, the skis, in 188cm length, were agile enough to weave through the terrain. Coming off the Ferreol Surfeur 112 (184cm), the brand’s de facto powder ski, the Pionnier offered an exhilarating, albeit very different experience. Since the ski has less tip and tail rocker, its longer effective edge and much stiffer tail offered greater stability at the expense of feeling a little more cumbersome in tight terrain features. At first, I found it considerably harder to locate the longitudinal sweet spot. I felt the tails were constantly catching in turns. After a few laps of trial and error, I figured out the correct position and had an absolute blast plowing through powder, refrozen moguls and hardpack. As much as we all dream of resort skiing in deep powder, that’s often far from reality. The Pionnier’s increased stability and control when compared to the Surfeur 112 was especially beneficial in variable conditions. This ski definitely requires an aggressive, dynamic stance where you really drive the shovels around. I suspect the shorter length models would allow for a more relaxed skiing style.

Ski Touring Performance

In deep untracked powder, the Ferreol Pionnier 104 2.0 offered a fine-tuned balance between weight, stability and float. Its 104mm-wide waist and large shovels provide plenty of floatation in boot-top to knee-deep powder. I haven’t tried it in snorkel-deep blower, but would most likely prefer the Surfeur 112 if that were the case. I’ve spent a few days on the Pionnier in untouched powder at Balu Pass (Rogers Pass) and in the RMR slackcountry. I was blown away by how well it handled the knee-deep powdery pitches followed by the icy, hardpack bobsleigh track at the valley’s exits. At the end of a tiring day of ski touring, it makes a huge difference. I’d rather avoid crashing on hardpack in the evening. In practice, backcountry skiing isn’t always all powder. Armed with the Pionnier 104 2.0, I’ve had the pleasure of effortlessly slicing through wind slabs and melt-freeze crust. The skis handled those difficult conditions brilliantly. I’ll do some more testing in Spring, but I could definitely see this ski shining on ski-mountaineering trips where conditions are often anything but powder.

On the uphill, the 188cm model is light enough to haul up the mountains. Kick-turn initiation is smooth enough, with the shovels naturally tilting up when needed. Breaking trail, the ski’s wide tip easily surfs on top of the snow, which thankfully spares your hip flexors on the uptrack.

The Brief Rundown

The talented team at Ferreol crafted a lively, confidence-inspiring ski that weaves through tight trees, charges when you ask it to, and adapts beautifully to a variety of snow conditions. Compared to the previous version, it’s got the same pioneer spirit, just sharper, stronger, and ready to chew up terrain.

You could go either way with this ski. Mount it with a downhill binding for a stable, agile tree-skiing machine or with a hybrid binding for maximum versatility on and off piste. Tooled with a lightweight pin binding, the Pionnier 104 2.0 will grant you access to any backcountry terrain with minimal compromise. If anything, I wish Ferreol would offer the ski in an intermediate length between 180 and 188cm. Personally, a 184cm model would be an absolute dream, granting a little more agility and a slightly snappier pivot.

The post Ferreol Pionnier 104 2.0 Review (2025): The Ultimate Quiver Killer appeared first on The Uptrack.

Related: The ACMG Ski Guide Certificate: What Does It Take?

What’s The ACMG Ski Guide Exam All About

For those wondering, the ski guide exam is a 9-day, hands-on assessment of a guide’s skills on snow. It is the final milestone in the ACMG ski guide certification. Think of it as an all-around, real-world exam. Small groups of 3 to 4 students take turns leading a rotating group of examiners through complex glaciated terrain. The routes selected often include technical alpine features like couloir skiing, rappels, and roped glacier travel, with the occasional foray into the trees.

Under the examiner’s watchful eye, each student rotates through the guide role by track-setting, assessing hazards, managing the group, and coaching everyone through challenging sections. Examiners may even allow mistakes to unfold to better understand a student’s decision-making and problem-solving skills, stepping in only when it truly matters.

Keep Your Head On A Swivel

As a ski guide, you’re constantly monitoring dangers, from avalanche hazards to hidden crevasses. It all boils down to minimizing your group’s exposure to hazards while managing the guests when the hazards can’t be avoided. That’s where backcountry experience in complex glaciated terrain, leading to sound decision-making, is critical. Without a doubt, the avalanche hazard is a major player. Ski guides will spend a considerable amount of time investigating the snowpack to accurately evaluate the avalanche hazard – whether that means sticking our head in the snow or ski cutting unsupported features.

In an exam setting or at work, you’re making hundreds of small decisions, almost every minute, from where you’ll ski down to how you’ll lower guests into a couloir and where you’ll take your snack breaks. All those decisions must work in tandem to complete the objective and deliver an unforgettable experience. Guides in training spend a considerable amount of time completing challenging ski tours to test their decision-making while facing hazardous conditions. Sometimes, you just have to get creative! We’ll “mock guide” our peers and perform a debrief after each day, offering constructive criticism.

The Art Of Track-Setting

On the ACMG ski guide exam, we’re expected to master the art of track-setting, otherwise known as uptracking. You didn’t hit that bench quite right – FAIL! Your uptrack is too steep – FAIL! You didn’t flatten the corners enough for your guests – FAIL! Jokes aside, setting an uptrack as perfectly through dense forest as in convoluted, alpine terrain is challenging. Fortunately, most apprentice guides have 2-3 years of ski touring work to practice those skills. It definitely gets harder when you’ve exclusively heli-skied during your apprenticeship.

Guides aim for an uptrack incline of 12-18 degrees, striking a balance between vertical gain and energy conservation throughout the day. It’s important to maintain a consistent angle across features while minimizing direction changes. I always tell myself: “Use all the real estate you can when setting a track”. Sometimes, it’s important to climb at an aggressive incline or speed up the ascent, such as when crossing crevasse bridges or to escape from sketchy overhead hazards. Like any other guiding skillset, it all comes down to good decision-making. Guides will spend many days purposefully uptracking through difficult terrain in hopes of mastering the art of track-setting.

Nail The Downhill Lines

Like most ski guides, we track uphill to ski downhill. I genuinely love the downhill component. It’s the reason why I spend 60-70% of my winter around helicopters. The ACMG ski guide exam will test your ability to guide your group on the descent in unfamiliar terrain. After all, you’re expected to navigate thoughtfully through zones you’ve never visited before, intending to deliver the best possible ski product. With experience, guides learn how to best manage their guests while avoiding objective hazards or reducing their group’s exposure.

There’s no substitute for hard-earned experience. I’ve been fortunate enough to land a dream heli-ski job early in my career. Heli-skiing allowed me to dial in my downhill guiding, often skiing 10 backcountry runs. Due to Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing’s massive tenure, I get to explore new terrain every day and downhill guide in a variety of weather and snow conditions.

Navigate Glaciers Like A Pro

Glacier travel is one of the core components of the ACMG ski guide exam. It takes years of experience to decode glaciers and understand what’s happening underneath the snow. An unroped crevasse fall is typically our biggest concern. With much practice, guides can determine the strength of a snow bridge based on outside temperature, bridge thickness and snow hardness – sticking our probes in the snow and feeling the resistance. It’s an essential skill when you’re travelling through an icefall.

As guides in training, we’ll spend days traversing icefields in a whiteout, testing our GPS and compass-based navigation skills when we can barely see the tip of our skis. Being able to decipher a sagging crevasse bridge in poor visibility is an acquired skill. Glacier navigation is complicated and inherently high-stakes. A mistake here and you might fall into a gaping hole.

Master The Ropes

Rigging skills are thoroughly tested on the ACMG ski guide exam. We’ll often lower our group into steep lines or belay a guest scrambling on a rocky ridge. Examiners dedicate a day to testing crevasse rescue techniques using various scenarios, including an unroped fall where the victim is unconscious and a rope ascent while passing knots.

I spent several days rehearsing rigging techniques, practicing knots while watching TV and running through diverse rescue scenarios with my peers. A few examples:

• An unroped fall with an unconscious victim
• Ascending a rope with knots
• Rappelling through knots
• Drop loop and z-pulley rescue systems
• Building bomber snow/ice anchors (T-slots & V-threads)

Ever Heard Of The “Backcountry Butler”

The often forgotten component of ski guiding is client care. Sure, when we think of ski guides, we immediately think of powder skiing through an untouched white canvas. What guides don’t tell you is that 50% of our job is about caring for our clients and optimizing their experience. Examiners will judge you on quality-of-life decisions like taking a break in a sheltered location or emphasizing sunscreen use. They’ll even evaluate your coaching skills when working through challenging sections. That’s part of the game, and how a guide gets a great tip at the end of a day!

You might have to teach your clients how to remove skins on a summit while the winds are howling. You might have to sprinkle some fresh snow on an overused uptrack to increase grip. All those small things contribute to the guest experience. At the ACMG, the bar is set high.

A Note On The Ridge Active Insulator

Premium outerwear designer Strafe was kind enough to send me their cutting-edge mid-layer, The Ridge Active Insulator Jacket, for testing. I’ve now taken it on a few ski tours, through old-growth forest, on huge glaciers and far into our backcountry playground. The Ridge Insulator is the perfect replacement for my old, raggedy mid-layer, which was falling apart at the seams. The fleece lining is not only comfortable, but also provides just the right amount of insulation for winter, high-output activities like ski touring or mountaineering. The insulation is strategically placed to maximize breathability. The jacket is also incredibly light, keeping only essential features such as a hood, wrist and waist elastic cinching and a few zippered pockets. The thin, yet durable, Pertex face fabric complements its low weight while granting it some water resistance when the snow starts flying. The Ridge Active Insulator is the only jacket I need for the ascent in mild to moderately cold temperatures. Since the synthetic insulation retains warmth when wet, I simply throw on my shell layer for the descent. The jacket just looks darn good, and the athletic fit is great for my slim, 6ft build in a size medium.

Features:

• Lightweight & air-permeable body mapped Pertex® Equilibrium NetPlus® & brrr° 4-way stretch fabrics
• Exposed body mapped PrimaLoft® Active Evolve insulation
• Fully lined integrated hood with elastic along the opening
• Zippered hand & chest pockets
• Mesh electronics sleeve inside right-hand pocket
• Elastic binding at sleeve cuffs, hood edge, & hem
• YKK® Vislon® & Regular Coil zippers
• Weight: 10.2oz/290g

The post The ACMG Ski Guide Exam: How I Trained For The Ultimate Test appeared first on The Uptrack.

Related: Burnt Knob, Revelstoke: The Perfect Macpherson Slidepaths

Report from January 7, 2026

On a foggy, cold January morning, Freddy and I rolled into the Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club parking lot. The dream: spend the day slashing powder turns down Fuzzy and Burnt Knob. We followed the Main Loop Trail, generally aiming for another very popular ski touring zone, the Macpherson Fingers. After 20 minutes of easy progress, we branched off the groomed trail on an unnamed skid road, traversing the east face of Mt Macpherson.

We marched up the skid road, carving a deep trail in more than 60cm of fresh powder. The hard work was only beginning. Thankfully, someone had already set a trail a few days ago, leaving a barely noticeable depression in the snow. Looking across the valley, the frosted slopes of Mt. Mackenzie (Revelstoke Mountain Resort) glistened in the sunlight as the rays pierced through the clouds. The valley fog was obscuring the town of Revelstoke. What a stunning sight!

After 3km along the gently graded ski road, we veered right and followed the south bank of Wells Creek. A narrow band of clearings led us through the dense forest into the old-growth above. At last, we could set a “guide’s” uptrack, minimizing direction changes and accelerating our uphill travel. Since we had received more than 60cm of snow in 48 hours, the uptrack looked more so like a trench than a trail.

We navigated up the big timber, utilizing natural features such as tree wells and flat-topped pillows to complete our switchbacks. Concerned about a persistent weak layer of hazardous surface hoar, we stayed away from the open, sheltered slopes right below Burnt Knob. They seemed like ideal surface hoar farms where the persistent slab problem would be found.

We continued up the forested slope to an obvious col delineating the two minor summits. We then headed north towards Fuzzy Knob, contouring past Wells Creek. While the ascent from the creek to the knob was quite short, the deep snow impeded our progress. We laughed at how ridiculous it was to break trail through the very deep snow. After much effort, we crested the hill and completed our transition at a relaxed pace, slowly recharging our exhausted batteries.

The descent was an absolute treat. We slid into the short, steep pitches right off the knob. At every turn, the unusually light snow was kissing our faces. Faceshot after faceshot, it was exhilarating. We made our way down the mature forest, effortlessly weaving through the sparse timber. Given the large quantity of new snow, we carefully planned our descent to maximize our falline skiing. Traversing was simply not an option in those deep powder conditions. At about 1050m, we traversed back to the upper end of the string of clearings we had initially ascended. Battling trenchy powder and nasty alders, punching that traverse wasn’t easy.

After such a wicked lap, we couldn’t just head home. The amazing snow conditions called for another lap, especially after spending much effort laying our uptrack. We slapped the rugs on and headed for Burnt Knob. There’s no denying it’s a step-up from our previous lap. The Burnt Knob descent takes you through two large slidepath and forces you down a convoluted system of gullies, pillows and steep, eroded slopes. Having assessed the avalanche conditions on our previous lap by ski cutting steep, unsupported features, Burnt Knob seemed like an acceptable risk at the time.

As expected, the descent from Burnt Knob was excellent. There’s nothing better than skiing a 500-meter slidepath filled with champagne powder. See the instragram reel below for a pretty good summary of the ski conditions.

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Route Info

4-5 h	1050m	13 km	650-1685 m

The post Fuzzy Knob, Revelstoke: Shredding Through The Big Timber appeared first on The Uptrack.

Related: Balu Pass, Rogers Pass: Old Faithful Ski Tour

Report from November 27, 2025

After two days of heavy rain to 2300m, Freddy and I figured now was a great time to kick-start our ski touring season at Rogers Pass. Fortunately, the tail end of the storm system brought 20cm of dense powder, burying the burly melt-freeze crust. With a forecasted warm spell settling in over the day, we hoped the warm snow would stick to the crust and cushion our turns. We planned on skiing a classic of the Connaught Valley, the Cheops North Bowl.

We followed the standard Connaught uptrack, aiming to gain Balu Pass. With the low elevation coverage, we stepped over rocks, roots and cautiously maneuvered over gaping streams. In the early season, it’s best to budget some extra time to navigate the valley bottoms. Surprisingly, the fresh rain crust helped shield our skis from the rocks on the trail. After two hours of continuous side-hilling, we gained Balu Pass and stumbled into old friends, Chris and Will, who happened to share the same objective.

We took a breather at the pass, snacking on granola bars and dehydrated mangoes – my all-time favourite in the backcountry. Looking south, we could see the Loop Brook, Asulkan and Illecillewaet Valleys in the distance. It got me excited about our upcoming winter and all the epic terrain at our fingertips. We mosied across Balu Pass, arriving at the foot of the Cheops West Ridge, the next leg of the ski tour.

As we climbed the broad shoulder, I probed for potential wind slabs and evaluated our snowpack. For a heavily wind-scoured feature, I was surprised to find more than 180cm of snow across the slope. Beyond, the alpine was caked in snow. The warm temperature and heavy snow had coated our mountains, filling in boulder holes, open creeks and eroded gullies. Despite the recent rain, that’s a great start for the 2025-2026 season. With Will expertly breaking trail at the front, we gained the distinct bench, marking the entrance of the Cheops North Bowl.

While the crew executed a quick transition, Will (being Will) pulled a beer out of his bag and crushed it on the spot. Not my style, but I can appreciate the effort to haul it up the hill. Will and Chris decided to ski Nicci’s Notch, an advanced line nearby. We dropped into the bowl, ski cutting the convex entrance to evaluate the wind slab’s reactivity. The warm snow offered smooth, groomer-like skiing, thankfully cushioning the crust below. While I wouldn’t call that powder skiing, it was as enjoyable as it was different from what we’re used to at Rogers Pass. The vast alpine terrain was looming overhead, making us feel very small in comparison.

As we approached the traverse under STS Couloir, we noticed a string of avalanche debris emerging from the steep couloir above. The debris had carved out the terrain, leaving great big gullies of tough ice. We carefully descended through the challenging section and raced down to the valley bottom once clear of the debris. In times of better stability and snow quality, I often ski the steep chutes directly below the bowl. They are often loaded by the downflow winds, blowing from the top of Balu Pass.

Route Info

7-8 h	1020m	11 km	1330-2250 m

The post Cheops North Bowl: Great Alpine Skiing Despite Thin Coverage appeared first on The Uptrack.

Related: Fuzzy Knob, Revelstoke: Shredding Through The Big Timber

Report from December 29, 2025

Paul and I parked at the Revelstoke Nordic Ski Lodge below Mt Macpherson for a cruisy lap down the Burnt Knob slidepaths, whichever would have the least track. Having last seen each other in the Fall, we casually walked along the Main Loop as we caught up on our busy lives. The staff at the RNSC made it easy for ski tourers to access the Macpherson NE slopes with clear signage showing the way. Within 20 minutes, we made it to the old skid road that traverses below the Fingers and, further, the two Burnt Knob slidepaths.

Arriving at the end of the skid road, made obvious by the dense jungle ahead, we began climbing more aggressively, following a series of small clearings adjacent to Wells Creek. With an existing uptrack carved in the lumpy terrain at a reasonable incline, our progress to the wide col between the two minor peaks, Burnt and Fuzzy Knob, was effortless. I reworked some of the trail, finding more efficient ways to contour through the alders and cedar forest. This reminded me how bushy the eastern Monashees can get, even with our unusually thick coverage for late December. Due to its low elevation, I typically won’t even attempt a ski tour at Mt Macpherson before January rolls around and the temperatures plummet.

As the fog lifted and the skies opened up, we reached the top of Burnt Knob. As we shovelled nuts in our hungry mouths, we scoped out the slope below. A convoluted system of gullies, wind drifts, and pillows split along a natural shoulder and led into the two beautiful slidepaths. Noticing most tracks leading into the skier’s right path (#1), we decided it was best to aim for the left one.

We also observed some noticeable wind effect along the top of the knob. As an exposed, prominent bump, this observation was no surprise after the variable winds overnight. Before starting the run, I cautiously ski cut the first steep pitch, grasping for a nearby tree. As expected, I triggered a small wind slab, 30cm thick.

With our avalanche control mission complete, we skied the top pitch, weaving through juvenile spruces and jumping off an endless stream of playful features carpeting the slope. This is typical Monashees skiing. We traversed to the skier’s left, lining ourselves up with the #2 slidepath below. The winds had compressed the snow, making the skiing challenging. While Paul, an expert snowboarder, had no problem staying afloat in the dense, creamy powder, I, on the other hand, kept having to shift my weight to the back of my skis in an effort to keep my tips up. Needless to say, the run was an absolute quad burner.

We spread our descent over three epic pitches. To my surprise, no one had skied the left path. This is awesome! Previous avalanches and meters after meters of snowfall had almost entirely covered the heinous alders. We skied nearly all the way to the old forestry trail. After a solid high five, we followed the undulating track down the skid road and back to Nordic ski club trails. What a day!

Route Info

5 h	1150 m	13 km	649-1765 m

The post Burnt Knob, Revelstoke: The Perfect Macpherson Slidepaths appeared first on The Uptrack.

Related: Montana Trees, Revelstoke: One Hella Deep December

Report from December 25, 2025

After Kaitlin and I took a brisk ride on the Stoke Chair, we arrived at the top of Revelstoke Mountain Resort, ready to go for a Christmas slackcountry mission. With no definite objective in mind, we headed south, aiming to ski an alpine line beyond the resort’s boundary. At the wind sock, I adhered my climbing skins to the Ferreol Surfeur 112 powder skis, surprised by the lack of crowds. I guess people would rather sleep in on Christmas Day!

Ferreol Surfeur 112 Ski Review

We ducked under the rope line and followed an existing uptrack contouring across the SW face of Mt Mackenzie. The views were spectacular. The sea of clouds hovering over the Columbia River to the west was lit up by the low December sun. Being so close to the winter equinox, the days are shorter, but the lighting is jaw-dropping. It was the first day we’d seen the sun in more than 3 weeks of a particularly snowy December.

We made our way towards Goat Peak, a prominent Thumb’s Up-looking mountain along the Mackenzie SE Shoulder. Battling various wind drifts and small Christmas Trees, we walked along the breezy ridge, keeping a safe distance from the large cornices above Highway Bowl to our left. Those cornices have caught experienced skiers by surprise in the past, resulting in injuries and difficult evacuations.

We pressed onwards towards the summit of Goat Peak. While you can easily traverse skier’s left through Montana trees to get to the bottom of Montana Bowl, we chose to extend our first lap with a south-facing descent from the summit into the bowl below. It’s a short detour that turns a traverse into a proper ski line. We transitioned a few meters below the peak to avoid a particularly wind-scoured section. With the clearer weather, we were granted panoramic views of Montana Peak and the surrounding area.

Ready for a ski, Kaitlin posted herself downhill of me for a photo opportunity, and I dropped in for my first descent of the day. With the high winds of the previous day, the surface snow on the upper section was wind-packed, offering a solid platform for making energetic turns. As we descended the slope, the snow quality improved into bottomless powder. We found our way through a series of wind lips, increasing our speed and confidence as we entered the large expanse of Montana Bowl.

At the bowl’s termination, we transitioned back into uphill mode, now ready for the ascent up the Montana Ridge leading up to its peak. We worked our way up the northern edge of the bowl, crossing below our fresh downhill tracks. The next section reminded me how technical this uptrack can be. With better avalanche stability, I typically track-set across the open west face. However, due to the considerable avalanche hazard in the alpine and treeline, we climbed conservatively along the ridge. Battling bushy trees, steep gullies and wind pillows, we eventually made it up Montana Peak with a scenic finish on the flat-topped feature.

With the winds whistling through our gear, we removed the climbing skins and buckled our ski boots. Lap #2 followed the distinct treed rib dividing the west from the southwest face. With the storm slab problem in mind, we opted for a supported line weaving through the sparse trees and opening up lower down Montana Bowl. Having been exposed to the recent winds, the cold snow was slightly pressed, but still skied great. 8/10 if I were to rate it. After all, backcountry skiing isn’t always about the snow quality – even for a powder snob such as me. It’s about the experience.

We continued our descent down Montana Bowl. Looking around, we felt quite small traversing underneath the boundless alpine slopes. After pushing past a flat frozen pond, we punched through the evergreens and skied down the southern-most lines of the Montana Trees area. We regrouped at the cul-de-sac where the Natural Selection Tour‘s Revelstoke chapter was held last March. We promptly made our way back to the resort, following the beginner-friendly Montana cat road.

Route Info

3 h	410 m	6 km	1860-2341 m

The post Montana Peak, Revelstoke: Big Mountain Lines For Christmas appeared first on The Uptrack.

Quick Specs

Playground: Resort Powder Ski, Powder-Oriented Backcountry Ski
Length: 184 cm
Dimensions (tip-waist-tail): 141-112-130 mm
Turn Radius: 17 m
Weight per ski: 1895 g
Construction: Poplar Core, Titanal/Flax/Carbon inlay
Bindings: Atomic Shift 13 MN
Binding Mount: Recommended Line
Climbing Skins: Contour Guide Pure 2.0

Construction

Sourced from sustainably managed forests located within 100 km of the factory, the Ferreol Surfeur 112 has a carefully crafted poplar core that comes from selective harvesting practices with a focus on forest regeneration. The result is a lightweight but strong and reliable ski. Ferreol added a Titanal mounting plate to increase underfoot stiffness, which results in great stability at speeds and edge hold on firm snow. Along its length, an optimized blend of flax and carbon fibres reinforces the ski, providing added stiffness while maintaining its low weight. In addition to the flax fibres, a biosourced epoxy resin and topsheet incorporate renewable materials, lowering the ski’s carbon footprint while offering exceptional durability.

Weight

While optimizing the carbon and flax fibre mapping within the Surfeur 112, Ferreol produced the perfect 50/50 ski. It’s equally happy hitting the resort slopes on a powder day or exploring our backcountry playground. On one hand, it’s on the lighter end of the resort ski spectrum. Fear not, its lightweight design can definitely hold its own in chop and crud. On the other hand, its 1895g (184cm model) is on the heavier end of the ski touring spectrum.

Mounted with a pin binding, the Surfeur 112 is tailored to ski tourers searching for a downhill-oriented option that can still be hauled up the mountain with a little extra effort. Personally, I prefer a slightly heavier ski that can offer added stability in variable conditions. Let’s be honest, backcountry skiing involves more than just blower powder. Oftentimes, you’ll encounter difficult snow conditions, especially closer to the valley bottom, something that’s easily handled by the Ferreol Surfeur 112.

Downhill Performance

The Surfeur 112 shines in soft snow on the resort or in the backcountry, especially when tree skiing. It’s an incredibly playful, intuitive, and maneuverable ski that can handle powder, tight trees and moguls with ease. Its light tip and softer tail make releasing or smearing turns as effortless as possible without getting thrown around too much when you don’t hit that bump perfectly. It has a progressive mounting point, 7-8cm behind the true center, which helps maintain its agility in tight terrain without compromising on flotation. There’s nothing better than slashing powder stashes all over the resort with the Surfeur 112. There’s no doubt – Ferreol has found an elegant solution to their “surfy” aspirations.

When the terrain opens up, it can keep its composure at speeds or in variable conditions. While it’s not a true charger compared to dedicated 2000+ grams resort straight-liners, the ski will happily rail groomers. Through chop and crud, it’s surprisingly damp and stable for its weight. Thankfully, the poplar core keeps the skiing lively enough. In any case, I’m not looking at a 112mm-underfoot powder ski for carving super-G turns on groomers, but it can handle its own to get to and from your favourite powder stash or if you’re looking for varied terrain after a half-day of powder skiing.

Ski Touring Performance

Having put a few backcountry days with the Surfeur 112 in a variety of conditions, I can confidently say this is my ideal powder touring ski. While there are lighter options on the market, none offer the same blend of agility in all snow conditions, stability at speeds and edge hold on firm snow. On a recent trip to Rogers Pass with more than 60cm of fresh snow, I had a blast surfing waist-deep powder, slashing turns on a whim, and navigating the early-season bush down in the valley. I cannot reinforce enough how well the Ferreol Surfeur 112 floats in the deep stuff, from 15cm of boot-top powder to 60cm of faceshot-friendly snow. It’s by far the most fun I’ve had in years – and that’s coming off the Atomic Backland 109, known for its flotation and playfulness.

On the uphill, the 184cm model pivots easily during kick-turns and stays afloat when breaking trail in deep snow. This is most likely due to its mounting point and weight balance. Since I had the ski mounted with the Atomic Shift 13 MN, the sheer weight and ergonomics of the binding did feel cumbersome after some time, but that’s totally an issue with binding choice. This is a compromise I made when selecting a ski that would work for resort, helicopter and slackcountry skiing. I’ve got no illusion. The Surfeur 112, mounted with a lightweight pin binding, would be my perfect touring partner at Rogers Pass.

The Brief Rundown

The Ferreol Surfeur 112 could be a great addition to your ski quiver. It’s an incredibly versatile ski that can be mounted with downhill, hybrid or pin bindings. Its playfulness truly whips the fun back into skiing, and its maneuverability helps tackle a range of conditions. It’s clear to me that the design emphasis is on powder skiing. It really comes alive when surfing on soft, untouched snow. This ski wants to be thrown sideways, hence the French naming “Surfeur”. While relatively damp and stable at speeds and in variable conditions for its weight, it’s no crud-busting resort charger. That’s an acceptable compromise for a ski that can handle the resort and backcountry alike. By all means, look elsewhere if you’re hunting for the best ski to race down a steep resort chute at Mach 1000 or climb 2000 vertical meters up Mt Baker in Spring.

Personally, I would also gladly mount a pin binding on the Surfeur 112 for a dedicated powder touring ski, perfectly suited for locations along the BC powder highway, such as Revelstoke and Rogers Pass. Mounted with a hybrid binding, the Surfeur 112 could be your 50/50 ski for hitting the resort slopes in the morning and ducking the rope into the backcountry in the afternoon. The ski essentially guarantees versatility with minimal compromise.

The post Ferreol Surfeur 112 Review (2025): A Playful Powder Shredder appeared first on The Uptrack.

Related: Kokanee Bowl, Radar Bowl: Unreal Lift-Accessed Ski Touring

Report from December 20, 2025

As Kaitlin and I took a bump up RMR’s Stoke Chair, we soon realized Montana Trees would be our perfect ski-date, my favourite kind of date. After unloading for the surprisingly quiet chair lift, as is expected of the resort before the Christmas break, we traversed towards the wind sock, the ever-recognizable orange fabric flapping in the moderate south winds. A few hundred meters south of the Stoke Chair, we transitioned for a frigid traverse below the Mt Mackenzie South Path. Given all the stormy action December has seen, visibility was naturally poor.

We contoured the terrain, spacing out as we traversed underneath the large SW-facing start zone. With the visibility further worsening, we felt our way along the Mackenzie South Shoulder, distinguishing Montana Trees to the west from Highway Bowl to the east. No more than 15 minutes later, we reached a vast treeline slope dotted with snow-glazed spruces. Stopping above the skier’s left of Montana Trees, where the glading is more open, we transitioned for the descent. I stabbed my Ferreol Surfeur 112 skis deep in the powder, afraid that the steady winds would blow them away.

We cautiously skied through the band of ghostly spruces and opened up the throttle in the vast treeline slope below. With its shallow incline incapable of producing avalanches, I felt perfectly comfortable party skiing it with Kaitlin in tow. After a quick regroup at the trim line marking the start of Montana Trees proper, we traversed towards a virgin hallway tucked between two denser tree bands. With temperatures plunging due to a developing Arctic outbreak, the snow quality was blower, 40cm of perfect champagne powder. As expected, the skiing was fabulous. Playing the Surfeur 112 to its strength, I was having way too much fun throwing the skis sideways, slashing powder into the air.

By the end of the Montana Trees run, the terrain benched out as we glided back to the Montana cat road, the easiest way to get back to inbounds RMR. Impressed by the top-notch skiing, we headed further south towards the Kokanee Ridge, hoping to ski another great lap. We slithered under the Natural Selection headwall, a nearly-vertical rock band where the freeride competition took place.

Following the disaffected cat road and a well-crafted uptrack, climbing Kokanee Ridge was a breeze. Wanting a shorter lap, we climbed up to 2100m and transitioned at the Natural Selection start gate.

We skied down Kokanee Ridge, passing many friendly faces as we raced down the cat road. We stopped at a notable notch leading into the Short Stop run. I tested the 40-degree treed slope by ski cutting the start zone. The snow was absolutely blower and showed no signs of reactivity. Fortunately, the band of trees cresting Kokanee Ridge had protected the terrain from the gale-force winds observed during the last storm cycle. We skied the run one-at-a-time, making sure we didn’t expose ourselves to the Natural Selection headwall to our skier’s right.

We high-fived at the bottom, now that we’re back in the safety of the Montana cat road. We stuck the rugs on our skis and toured back to the resort, traversing under the Jalapeno inbound run.

Route Info

2.5h	112m	3.2 km	1875-2180m

The post Montana Trees, Revelstoke: One Hella Deep December appeared first on The Uptrack.

Where’s Granite From?

Granite is actively being developed in one of Canada’s cherished mountain sports capitals, Squamish, BC. Software developers Esteban and Gabrielle are working tirelessly to improve Granite’s offering. It’s a pleasure to support a local initiative that focuses on building a strong community of outdoor enthusiasts. Here’s what they have to say:

Made in Squamish — We are climbers, skiers, and hikers building the platform we want for our own days in the mountains. Accurate maps, useful reports, and a community that keeps knowledge where it belongs, with the people who live it.

Why Granite?

Who’s tired of juggling multiple apps, all at once, to plan your outings? One app for satellite imagery, another for topo maps and a thick brick for route descriptions. It’s exhausting! In the past, I was jumping between Gaia GPS, FATMAP, Google Earth and CalTopo. Granite solved my problem by combining all this data into one app. They even partnered with Avalanche Canada to include their avalanche bulletins. It’s so darn convenient.

What About Their Features

From the outset, Granite was launched with a ton of exciting new features that work flawlessly. They’ve also been great to work with, keeping us posted on upcoming features. The founders are updating the app monthly. You can track their progress and vote on new features using their official roadmap.

Current Features:

• 3D offline maps, including summer and winter satellite basemaps, as well as topographic maps
• Advanced terrain overlays (avalanche Slope, aspect, flat terrain, ski lines, forest service road status, private and personal heatmap)
• Avalanche Canada bulletins
• Strava & Garmin integration (mountain stats, private activity history)
• Trip reports (mountain conditions, high-quality photos, clear route details)
• Digital guidebook published by Verified Experts (such as The Uptrack)

Explore The Granite Roadmap

In the coming months, they plan on expanding their winter satellite imagery and community content with active trip reports and trail conditions. They’ll be adding more features such as an advanced folder library to organize your routes, batch route import and weather layers. Honestly, I’m thrilled to see such a dedicated team working hard to make Granite the best 3D mapping app on the market! You can download the app on Google Play or the App Store (Apple).

What’s The Master Plan?

I’ll be duplicating the ski touring and mountaineering routes posted on The Uptrack, offering an abbreviated yet insightful version on Granite. The Revelstoke-based content will then be organized in regional collections (guidebooks) to accommodate Revelstoke’s expansive ski touring network. You’ll be able to browse a route on Granite, refer to it in the backcountry, and follow its link back to The Uptrack for the extensive trip report, including additional terrain photos and ski photography. To get you guys invested in the app, Granite is offering a 1-month free trial for visitors of The Uptrack.

Get Your 1-Month Free Trial On Granite

The post Granite X The Uptrack: A One-Stop-Shop Mapping App appeared first on The Uptrack.

Related: The Early Season Snowpack: How It Affects Your Winter

McCrae Peak

Best time to visit: Mid-October to early November

5-6 h	820 m	10.5 km	1770-2415 m

As far as early-season ski touring goes, the McCrae Peak zone is an all-time classic. Its main glacier, the McCrae glacier, offers an enjoyable yet short descent, with a challenging finish down a windy canyon. For added vertical, you can bootpack up the peak’s west face to its summit (2500m), granting you panoramic views of the surrounding Selkirk Mountains and the Monashees’ Gold Range across the Columbia Valley. Why is this such a popular early-season spot? On one hand, you’ll start your tour at an elevation of just under 1800m at the top of the McCrae forestry road. You essentially drive all the way up to the snowline, skipping the typically heinous valley bottom bushwhack. Since the McCrae FSR is part of the broader Akolkolex forestry road network, bring a VHF radio along to monitor the busy logging traffic. This is an active logging zone, requiring a 4×4 vehicle to access. Check out this post about safety on forest service roads in BC.

Related: McCrae Glacier: Season’s First Powder Turns

On the other hand, McCrae’s west shoulder is a mellow grassy meadow, with more grass than rocks, perfect for some early-season backcountry skiing. For the keen adventurer, you can complete a variety of intricate loops involving alpine bowls and steep chutes as seen in my latest trip up McCrae Peak in spring.

Joss Mountain

Best time to visit: Mid-October to early November

5-6 h	650 m	12.5 km	1490-2150 m

Peaking at 2386m, Joss Mountain is a prime early-season ski touring spot in the Monashee Mountains. The route requires a 4×4 vehicle and a VHF radio to navigate the generally well-maintained Wap Lake FSR. Beware: the journey’s last leg up one of the lesser-used branches is much steeper and rockier than the main artery. The challenging access is worth the effort, however. You’ll be rewarded with classic Monashee-style skiing, including chutes, pillows, booters and pristine alpine bowls. Thankfully, the 1-hour drive from Revelstoke and the harder access make Joss Mountain a lesser-known destination, a hidden gem. You’ll hardly cross anyone on the uptrack.

Related: Joss Mountain: Monashees: Seeking The Halloween Powder

The peak is crowned by an old fire lookout, worth the visit if you can muster the 850m ascent. With a little exploration, you’ll find that the south bowl harbours quality skiing. The ondulating alpine terrain offers a perfect opportunity to ski multiple laps, dust off the cobwebs and get your touring legs under you.

Rogers Pass

Rogers Pass winter permit required

Best time to visit: Early November to mid-April

If you’ve been lurking on The Uptrack for a while, you’ve probably figured it out. Rogers Pass is a world-class backcountry skiing destination that also delivers the goods in the early season. The ski season usually starts in early November in the Connaught Valley when there’s just enough snow for a marginal ascent and a hair-raising descent. I’m not going to sugarcoat this – October/November skiing at Rogers Pass is no joke. You’ll be hopping over sharp rocks, crossing open creeks and bashing alder bushes along the way. Nonetheless, the challenging valley bottom conditions give way to excellent skiing in the alpine bowls.

Most folks begin their season in the Connaught Valley with the Balu Pass ski tour. The gentle valley ascent, combined with the mellow open slopes at the valley’s headwaters, makes for a great first tour of the year. I’ve had some of my finest November faceshots there. For the expert skiers looking for challenging lines, a short climb from Balu Pass up the Cheops West Shoulder gets you to the entrance of Nicci’s Notch and the Cheops North Bowl on the valley’s south slope, two great options for early-season backcountry skiing.

On the north side of the Connaught Valley lies Ursus Trees, offering perfectly spaced tree skiing that can be lapped over and over again. Skiers and snowboarders with a penchant for mountaineering can easily summit Video Peak and ski down its south face. It’s a classic early-season objective. You’ll find some great alpine skiing in the vast Hospital Bowl below the peak. Beware: the valley’s lower slopes are carpeted with thick alder bushes, making progress difficult. Stick to the well-used uptracks below treeline to ease your ascent.

Dusting Off The Cobwebs

Since we’re talking about early-season backcountry skiing, it’s worth mentioning the steps you can take to get ready for the season. My latest pre-season preparation for ski touring post discusses those very steps, ranging from looking over your gear to physical conditioning for the season. I spend considerable time training my avalanche and crevasse rescue response before even clipping into my bindings for the first time of the year. You never know – you might be faced with an incident on your very first day out in the backcountry, and you must be ready for it.

Let’s be honest with ourselves: our first packing party of the year is often a rusty one. I’m slowly packing my backpack in the least effective way possible, often forgetting essential items. Well, look no further. This handy-dandy post on what to pack for a ski tour covers all the gear you’ll need for your first ski tour in October or November.

Lastly, not only is it good advice to practice avalanche safety scenarios before hitting the backcountry slopes, it’s also crucial to review the common avalanche problems encountered in October and November. This post on the early-season snowpack covers the fundamental weather mechanisms and avalanche problems that take shape in the early parts of the winter.

The post Best Early-Season Backcountry Skiing Near Revelstoke, BC appeared first on The Uptrack.