Related: Grizzly Trees, Rogers Pass: Easy Access Powder Turns

Report from December 31, 2022

After a failed attempt at getting a particular line down Puff Daddy, Phil and I drove up the following day to conquer this convoluted route. We started our ski tour at the Rogers Pass Discovery Center and ascended the mouth of Connaught Creek. Only 600m later, we switched to the creek’s north bank using the winter trail that travels up the Connaught Valley to its headwaters, Balu Pass. The month was characterized by a heightened avalanche hazard caused by three persistent weak layers (surface hoar/facet interfaces) and a consolidated storm slab problem. We cut a trail earlier than normal up the Grizzly Shoulder to avoid travelling through the massive Grizzly Slidepath. This was a great choice since we wouldn’t have to deal with the existing, super-slick uptrack that typically gets chewed up by inexperienced visitors.

We broke trail as high up as we could manage. Eventually, we were funnelled back onto the standard uptrack. Thankfully, the 10-15 cm of snow received overnight improved the old uptrack’s condition.

After about 90-120 minutes, the trees started to thin out and eventually terminated into an open slope at about 2100m. I always get spooked by that one as I’ve had quite a few settlements while travelling through. Beware, it rolls into a steep, cheese-grater-type feature with many trees and rocks that could cause serious trauma.

We crossed the slope, making sure to space out and walked past the steep entrance to Rogers Run, another classic. We traversed under some impressive cliffs and bootpacked up a rocky crux to gain the top of the shoulder. From here, the terrain expands into a series of convoluted gullies with Little Sifton towering above all else.

In order to keep our route conservative, we choose to enter Puff Daddy at treeline (2200m) which avoids travelling through some steep unsupported slopes. The higher entrance offers a slightly longer run but tends to be more wind-affected and offers low-angle skiing. We ski-skinned across the bowl, traversing above the 1st gully that’s often skied out. After double-checking our GPS, we stopped to complete our transition for the tasty descent to come.

After noticing several tracks in the first gully, we descended the second gully that guarantees good falline skiing. The snow was exceptional, some of the best snow I’ve skied at Rogers Pass. 10-20cm of new blower snow overlaid 70-80cm of consolidated storm snow that provided a stable platform on which to rail out turns. We skied down the left bank of our gully which was anchored by small trees. Eventually, the shoulder narrowed and terminated with cliffs. We dropped directly into the gully, circumnavigating pillowy cruxes and a waterfall. While we didn’t see any avalanche activity, we had to watch out for our own sluff which almost took me out twice. It’s worth mentioning that Puff Daddy offers incredibly complex terrain that must be managed with care. Failure to do so could put you in a precarious spot especially if the avalanche stability is questionable.

We followed a large avalanche path that led to the highway. The snow was so good, we barely stopped. Eventually, we met up at the highway and sidestepped back to the Discovery Center. Looking back at the Grizzly Shoulder, we were in awe at the Puff Daddy zone. Even after 4-5 runs, I have yet to ski all the possible variations.

The Puff Daddy face is a huge zone. Each variation offers a different flavour, from pillows and gullies to steep powdery slopes and rolling convexities. Beware, it’s far too easy to be sucked into large cliffs and nasty pillow fields. It’s best to consult terrain photos and satellite imagery before committing to a line.

Route Info

6 h	945m	6.1 km	1330-2215 m

The post Puff Daddy, Rogers Pass: A Pillowy Goldmine appeared first on The Uptrack.

Related: 1. Grizzly Couloir, Rogers Pass: 3-Day Couloir Marathon, 2. Grizzly Trees, Rogers Pass: Easy Access Powder Turns

Report from November 20, 2020

We assembled a super crew made up of Kaitlin, Rigel, Steph, Mia 1, and Mia 2 – they can fight for who gets #1. A BIG group nonetheless! I don’t like heading out in large groups – progress is usually slow. This one was different. The vibe was as relaxed as it was enjoyable which made it a stellar opportunity for me to pass on some avalanche knowledge. Once everyone was geared up, we raced up the Connaught Valley uptrack, a busy artery for ski tourers. We veered right, off the Balu Pass summer trail, only 1km from the parking lot, and crossed a stunning footbridge covered in a thick white blanket.

Our path followed the winter trail – you guessed it – only accessible in winter. I’ve done it in spring and do not recommend it… unless you love brutal alders and raging stream crossings. Instead of traversing the northern bank of the Connaught Creek all the way to the Grizzly Slidepath, which is covered in alder patches at this time of the year, we immediately began the ascent up the Grizzly Shoulder on which Rogers Run lies.

Our reality was becoming more evident the higher we went. The calendar said November 20, 2020, but the snowpack said December. DEEP, it was. Naturally, the treeline and alpine avalanche hazard levels were forecasted at “considerable” for the day, warning backcountry skiers of problems typical of the early season snowpack (rain, melt-freeze, and solar crusts) along with widespread wind slabs.

Having said that, we cautiously followed a million switchbacks up the Grizzly Shoulder, now covered by 10cm of fresh snow. Along the way, I performed a few hand shear tests and jumped on suspect convexities as a quick and dirty way to test snowpack stability. Surprisingly, I didn’t observe any signs of instability. This is always more worrying than seeing sings and knowing where the problem lies.

As we emerged out of the forest into the alpine, the flurries of snow went horizontal. Winds were absolutely howling. While we bundled up, I took a moment to scrutinize the terrain ahead. All I could think of was wind slabs. I noticed the exposed SW-facing slope we were about to cross was being swept clean by the winds. I felt a sense of relief as this meant the nearby snowpack would be thin. Big avalanches were no longer a concern. I felt the snow’s surface along the way, probing for stiff slabs. The surface was surprisingly well-preserved, soft even. I triggered a few localized pockets here and there, lee of wind lips around scattered boulders. It wasn’t enough to sound the alarm.

As we gained flatter terrain, I knew we were close. I was looking for a “sneak” through the band of cliffs, looker’s right, that I used last season when skiing a variation of Rogers Run into Grizzly Trees. Here it was, icy and steep as ever, nestled between the cliffs and a prominent boulder. It’s pretty easy to miss for the unacquainted. I slid up the “sneak”, squeezing as much traction as I could out of my climbing skins. I managed, knowing very well the rest of the crew might have trouble. They did.

Related: How To Choose Climbing Skins For Ski Touring

We regrouped at the top of the grizzly Shoulder, conveniently at the entrance of Rogers Run, on a gentle alpine slope rolling over into treed terrain. Positioned lee of the prevailing SW winds, we dug a full snow profile to access the snowpack’s stability, especially around the new storm snow and a buried 10cm rain crust. Our series of tests highlighted weak layers across the entire snowpack and evaluated their relative strength. We confirmed one key fact: the storm snow lacked slab properties. Without a slab, there’s no slab avalanche possible. Those are the ones to look out for. Satisfied by our results, we transitioned for the descent. And it was DEEP, so so deep.

With a nice consolidated base and top 60cm of powder, we trampolined down the slope, bouncing up and down, in and out of the white room. Truly amazing ski conditions but I didn’t expect less of Rogers Pass, really! Our excitement led us slightly off route, east of the Grizzly Shoulder, far too close to the large gully separating Rogers Run from Puff Daddy.

After consulting the beta from Geobackcountry, we traversed west on top of a wide band of pillows. I billy-goated my way down, guiding Kaitlin across the sketchy terrain. And then it happened. As she landed on a pillow I had previously tracked, it exploded into a puff of snow, pulling the rug under her feet. She tumbled down, through bushes and trees, landing near an unusually sharp tree trunk. This was a heck of a close call and a brutal reminder of the risk involved when backcountry skiing. Luckily, she only sustained a few bruises. She shrugged it off and kept on skiing without complaint.

We met up with the rest of the group who traversed above the pillow field, a detour that took a little less than an hour. Finally, we were back on the named route. This mishap goes to show how easy it is to get lost on the Grizzly Shoulder. Seriously, all the trees and clearings look the same! Keep your wits about and bring your guidebook or even a GPS. An awesome day can become a nightmare with one wrong turn in this kind of terrain.

Once we had gathered all the group, we continued the descent. We skied through pillow lines, cliffs, and a base that was shrinking way too fast. As the sun set behing the 8812 Peak, we reached the valley bottom, at which point we resorted to walking.

We bushwhacked through alders and fallen logs under our headlamp’s beam, only to end up on the wrong side of a wide creek following the Trans-Canada Highway. We skirted the river bank until we found a spot to cross. Finally, we were back at our vehicle. Never a dull moment ski touring in Rogers Pass!

Route Info

4-5 h	850 m	4.6 km	1330-2150 m

The post Rogers Run On Grizzly Shoulder: Deep Days appeared first on The Uptrack.