Related: Backcountry Winter Camping For Alpine Touring

Essential Winter Camping Gear For Ski Touring

As previously mentioned, carefully selected winter camping gear goes a long way to improving your experience in the mountains. The goal is to strike the perfect balance between functionality, weight and durability when faced with the harsh weather Mother Nature might throw at you. You’ll have to carry the following equipment:

• A 4-season tent
• A cold-weather sleeping bag
• An insulated sleeping pad
• A wide array of insulating layers
• A cooking system adapted to cold temperatures
• A long-lasting headlamp

If you’re looking for more insight on the matter, you’ll find more detail in the following post: Backcountry Winter Camping Gear For Alpine Touring.

Staying Warm And Toasty

Winter camping for ski touring naturally involves some downtime at camp. Mid-winter in North America means the sun sets at around 4-6 PM, so you’ll be spending a lot of time relaxing in the dark with your headlamp beaming across the landscape.

Avoid frostbite: With temperatures often dipping below -15C at night, especially in the alpine, it’s paramount to maintain an adequate body temperature and keep those pesky extremities as far away from frost damage. Extra-warm camp booties and over gloves go a long way to preventing frostbite. I often sleep with them too. I always carry an insulated butt pad to minimize heat loss when sitting around. Your sleeping pad or backpack can double up as a butt pad if necessary.

Dry camp clothes: Once my camp setup is erected (tent platform, kitchen pit and latrine are excavated), I change into a dry set of ultra-warm base layers and bone-dry socks. Make it your mission to keep those clothes dry, as you’ll be sleeping in them that night.

Frequent high-calorie meals and fluid intake: When I get to camp, I kickstart my food & fluid intake with a warm cup of chicken broth or miso soup while the rest of the food is cooking. I keep my kitchen setup as simple as possible by exclusively using dehydrated meals requiring boiling water only. This makes planning how much camping fuel to bring on a trip much easier. With experience and some sharp mathematics, you’ll learn how to estimate your fuel use for a specific trip length according to your burner type and access to fresh water.

Managing Moisture

Ventilate your tent: Moisture build-up in 4-season tents is a serious issue. Throughout the night, you’re warm breath condenses on the tent walls and drips all over your sleeping bag, jackets, etc. It’s already hard enough to keep a sleeping bag dry on extended trips. I prefer single-walled tents for their ease of setup and lighter weight, but that does come with a drawback: poor moisture management. To alleviate the issue, I pitch my tent door into the prevailing wind and crack it open at the top to let airflow through. Pitching your tent next to a water source (high moisture availability) should be avoided at all costs, as this will exacerbate the problem.

Dry your gear as often as possible: Dry your gear in the sun whenever possible. Strap wet socks and base layers to your backpack on a sunny or windy day. Lay out the ropes, climbing skins and jackets over the tent. Stick your boot liners over your poles. In the evening, I stuff my pockets with moist gear, draping wet socks over my shoulders but underneath my puffy jacket. While you’ll be a little cold at first, it works wonders and means less drying in the sleeping bag at night. Now, the next tip is polarizing: I sleep with boot liners between my legs and insoles under my armpits. Some folks can tolerate frozen boot liners in the morning. I won’t. Years of frostbitten toes prevent me from doing so. I also stuff the next day’s base layers and socks in my sleeping bag’s toe box to keep them warm in the morning when temperatures are often chilly.

Managing The Snow

Compared to summer camping, winter camping for ski touring involves managing an obvious factor: snow. If you’re expecting a severe snowstorm, I recommend building a wall of hard snow around your tent and kitchen area, taking into account the prevailing wind direction. You may have to wake up through the night to dig out the tent’s surroundings and clear snow off your gear. I’ve often woken up at first light only to find my tent walls are almost caving in from the heavy snow load. The way tent poles can bend is a testimony to their durability. Although… I wouldn’t test out their breaking point!

Build An Effective Winter Camping Setup

An effective winter camping setup involves three main factors: site flow, protection from the elements and durability. Start with a good tent platform, tamped down with skis and left undisturbed to freeze for 10-15 minutes. Dig a pit to a depth of approximately 0.75-1m (2-3ft) at the tent’s entrance and cut out some benches around its perimeter using the excavated snow to wall the perimeter. The bench can play double duty as a kitchen table in a pinch. Stake your tent and guy lines securely with disassembled poles, ice axes or Deadman anchors. You can easily bury wooden branches and pack snow on top of them. It’ll make for bomber anchors when the surface freezes over.

From there, I carve small stairs to exit the tent/bench area and dig out a path to the latrines further downhill. Excavate a comfortable latrine large enough for the length of the trip. Trust me – it’s harder to modify after the fact! I also recommend pooping in wag bags made to securely store human fecal matter if travelling in the alpine or on glaciers where organic decomposition halts. Carve a separate path for urine, leading away from the snow you’ll use to boil water.

When camping for many days at a given site, I’ll bring another kitchen tent (often a pyramid-tarp shelter) and link the sleeping and kitchen quarters through an excavated path for added elbow room. The combination of a sleeping and kitchen area makes extended base camps extremely comfortable.

One word of advice: include your setup time in your trip planning. With experience, you’ll get quite efficient at it. It usually takes my partner and me 45-60 minutes to build a comfortable winter camping setup for a ski touring trip.

A final Word

I truly hope you found this article useful in improving your winter camping experience in the ski touring context. Winter camping is equal parts pure awe and suffering. Fortunately, camping allows for extended trips in our beautiful backcountry terrain, travel over mountains seldom visited and witness sights not many have seen before. To me, the suffering is well worth the adventure. Feel free to reach out through my Contact Page or Instagram for additional information.

The post Winter Camping For Ski Touring: Pro-Tips To Better Your Trip appeared first on The Uptrack.

Related: Winter Camping For Ski Touring: Pro-Tips To Better Your Trip

Winter Shelter For The Backcountry

Your shelter is your home. It’s where you cook, rest, and weather out the storms. You might be stuck in your shelter for many days in a row. It becomes your lifeline, especially when faced with a medical emergency. You’ll find below a few criteria I look for when choosing a winter camping tent.

1. Four-Season Tents:
   • Choose a tent specifically designed for winter or four-season use. These tents are built to handle snow loads, strong winds, and low temperatures.
2. Shape and Design:
   • Geodesic or dome-shaped tents are ideal for winter camping. They offer better stability in windy conditions and are capable of shedding snow.
   • Single-walled tents (without a rain fly) are low-weight, more packable and easier to set up. Condensation tends to be an issue with limited ventilation and airflow. Be prepared for your gear to get a little moist overnight. To circumvent the issue, I pitch my tent with the door into the wind and crack it open overnight. Although tempting, I also avoid camping next to a creek when moisture is plentiful.
   • Double-walled tents (with a rain fly) are heavier and harder to set up, but provide excellent airflow to reduce the build-up of condensation inside the tent.
3. Durability:
   • Look for a tent with a robust and durable construction. Reinforced materials, strong poles, extra guyline points, and quality zippers are essential for withstanding harsh winter conditions.
4. Ventilation:
   • Adequate ventilation is crucial to prevent condensation inside the tent. Look for tents with adjustable vents and mesh panels to allow for proper airflow.
5. Weight:
   • While winter tents tend to be heavier than three-season tents due to their robust construction, consider the weight if you plan on carrying the tent for an extended period.
   • Some ultralight winter tents are available for those focused on minimizing weight.
6. Size and Space:
   • Make sure the tent is spacious enough to accommodate your party and your gear comfortably, although I tend to leave my bag outside. A little extra space allows for better insulation and storage.
   • Ultralight tents minimize the footprint to reduce weight, which makes for a snug interior. They may not be the best choice if you’re weathering a storm and cooped up for several days in a row.
7. Ease of Setup:
   • Setting up a tent can be challenging in cold, windy weather. Choose a tent with a simple and quick setup, which minimizes your exposure to the elements.
   • Use your ice axe and poles to stake the tent down. I’ve used skis in the past, but that means you won’t be able to travel efficiently when gathering water, wood or travelling the distance on the ol’ poo run.

Depending on the trip logistics, I have four backcountry winter camping gear options.

• A bomber, self-standing tent with a vestibule (Everest-type) for extended base camps, where I won’t relocate as often. It’s a heavier setup I only bring when the approach is short or if I fly in. I also pack a pyramid tarp (such as the Black Diamond Mega Light) to use as a kitchen shared among the group.
• A single-wall, alpine-style tent for fast and light ski traverses where I’ll be moving camp every day and carrying the shelter on my back the whole way through. It’s crazy light and easy to set up or tear down.
• A pyramid tarp shelter for multi-day traverses is a little more involved and less sturdy than a regular tent, but it does leave you with plenty of headroom. Best to keep this option for fair-weather camping. I can’t be bothered with digging the pad every evening after a long day of ski touring, so I resorted to a light single-walled tent.
• A snow cave if the forecasted weather is fair with little to no precipitation, which greatly reduces my pack weight. I don’t recommend this system if you’ll move camp every day. Digging a snow shelter is a time-consuming and sweaty business.

Winter Backcountry Sleeping Bag

Choosing the right winter sleeping bag is crucial for staying warm and comfortable during cold-weather camping or outdoor activities. Here are some factors to consider when selecting a winter sleeping bag:

1. Temperature Rating:
   • Look for a sleeping bag with a temperature rating appropriate for the coldest conditions you expect to encounter. Bags are typically labelled with temperature ratings like “comfort,” “lower limit,” or “extreme.” The comfort rating is the most relevant metric to most users. I typically use a -18C sleeping, a solid number for spring weather encountered in my playground, British Columbia, from the Coast to the Rocky Mountains. When the temps drop below the comfort rating of my sleeping bag, I sleep with my down jacket/pants and camp booties.
2. Insulation Type:
   • Down insulation is known for its excellent warmth-to-weight ratio and compressibility. However, down loses its insulating properties when wet, so it’s essential to keep it dry. Some models are now wrapped in a waterproof/breathable fabric (Gore-Tex) to alleviate this issue. Moisture will still accumulate within the bag, which is difficult to keep dry during extended winter camping trips.
   • Synthetic insulation is more water-resistant and retains some insulating properties when wet. It’s a good choice if you anticipate damp conditions.
3. Fill Power:
   • When it comes to down sleeping bags, fill power indicates the quality and loft of the down. I aim for a sleeping bag with a higher fill power (e.g., 800 or 900) for a high warmth-to-compressibility ratio.
4. Shape and Size:
   • Mummy-shaped bags are more thermally efficient as they minimize the air volume around your body, but they can feel snug at times.
   • If you prefer more room, consider a semi-rectangular or rectangular bag. I tend to size up my sleeping bag to dry moist garments and boot liners inside the liner as I sleep.
5. Weight and Packability:
   • Consider the bag’s weight and compressibility, especially if you plan on carrying the bag over many days. Down sleeping bags are generally lighter and more compressible than synthetic ones, which is an important factor when planning long-distance ski traverses and keeping your pack’s weight down.
6. Additional Features To Consider:
   • Draft collars, hoods, and draft tubes along the zipper help prevent heat loss.
   • Zippered vents along the side of the sleeping bag to free your arms for cooking

Remember that personal preferences and individual tolerance to cold can vary, so it’s essential to consider your specific needs when choosing a winter sleeping bag (i.e. whether you’re a cold or warm sleeper).

Insulated Sleeping Pad

When it comes to backcountry winter camping gear, the right winter sleeping pad makes a huge difference in sleep quality. You’ll find below some of the factors I consider when choosing an insulated sleeping pad.

1. Insulation Type:
   • Closed-Cell Foam Pads are lightweight, durable, and excellent insulators. They are resistant to punctures and work well in snowy conditions. However, they are bulkier and less comfortable compared to inflatable pads.
   • Inflatable Pads offer more comfort and are usually lighter and more compact when packed. Some models are filled with down or synthetic insulation, while others use a heat-refractive liner to reflect heat toward your body. I prefer the latter. It crinkles, but its weight for warmth is unrivalled for its packability.
2. R-Value:
   • The R-value measures a sleeping pad’s ability to insulate against cold surfaces. A higher R-value is better for backcountry winter camping equipment.
3. Weight:
   • While winter pads are generally heavier than three-season pads due to increased insulation, try to strike a balance of warmth and weight, especially if you plan on carrying the equipment over many days.

You can also lay a closed-cell pad under an insulated air pad to increase the system’s insulating property. It’s an effective solution if you’re expecting the bitter cold.

Insulating Layers For Camp

Layering is crucial for staying warm and comfortable during winter camping, as it helps regulate your body temperature and manage moisture. The key is to use a combination of different layers to trap heat, wick away moisture, and protect against wind and precipitation. Here’s a general guide for layering during winter camping:

1. Base Layer:
   • Top and Bottom: The reality is that you’ll roll into camp with some sweat on your skin. Choose a moisture-wicking material like merino wool or synthetic fabrics. This layer is in direct contact with your skin and helps move sweat away, keeping you dry and warm. Merino wool has anti-bacterial properties, holding back odours for those sweaty spring trips. I always slip into my camp base layers (warmer than my touring ones) once the tent is erected.
2. Insulating Layer:
   • Top: Synthetic or down-insulated jackets are excellent choices for mid-layers. They trap warm air close to your body and provide exceptional warmth when inactive.
   • Bottom: Down-insulating pants or a second pair of leggings can be added for extra warmth in extremely cold temperatures.
3. Outer Layer (Shell):
   • You’ll often encounter stormy weather when winter camping. Wearing your waterproof/breathable shell is essential to keeping you dry and warm. It breaks the brutal wind.
4. Head and Neck Protection:
   • Hat: A warm hat that covers your ears is essential to prevent heat loss from your head.
   • Neck Tube or Balaclava: Protect your neck and face from the cold wind. A versatile neck gaiter can also be pulled up to cover your nose and mouth.
   • Gloves or Mittens: Insulated, waterproof gloves or mittens are crucial for keeping your hands warm and dry. Make sure you’ve got a dry, spare pair of gloves or mittens in your pack for when you’re sitting in camp. Don’t get them wet when boiling water!
5. Footwear:
   • Socks: Thick wool socks are the best to keep your toes warm.
   • Camp Booties: Insulated, water-resistant booties with good traction are essential. You’ll want to get out of those damp ski touring or splitboarding boots ASAP.
6. Accessories:
   • Hand and Foot Warmers: These can be useful in extremely cold conditions. Sometimes, all the layers in the world just aren’t enough to keep you warm in severe weather.

Remember to adjust your layers based on the weather conditions and activity level. If you’re excavating a snow cave or digging a lush latrine, avoid sweating excessively. Moisture build-up within your layers will reduce the effectiveness of your insulation.

Cooking Systems For Cold Temps

A hearty, calorie-dense meal is crucial in cold weather. After all, you’ll be burning so much energy simply trying to stay warm, on top of your usual expenditure when ski touring or splitboarding. Owning a reliable stove that works in cold weather can make the difference between eating a hot soup or ice-cold chunks.

• Isobutane or propane canister stoves:
  • They are known for their packability, ease of use and low weight. It’s my preferred type of cooking system.
  • Canister stoves drop in efficiency in frigid weather. In some cases, the stove might not work at all. I warm up a spare canister in my jacket before use when the temperature plummets below -11C (with isobutane).
  • Some folks wrap a copper coil connecting the canister to the heating element to circumvent the issue. Apart from the obvious hazard of applying uncontrolled heat to a container filled with flammable fuel, it’s a clever way to expand the stove’s operating temperature.
  • You’ll need a separate pot to cook meals. Sadly, isobutane canisters can’t be recycled or refilled.
• Integrated cooking systems:
  • Originally known through the brand name JetBoil, the design integrates the canister, stove (flame), cooking pot, and, on some models, a windscreen to minimize heat loss.
  • Those systems are designed to boil water incredibly fast, which is exactly what I’m looking for.
• White fuel stoves:
  • While heavier and harder to use, white fuel stoves can operate below -40C, which gives them an edge in truly arctic weather.
  • The lengthy setup becomes a non-issue with a little practice priming the stove.
  • White fuel canisters are also refillable at some outdoor stores.

Since I exclusively rely on dehydrated meals when winter camping, I only need boiled water for breakfast and dinner. Throughout the day, I snack on calorie-dense foods while on the move. The integrated cooking system is my solution of choice unless temperatures drop below -20 °C. Then, I’ll opt for a white fuel stove. I also always pack some warm, salty drinks (i.e. miso or chicken broth) for dinner to replenish electrolytes and heat my core. It’s the one thing I look forward to when arriving at camp. Whether you can consider your meal part of the backcountry winter camping gear is debatable, but I figured it’s still good advice.

Long-Lasting Headlamp

Backcountry winter camping puts a serious demand on your headlamp battery. Not only will the cold dictate how much juice is available, but you’ll be spending much time at camp past nightfall. I recommend a 450-600 lumen headlamp that functions with a rechargeable battery and disposable alternatives as a backup. I always keep six disposable AAA batteries in my repair kit at the bottom of my backpack.

The post Backcountry Winter Camping Gear For Alpine Touring appeared first on The Uptrack.

Related: McCrae Glacier: Season’s First Powder Turn

Report from June 17th, 2020

Day 1: Flowing Through Mountains

Getting to the McCrae Lake Recreation Trailhead is an endeavor in its own right. Mike and I followed the Akolkolex, Crawford, and McCrae forest service roads, winding through the stunning sub-alpine terrain of the Selkirk Mountains. As I was dodging the world’s sharpest rocks and tailing the world’s slowest grader (see the end of the report for a nasty flat tire count), I was looking at familiar peak’s I’ve bagged in the past, but this time from another angle. This was so cool!

An hour later, we stopped 3km from the trailhead as the snow was blocking our progress on wheels. No problem! We got our skis and splitboard out of my Thule box, gathered our overnight camping gear, and casually walked up the blanketed road. Our sole plan was to spend some time in the alpine with no clear objective in mind. We simply hoped to find some good backcountry skiing around McCrae Peak.

After a few kilometers of skinning through some well-spaced trees, we entered the sub-alpine where we found a camping spot with a panoramic view of the Monashee and Gold Ranges from across the Columbia Valley. We stashed our overnight gear in the snow and proceeded towards McCrae Peak, or rather its north shoulder unofficially called the Moon Landing. We spotted a large cornice failure from the summit of McCrae Peak, reminding us of a major hazard at play.

With the sun hanging so high above the horizon and the warming temperatures, water from melting snow and rainfall trickles down the wind-hardened layers of cornices and breaks down the bond with the snowcapped peak or ridge. Eventually, the bond fails and the cornice is flung clean off. Henceforth, cornice avalanches are a huge consideration when planning summer ski tours, as are wet-loose and glide slab avalanches.

We looked at the drainage east of the peak, a whole new playground for Mike and I to explore. We spotted a peak with a nice 40-degree west face on the peak farthest from us. This slope would offer excellent afternoon skiing, albeit a little soupy. We also could see Comaplix Mountain, standing high and proud in the distance. I’ll add that one to my list.

We approached the ridge overlooking run #1 (closest red line) and scoped out the terrain below. When I was about to give up, Mike’s guide senses sniffed out a clean entrance above a large cliff band, hoping to find a way to sneak through the rocks. We only needed a sliver of snow really. Alas, our descent led to a dead-end which forced us into a long traverse across the top of the cliffs. With that much exposure below, I would’ve never attempted this move in full winter conditions. The avalanche hazard would’ve been too high. While the snow quality lacks during the summer months, the avalanche hazard is at an all-time low. Mind you, avalanches are still very possible if the conditions are right (think cornice failures and glide slabs)!

From the bottom of the cliffs, we toured back up the drainage almost gaining the east shoulder McCrae Peak. We skied down run #2 resulting in a smooth 200-meter descent in perfect corn snow. Losing no time, we climbed up the peak marked by a couple of “heli” flag. I suspected we were traveled over Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing’s expansive tenure. I tried my best to ignore my blistered ankles rubbing against my stock liners falling apart at the seams. After 100+ days, they were finally dying on me. That’s my bad for not following the advice I wrote in my previous article, How To Choose Ski Touring Boots in 2020.

The ski descent was all-time (for summer conditions). We arched big GS turns in corn snow turning into a soupy mess at the bottom. It didn’t bother us one bit. We were just stoked to be on planks. In early winter conditions, I bet its grassy slope would offer some half-decent backcountry skiing if you were keen to explore the McCrae Rec Area.

We scrutinized the valley below, searching for a way back to our planned campsite. We spotted a steep ridge connecting to the north shoulder that we had previously crossed. There it was: the way out. Fortunately, we also stumbled across a small stream, the result of crystal clear glacial runoff. This was a wonderful opportunity to replenish our exhausted water supply. I must have chugged a liter of ice-cold water. Fear the brain freeze!

It was 7 PM when we gained the north shoulder. Our original plan was to skin up the north shoulder towards McCrae Peak. Sadly, after getting a good look at it, the ascent was deemed too dangerous. We gazed west at the Monashees only to find an idyllic blue-rimed alpine lake, the true McCrae Lake, and the main attraction of this region amongst hikers of all levels.

After more than 9 hours of ski touring, it was time to get back to camp. We didn’t fancy cooking in the dark. We decided to climb up a steep gully leading back to the foot of the McCrae Glacier. This option seemed like the quickest route, and booting up would give our sore hip flexors a well-deserved break.

Once past the col, we shot straight for camp and stumbled across a turquoise glacial pond frozen over by the dropping temps. Of course, Mike couldn’t resist the urge to perform a perfect pond skim on his splitboard. Smooth as butter minus an uncomfortable splash at the crotch.

Once we back at camp, I pitched up my bright-yellow Black Diamond Eldorado tent. Judging from my cursing, my pitch required far more practice. Mike, on the other hand, set up his minimalist bivy bag in less than a minute. I need one of those for future fast and light alpine missions. We cooked our hearty meals under a glowing ball of orange flames setting behind Mt Macpherson a little past 9 PM. Days are crazy long so close to the solstice. I fell asleep to the hypnotic flapping of my tent’s fabric in the gentle wind under a purple-pink sky. According to Mike, the stars were sublime that night.

Day 2: Timing is Everything

We woke up to blue skies and above-zero temps. It was quite nippy: the sun was still hiding behind the north shoulder. We packed camp, ate breakfast, and headed towards the McCrae Glacier. Today was going to be a summit day.

We zig-zagged up the glacier, no crevasses in sight. It was scolding hot. We noticed the stark contrast between the shadowed crust and sunlit corn as we crossed to and from the obscured slope. Sunlight has such a huge impact on snow conditions at this time of the year. Our timing was perfect. We skinned the snow during its transition from crust to corn whereas it will hold an edge without giving way. The west-facing route that would be climbed on foot was lingering in the shadow, which would provide excellent booting conditions.

We slipped our crampons on and bolted up the mountainside following the ridge to McCrae Peak. What a glorious view of the Goat, Gold, and Monashee Ranges, complemented by the deep blue of Lower Arrow Lake! It doesn’t get better than that.

As we were about to drop down our ascent route and face an icy crust, we noticed a clean line down the south aspect, now baked by the morning sun. We skied down the 400-meter run in perfect spring conditions with the most impressive backdrop. This is what I live for!

We looked back at our run. I was glowing. Mike noted how the feeling was comparable to carving down a well-maintained groomer. Coming from the East Coast, I couldn’t agree more.

We slapped some more sunscreen on our faces as Mike mentioned how sunburns are the bane of all gingers. So true. With no time wasted, we raced up the south bowl towards a col high up on the west ridge, the standard uptrack when backcountry skiing on the McCrae Glacier. The 250-meter climb generated more heat that my body could handle. I was on the verge of heat exhaustion when we connected with the head of the glacier. We transitioned and skied down the wettest snow I have ever encountered since the sun had baked the surface for more than 5 hours by now. We knew that going into it. It was unavoidable and the fastest way back to camp.

After grabbing our stashed overnight gear, we glided down through the sub-alpine forest towards my vehicle. Without a clean bobsleigh run, the forest was a slight bit more disorientating than I remembered. I pulled out my GPS tracker a few times as I was trying to join up with the McCrae FSR. We were back at the car in no time. And then, I got a triple flat tire on the drive down… yes three flat tires. That’s fucked! Apparently, the Akolkolex FSR was littered with carbide shrapnel (hardened steel) from an excavator’s bucket after the road had been recently graded. Oh, one has to keep the adventure alive!

This trip was an awesome opportunity to learn more from Mike, a seasoned splitboarder who has done a bunch of insane winter expeditions in the mountains. On top of that, he’s just an all-around nice guy with the most genuine passion for his craft.

For anyone that hasn’t gotten to it yet, the McCrae Rec Area is one hell of an early and late season backcountry skiing destination. I would always recommend this spot to friends looking for a shred.

Route Info

Day 1	13 h	1800 m	17.5 km	1770-2300 m
Day 2	6 h	800 m	9.5 km	2100-2505 m

The post McCrae Peak Backcountry Skiing: Wanderlust on Snow appeared first on The Uptrack.

Report from October 30th

Our adventure began in the Hermit Parking Lot, no more than a few kilometers past the Rogers Pass Discovery Center on October 29th at 4 PM in hopes of gaining the Hermit Meadows Campground (2000m) before dark. Admittedly, it was a late start, but we did have a wonderful conversation with park staff, Ben, about our plans. He mentioned we might be the first at skiing Rogers Peak this winter. Yew!

We mounted our 40lb lead ingot of a pack containing overnight winter camping, mountaineering, glacier travel, and ski gear. Call it quad training for the upcoming season, the climb up the Hermit Trail was back-breaking. The pain and icy trail wouldn’t stop us. After all, the strenuous ascent granted us spectacular views of Mt MacDonald ablaze by the setting sun.

As the sun vanished behind the Connaught Drainage, it got blisteringly cold. We completed the ascent to camp with blocks of ice instead of toes. It must have been -20C with the alpine breeze blowing softly from the north. Now, we had to set up camp… with frozen fingers. Through years of backpacking in adverse conditions, I taught myself to set up a tent with only teeth. Okay, that’s a lie, maybe with the help of a palm and one thumb.

As soon as we got a chance, we slipped into our sleeping bags. I demolished a packet of dehydrated beef chili and went right to sleep. On one hand, Jay’s -40C sleeping bag kept him nice and warm throughout the night. On the other, my killer -16C bag and 3-season sleeping pad combination, not so much. After wiggling my toes all night to avoid losing some bits, I emerged from the tent to clear skies and a rising ball of flames.

After being cold all night, we didn’t hesitate to jump on our ski while figuring out how we would accomplish our day’s objective, skiing Rogers Peak. Since the snow was crusty in places and powdery in others, good terrain selection would be crucial.

Luckily, Jay is insanely good at sniffing out good quality snow. On the way up, he scoped out a gnarly couloir in the distance and believed it would be packed with snow blown off the nearby moraine.

After too many snack breaks, we arrived at the Swiss Glacier which leads to the Rogers Peak by booting up its southern aspect. Since I had previously summited Rogers Peak twice in the winter and summer, I knew the glacier pretty well. After indicating the crevasses to avoid, we put on our harness, sorted our glacier rescue gear and tied into Jay’s bright yellow 6mm/60m Mammut rope.

We arrived at the end of the Swiss Glacier with Rogers South Face towering 300m above us. This was going to be a chore. I took my avalanche probe out and started sticking it in the snow ahead of my tracks. I was searching for the hidden moat (bergschrund) waiting to swallow me whole. After safely assessing the depth of the snow bridge covering its gaping mouth, we stepped over the moat.

As the snow got warmer and heavier, we checked our bases by excavating a snow pit for a proper snowpack analysis.

In all honesty, the snow pit observations did not instill much confidence in the slope’s stability. Our test results were mostly inconclusive. One thing was sure: the failures indicated a slightly unstable snowpack. We weighed our options and found adequate exit points in case we triggered an avalanche. On top of the existing concern, the moat we just crossed presented a serious hazard: a fall higher up on the slope would probably make us tomahawk into the crevasse. We both agreed to boot up the col and gather further intel.

I seriously hoped skiing Rogers Peak was worth its suffer-fest of a bootpack spanning more than 300 vertical meters. At about 3000m, the altitude fatigue kicked in high gear. We were constantly out of breath and our muscles ached. What a stairway to heaven! The trick was to find a sustainable climbing rhythm. We settled for 10 steps and 10 seconds rest.

After what felt like an eternity, we gained the col and sat down for a few minutes only a solid alpine gust almost blew us off the ridge. Time to move on.

We stood up shielding our faces from the gale-force wind. With a newfound resolution to finish the fight, we pushed on through the remainder of the climb (roughly 100m). At 2:30 PM, we bagged the peak.

After such a strenuous climb spanning two days, we deserved it. Skiing Rogers Peak in decent conditions would be the best of rewards. We clipped in our bindings and launched off the summit. The peak and top half of the south face were barren. Our edges could only find hardened wind-swept snow.

After growing up on Canadian East Coast ice, those conditions are my bread and butter. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to practice my “Chamonix-ski-mo” turns. Rightfully so, I had a blast. Jay didn’t share that opinion.

To Jay’s content, the lower half was mostly shielded from the wind. It was covered with a good 10cm of slightly wet powder while the glacier, being naturally cooled by the underlying ice, had awesome dry powder. Needless to say, Jay was pleased.

After traversing the flats of the Swiss Glacier, we headed down the couloir we had scoped out on the ascent. Jay’s sixth sense (the powder sensing one) was yet again correct. The couloir was filled with wind-blown snow, albeit with thin coverage. After skiing some full-on winter powder up on the glacier, the couloir’s conditions kept us light on our feet. We swerved left and right avoiding rocks and streams. Then again, no complaints on our parts. It’s October 30th after all.

Indeed, the thin Halloween snowpack trashed our skis. The way past the couloir was mostly survival skiing. We arrived at camp by 4 PM with enough time to pack our gear and haul our 40lb pack down the Hermit Trail. We dragged our broken bodies back to the car at 6:30 PM looking forward to a healthy dose of delicious poutine at Nomads in Revelstoke.

To this day, I still wonder why we put ourselves through such torture. The views? The turns? The adventure? Who knows? Maybe I just like the pain ?

Route Info

13-14 h	1880 m	12.3 km	1300-3170 m

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