Summits & Icefields 1: Alpine Ski Tours in the Canadian Rockies

By Chic Scott

RMB is pleased to present the third edition of Summits and Icefields 1: Alpine Ski Tours in the Canadian Rockies, one of our bestselling guidebooks. Researched and written by legendary alpinist Chic Scott, with the assistance of mountain guide Mark Klassen, this guidebook will continue to be the bible of ski mountaineers in the Rockies. There will be plenty of new tours in the book, particularly in newly developed areas where skiers can grab a few powder turns near the road. Information on other areas will be either greatly expanded or completely rewritten and updated. The entire book will be printed in colour, showcasing many mouthwatering ski images and destinations. Digital shaded maps prepared from satellite imagery will illustrate the routes and terrain and will allow this guidebook to set a new standard for ski guidebooks in North America.

The companion volume, Summits and Icefields 2: Alpine Ski Tours in the Columbia Mountains, will appear in autumn 2012.

• Language: English
• Publisher: RMB Rocky Mountain Books
• Release date: Feb 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781926855790

Chic Scott

Chic Scott is a household name in international and Canadian mountaineering circles. One of Canada’s most celebrated mountain literature authors and adventurers, he is the author of several award-winning mountaineering history books, including Pushing the Limits: The Story of Canadian Mountaineering (RMB 2000) and Powder Pioneers: Ski Stories from the Canadian Rockies and Columbia Mountains (RMB 2005).

Book preview

SUMMITS & ICEFIELDS 1

ALPINE SKI TOURS IN THE

CANADIAN ROCKIES

CHIC SCOTT

& Mark Klassen

DISCLAIMER

The actions described in this book may be considered inherently dangerous activities. Individuals undertake these activities at their own risk. The information put forth in this guide has been collected from a variety of sources and is not guaranteed to be completely accurate or reliable. Many conditions and some information may change owing to weather and numerous other factors beyond the control of the authors and publishers. Individual climbers and/or hikers and/or skiers must determine the risks, use their own judgment, and take full responsibility for their actions. Do not depend on any information found in this book for your own personal safety. Your safety depends on your own good judgment based on your skills, education and experience.

It is up to the users of this guidebook to acquire the necessary skills for safe experiences and to exercise caution in potentially hazardous areas. The authors and publishers of this guide accept no responsibility for your actions or the results that occur from another’s actions, choices or judgments. If you have any doubt as to your safety or your ability to attempt anything described in this guidebook, do not attempt it.

CONTENTS

Maps

Preface to the Third Edition

Acknowledgements

Introduction to the Canadian Rockies

Alpine Ski Touring in the Canadian Rockies, by Mark Klassen

Travel Information, Regulations and Fees

How to Use This Book

Overview Map

Fernie

Kananaskis Favourites

Ski Ascents in the Southern Rockies

The Little Yoho Valley

Powder Slopes Near the Road

Short Traverses

Icefield Tours

The Wapta Icefields

The Columbia Icefield

The Forgotten Drummond and Bonnet Icefields

The Freshfield Icefield

The Lyell and Mons icefields

Jasper Classics

The Great Divide Ski Traverse, by Mark Klassen

About the Traverse

The North Rockies Traverse

The Central Rockies Traverse

The South Rockies Traverse

Ski Mountaineering on the Great Divide Traverse

The Backcountry Ski Lodges

Resources

Notes

Sources, Readings

Index

Companion Rescue

About the Authors

MAPS

FERNIE

Thunder Meadows

Tunnel Ridge

KANANASKIS FAVOURITES

Rae Glacier

Mount Joffre

Burstall Pass

Spray Range Traverse

Mount Sparrowhawk

Mount James Walker

SKI ASCENTS

Miners Peak

Twin Cairns

Storm Mountain

Vermillion Peak

Surprise Pass

Emerald Peak

Pope's Peak

Cathedral Mountain

Mount Field

Mount Hector

Cirque Peak

Mount Jimmy Simpson

Crowfoot Mountain

Mount Patterson

White Pyramid

Mount Wilson

LITTLE YOHO

Little Yoho Valley

POWDER SLOPES

Chickadee Valley

Bow Summit

Parker Ridge

SHORT TRAVERSES

Pumpkin Traverses

Pat Sheehan Reverse

Mike Wynn Circuit

Mistaya Traverse

ICEFIELD TOURS

Wapta Icefields

Columbia Icefields

Drummond Icefield

Bonnet Icefield

Freshfield Icefield

Lyell and Mons Icefields

JASPER CLASSICS

Skyline Trail 1

Skyline Trail 2

Skyline Trail 3

Six (Eight) Pass Route

Shangri-La

Mounts Charlton and Unwin

Brazeau Icefield

Winston Churchill Range Traverse 1

Winston Churchill Range Traverse 2

Resplendent Mountain

GREAT DIVIDE SKI TRAVERSE

Great Divide 1

Great Divide 2

Great Divide 3

Great Divide 4

Great Divide 5

Great Divide 6

PREFACE TO THE

THIRD EDITION

In the end, to ski is to travel fast and free – free over the untouched, snow-covered country. To be bound to one slope, even to one mountain, by a lift may be convenient but it robs us of the greatest pleasure that skiing can give, that is, to travel through the wide, wintry country; to follow the lure of the peaks which tempt on the horizon; and to be alone for a few days or even a few hours in clear, mysterious surroundings.

— Hans Gmoser, High-Level Ski Route from Lake Louise to Jasper

This is the third edition of Summits and Icefields. For almost twenty years this guidebook has been helping ski mountaineers find some of the best backcountry skiing on the planet. Now, in this enlarged edition, there are even more destinations to choose from.

I would like to thank Mark Klassen, who has played a major part in creating this book, in particular the introductory chapters and the section on the Great Divide Traverse. I would also like to thank Will Meinen, who created new maps for this edition. Together the three of us have tried to produce the most up-to-date book possible. I would also like to thank my publisher, Don Gorman, who suggested that we do this edition in colour throughout. This is a wonderful improvement on earlier editions.

The Rocky and Columbia mountains of western Canada offer, in my opinion, the best backcountry skiing in the world. The combination of large expanses of wilderness and the availability of all the conveniences of the modern world creates a unique experience. We hope that this book helps you to safely enjoy these mountains and that you will return often to our alpine paradise.

— Chic Scott

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors would like to thank all those who have helped create this new edition of Summits & Icefields, in particular Grant Carnie, Dave Birnie, Conrad Janzen, Chris Gooliaff, Aaron Beardmore, Mike Koppang, Marc Ledwidge, Karl Klassen, Rick Schroeder, Jeff Boyd, Grant Statham and Dave Smith.

We would also like to thank those who have allowed us to use their fabulous images in the book. And we cannot forget the dozens of individuals who contributed to earlier editions of Summits & Icefields. Your excellent information and many of your photographs are still included in this new edition.

A big thank you is due to the folks at Rocky Mountain Books who put this beautiful guidebook together – Don Gorman, Joe Wilderson and Chyla Cardinal. It’s great to work with professionals.

Finally we must give a special thank you to Will Meinen, who created the fantastic new maps in this book. He certainly went the extra mile for this project. If you have any need of Will’s expertise he can be reached at [e-mail].

INTRODUCTION

TO THE CANADIAN

ROCKIES

The Rocky Mountains of Canada offer great opportunity for ski adventure of all kinds. You can spend a few hours on a slope not far from your car or you can head off on the Great Divide Ski Traverse for a three-week wilderness expedition. And there is everything in between – marvellous powder descents, cozy mountain lodges, huts under starlit skies, sun-drenched glaciers and shimmering icefields.

For those of you unfamiliar with this part of the world, you should realize that the distinctive characteristic of the tours described in this book is that they are wild. This country is wilderness and there is little in the way of man-made amenities. In these mountains you are on your own, so self-reliance is required. You must be prepared to deal with all eventualities yourself.

However, the plus side to this is that you often have the ski descent or perhaps even the mountain range to yourself. Western Canada offers a unique combination of access to modern facilities (hospitals, communication, banking, hotels, restaurants and transportation) coupled with easy access to wilderness, which can be as little as 100 metres from your doorway.

In this book we have collected information on some of the best and most popular tours in the Rocky Mountains. There are, however, many tours and descents that have not been included, as we have chosen only the classics. There should be enough choice to keep you busy for many years. In addition, this area is still being explored and fine new tours are being discovered every winter.

Remember also that this book covers a huge area. The two volumes of Summits and Icefields cover an area larger than the entire European Alps. Consequently this guidebook does not go into as much detail as guides to smaller areas. All the information needed to open the door is presented here, but to walk through the door you must be prepared to do some further research on your own.

To venture into these mountains in winter requires a solid background of mountain skills and a considerable depth of experience. If you are new at the game, don’t be afraid to take some time to learn the skills. Pay your dues on the less demanding tours before venturing onto the more serious ones. It is also advisable to invest some time and money in a few courses. Finally, there are many good clubs in western Canada where you can meet people of like mind and have the opportunity to share a trip or two with a seasoned veteran.

On the other hand, there is a cleanness and virginity, an exquisite loneliness, about many of the Rocky Mountain peaks and valleys that has a peculiar charm. There is the feeling of having made a new discovery, of having caught Nature unawares at her work of creation, as one turns off from a scarcely beaten route into one never trodden at all by the feet of white men; and this experience may be had in a thousand valleys among the Rockies.

A.P. COLEMAN

ALPINE SKI TOURING

IN THE CANADIAN

ROCKIES by Mark Klassen

This section is meant to help readers understand the unique nature of ski touring in the Canadian Rockies and what resources are available to help them plan their trips. It is assumed that users of this book have previous training and experience in ski touring and ski mountaineering.

A list of resources and contact information begins here.

HAZARDS

Hazards that may be new to skiers coming from other regions include the following:

Persistent weak layers in the snowpack These are weak layers that continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks, even months after they are buried. In the Canadian Rockies these PWLs are usually made up of facets and depth hoar. For many tours, patience is often required to wait for the right conditions or time of year. Skiers in the Rockies generally must employ more conservative terrain selection than is required elsewhere.

Variable snow depths and layer distribution The wind greatly affects the low-density snowpack and causes highly variable avalanche danger. Care must be taken when moving from one type of terrain to another.

Extreme cold Temperatures in the −20 to −30° Celsius range are not uncommon. The authors have seen temperatures as low as −49°C at Lake Louise. Equipment and clothing strategies must reflect the possibility of encountering very cold temperatures.

Thin crevasse bridges A thin, weak snowpack means crevasses may not be well bridged for much or all of the winter. Carrying, and often using, a rope on the glaciers is common practice here.

Rocks and other buried hazards The thin, weak snowpack also means that hazards are often buried just beneath the snow surface. Adjustments may need to be made to your skiing style and speed as a result.

Short days At the winter solstice, December 22, at Banff, the sun rises at about 8:45 a.m. and sets at about 4:30 p.m. (MST). At the spring equinox, March 20, daylight hours are significantly longer, with sunrise at about 7:45 a.m. and sunset at about 8:00 p.m. (MDT) At this latitude, twilight begins and ends about half an hour on either side of sunrise and sunset.

Remoteness Although more and more skiers are seen in the backcountry of the Canadian Rockies, it is not uncommon to have a tour to yourself where you will not see another party. On some of the multi-day trips you may not see anyone else for days at a time. Ski touring parties should be prepared to take care of themselves if any issues arise, as outside rescue resources can take some time to get to you, especially in bad weather. Carrying a communications device is recommended.

WHEN TO GO

The ski season in the Canadian Rockies can be long. Dedicated skiers often get their first turns in October and ski well into May. Some of the icefield tours and ski mountaineering ascents may be done into June if extensive valley bottom travel is not required.

The season often starts in the autumn with upslope storms that affect the southern front ranges of the Rockies. These systems cause snow on the east slopes of the range, with snowfalls often limited to the Kananaskis region. Since the snowpack is just starting to accumulate, tours that have a smooth ground cover are best at this time. An example would be Robertson Glacier or areas around Highwood Pass prior to the road closing on December 1. If you’re skiing on glaciers in the early season, remember that crevasse bridges will be thin and weak.

A westerly flow usually begins to dominate the weather pattern in November or December. The snowpack begins to accumulate more along the Continental Divide, with the eastern regions generally not getting as much precipitation. This pattern usually persists until late in the spring. Upslope storms often start up again in April, May or June.

Since the Canadian Rockies are a relatively dry range, widespread good snow coverage frequently does not happen until late in the season. Combine this with a snowpack that usually contains unstable persistent weak layers throughout the winter, and touring options are often limited until March. Up until that time, skiers generally congregate in areas that have skiing at treeline elevations, or in ski zones to the west of the Divide where there is a deeper snowpack, or on the more accessible and less crevassed glaciers and icefields.

For many local skiers, late winter and spring are their favourite times to ski. By March the snowpack is deeper and the lower-elevation skiing is better. The weak layers in the snowpack often will slowly begin to stabilize by this time too, and tours with more exposure to serious terrain may become practical.

The first melt-freeze cycle generally takes place sometime in April, resulting in widespread easy travel and a more stable snowpack. This is the time to do that committing traverse or ski mountaineering ascent you have had on your list all winter. Late-season touring in the Rockies is exceptional and makes the region a world-class backcountry ski destination.

Every ski season is different and there are always exceptions to these broad rules. It is important for readers to practise proper pre-trip planning and investigation to find out where the safest and best skiing is at any given time.

WEATHER

The Canadian Rockies lie in a continental snowpack climate region, which is characterized by relatively low snowfalls and cold temperatures.

Mid-winter snow depths at treeline in much of the range average between 120 and 150 cm. Below treeline, depths can be significantly less than that. In alpine areas up to 200 cm may be expected, with the icefields having perhaps 300 cm or more.

Snowfall amounts during storm events are light, often less than 20 cm. Storms depositing 30 cm or more are rare except on the highest icefields along the Continental Divide.

Temperatures at treeline elevations average around −12°C during the day in midwinter. Colder events with temperatures in the −20s are common, and extreme events of −30°C or colder happen a few times each season. Above-freezing temperatures may happen at any time but begin to regularly occur in April.

Winds are generally westerly or southwesterly.

Two forces dominate the weather in most of the range: the Arctic airmass and a westerly flow from the Pacific. Long periods of dry and cold weather are interspersed with storm systems that are usually weaker than what occurs in the coastal or interior ranges.

As a general rule, the farther north and east the skier goes, the less it will snow and the colder the average temperatures are. The greatest snowfalls occur on the icefields along the Divide and in the Fernie area.

The heaviest snowfalls happen when a warm southwesterly flow affects the region, with the greatest potential for precipitation taking place if that flow collides with the cold Arctic air.

A more westerly flow may lose much of its moisture before getting to the Rockies, resulting in cloudy weather but only light flurries. A northwest flow may also affect the region, which can cause more snow in the north end of the range than in the south.

The exception to all of the above is Fernie. This area is more accurately described as having a snow climate that is transitional between maritime and continental zones. Fernie’s weather is more typical of areas farther west in the Columbia Mountains, where warmer temperatures and more precipitation prevail. Fernie is seldom affected by the Arctic airmass and rain is more of an issue here than cold temperatures are.

SNOWPACK

A continental climate equates to a relatively shallow and weak snowpack that has a high degree of variability in its distribution and layering due to the wind.

Snowpack layering usually consists of some low-density surface snow that may become faceted (and eventually buried), stronger mid-pack layers that may act as a slab, and weaker facets that make up the lower third of the pack. The facet layers persist for most of the winter and are often the primary avalanche problem for skiers. Surface hoar occurs but is not as much of a problem in the Rockies as it is in the Columbia Mountains farther west.

The low-density snowpack is heavily modified by the wind. It is not unusual to see open, windward areas scoured down to the ground. This means windslabs on lee slopes are also a major avalanche problem. Since these windslabs may load on top of facets or surface hoar that formed on the surface during a clear spell, they often persist for longer in the Rockies than they do in other ranges. The wind effect also causes significant variability in snowpack layering and loads on weak layers.

The facets that predominate in the Rockies are typical of any other persistent weak layer (PWL). They are quicker to form than they are to disappear; they are usually widespread in their distribution; they may be sensitive to subtle changes in weather and load; and even for professional avalanche forecasters it is surprisingly difficult to predict how these facets will react on any particular slope at any particular time.

Persistent weak layers will often cause concern for skiers from October to April on nearly all slopes. This is a drawback to skiing in the area but it also means that avalanche problems are usually known and obvious. A distinctly conservative and patient attitude in terms of terrain selection needs to be exercised to tour in the Rockies for much of the winter.

A spring melt-freeze cycle creates firm crusts on the snow surface every year, usually in April. This creates a decision-making environment where it is far easier to determine when and where the PWLs will be unstable.

Again, the area around Fernie may be the exception to all of this. In this region expect to find a deep, warm snowpack. Storm snow instabilities that take place during storm events are often the primary avalanche problem. Persistent weak layers may also be found, but they are less common than in other zones in the Rockies and are more likely to consist of surface hoar or rain crusts. Care still needs to be taken when touring in the Fernie area, but the concerns are often different and may be shorter-lived.

AVALANCHE ACTIVITY

Light snowfalls mean light loads on the snowpack. As a result, avalanches often occur inconsistently and require the additional load of a skier to trigger. Widespread natural avalanche cycles happen only a few times every winter in much of the range.

The first large cycle normally takes place in December when the weak base is subjected to the first heavy storm of the winter. This event may also occur in November or January. Many avalanches up to size 3 may run at treeline and alpine elevations. Less often, large avalanches will also run at below-treeline elevations. A mid-winter storm in January or February often has the same effect, resulting in a second round of large slides.

Both of those events will usually occur near the end of a storm that will deposit 25 cm or more at treeline and where a significant amount of wind-transported snow adds load.

In both these cases, lingering instabilities in the PWLs will mean skiers could still trigger large avalanches. As time goes on, the chance of triggering an avalanche diminishes, although the consequences remain the same. Any avalanches will be of a large size if the PWL is triggered.

Other, smaller avalanche cycles will occur with smaller snowfall and/or wind events throughout the winter.

In mid- to late March, warming temperatures will often reactivate PWLs that may have been dormant for some time and a new round of slab avalanches often happens. A skier-triggered slide on a sunny late-winter day will frequently be the first indication of this instability.

The last big cycle of the season happens during a thaw instability in April. Large slab or loose snow avalanches can be expected, especially during the first period of time where temperatures remain above freezing overnight. The largest avalanches of the season run at this time, often failing near the ground at all elevations.

AVALANCHE DANGER RATINGS

Public avalanche bulletins throughout the area use the North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale, which is consistent with the five-level international danger scale used in alpine nations worldwide. Avalanche Danger Scale definitions can be found here.

TERRAIN

The Canadian Rockies are a sedimentary mountain range with extensive glaciation at upper elevations and dense forests in the valleys. Most of the skiing zones covered in this book lie within 15 km of the Continental Divide.

In the areas covered in this book there are scores of peaks over 3000 m with good ski descents on many of them. There are at least a dozen icefields and they average about 2650 m in elevation. Large glaciers draining the icefields may push down to 2000 m or lower, but the average glacier toe is probably in the 2450 m range.

Treeline is generally found between 2100 and 2200 m on the eastern side of the range and between 1900 and 2000 m along the Continental Divide and west. Not much skiing is found below 1800 m, with the exception of the Fernie area and on some of the major traverses where low-elevation valley bottoms are encountered.

Extensive thrust faulting and glacial erosion have generally caused north and east aspects to be much steeper than south- and west-facing slopes. This naturally creates efficient fetch zones in which the wind-stripped snow from the south- and west-facing windward terrain is transported and deposited onto steeper lee north and east areas. Since these are less steep and often uncluttered by cliffs, travel on the south and west aspects is often easier. These windward areas characteristically have a thinner snowpack, and avalanche hazards may be significantly different than on the corresponding lee slopes.

Differentially eroded sedimentary bedding planes create distinct ledges and benches that are developed along with steeper terrain and cliffs. These are seen especially on north and east aspects. On steeper terrain, skiers must often work their way from bench to bench by utilizing gullies and discontinuous ramps. Heavy glaciation has formed many bowls, cirques and moraines, evidence of which are found at all but the lowest elevations.

Many of the glaciers here are not especially active and may be less crevassed than those in other ranges. However, the thin snowpack means that crevasse bridges are often weak, and thus skiers in the Rockies may use a glacier rope