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| Rossland from KC |
It all started last Sunday with an unfriendly wake up of 2 am, a frantic pack, all in order to be ready for the 3 am pick up. This is what skiing is all about. Waiting around out on the street for a ride at 3 am. Skiis and backpack on the yellow snow bank. The world around Rossland is quiet and still.
Sure enough, the truck with Jason, the fearless driver, Meaghan and Amber rolls around after a few missed turns and finds me. Throw my skiis and bag in the back and hop into the cramped cab of the trusty toyota pick up truck. No sleep for me back there, too cramped, but also too excited for I know what awaits. It is the area ski tour dreams are made off.
A peaceful stop at Galena Bay to stretch the legs, then the mandatory stop at Timmy Ho's for breaky and coffee. 1 hour later and we enter Glacier National Park. Already we can see the monstrous, rocky peaks. 10 minutes later and we see the first cars parked on the side of the road, people putting their skins on their skis. The first thing noticed is that there are sooo many people. I guess it is a Sunday, and I guess it did just snow.
A quick stop at the Information Centre to meet up with Judith and Michelle and in order to sign up for the much needed permit to stay in the National Park and we thought we were off. After stopping for a few minutes in the Asulkan area parking lot, an uneasy feeling is among us. Too many people! A quick drive back to the information centre for another permit necessary to ski another area in the park and then another 15 minute drive and we were at another parking lot, the Bostock Parking lot, also busy but not as busy.
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| Bostock Parking Lot. The trailhead for McGill Shoulder |
Everyone gears up and 4 hours later we were near treeline near the top of McGill Shoulder. Sure enough, the snow looks awesome, low wind, great terrain all be it in avalanche paths. But here we are, I woke up in a nice warm bed at an ungodly hour but it is all worth it to experience what we are about to experience. Untouched steep and deep powder! Sure enough the run down is epic. It starts to get dark as we get back to the parking lot. But it is not finished yet as we have booked a night at the Wheeler hut, about 20 minutes up the Asulkan trail from the parking lot.
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| The starting point for the ski down McGill Shoulder |
So another short drive and another gear up and we set off to find the cabin. Pretty easy, the trail follows the old cpr rail line. A very forgiving, flat grade. The hut is an oasis and our home for the next 3 nights. Can sleep 24 people, luckily it was only the 6 of us plus maybe 10 others. That was enough people for me.
A very deserving sleep was had and we were all refreshed for another epic day on the Monday. Our goal, the Asulkan Hut and further if possible which is above the treeline and in some untouched alpine. 5 hours and we found another oasis, the Asulkan Hut. One of the best lunches was had with meat and cheese and trail mix in the comfort of a hut surrounded my the most gnarly peaks I have seen in a long time.
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| The skin up to the Asulkan Hut |
Well, the lunch was all well and good but it is the skiing we are after. The ski down was another epic one, steeper and deeper. A little dangerous but not serious slides were caused.
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| Looking back at the ski down from the Asulkan Hut |
A very long, flat ski out was the reward for slashing the powder earlier. But we knew a warm hut and glory bowls awaits us.
The snow started to fall on the ski out and that got us even more excited. Sure enough the next day brought us fresh powder and blue skies. The best day for pictures for sure. This time we head to the right a bit towards Saphirre Col. Our goal is even higher and longer than the day before but at this point we are all in the groove of ski touring and were much faster than days previous. Of course it is much colder this day because the sun is shining. It is a blue bird powder day, the stuff dreams are made of but alas, the cold weather is not good for batteries and my camera fails first thing in the morning.
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| The skin up to Saphirre Col |
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| Just below Saphirre Col |
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| Tbe ski down from Saphirre Col |
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| The views from the skin out |
Most of these photos are from other peoples cameras unfortunately. Thank you to everyone else for documenting such beauty. Surrounded 360 degrees by the biggest, most unforgiving peaks and to be able to ski down safely but with enough fun was definitely something special.
Thank you to all who made it happen. Especially Jason and Meaghan for inviting me! And Judith for organizing most of it!
