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Rogers Pass

2014 Canadian Skimo Team Camp at Rogers Pass

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This is a guest post from a recent Canadian Skimo Team training camp in Rogers Pass. I was unable to attend so I want to thank Peter Knight for the text and Travis Brown for the photos.
The Alpine Club of Canada had taken a page out of Alison Redford’s playbook and generously block-booked the hut for us so we would have lots of elbow room to eat and sleep as just Michelle Roberts, Martha Burley, Steve Sellers, and Travis and I were attending.

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After a 3-hour ski up to the hut, through tracked out snow and watching numerous groups ski down, the sleeping bags and hut booties seemed more inviting than a couple of short laps above the hut in wind affected snow.
Monday brought a lazy start but with some ambitious goals. None of the weekend groups had skied above the hut and the weather and avalanche conditions were looking good, so we set our sights up to the top of Youngs Peak. Travis punched the track up the steep headwall and we quickly topped out.
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I was expecting to pound out a couple of laps on the Steps of Paradise, but soon we were skiing down the other side towards the Forever Young couloir, which was untouched since the last snowfall. Meanwhile, some German ski mountaineering racers had topped out the couloir from the road so I had some company at the top while I waited my turn. We all made it down safely with varying levels of slough management techniques.

Michelle and Martha with Forever Young behind them.
Michelle and Martha with Forever Young behind them.
Typically these camps are a chance to ski lots of vertical, but with tired legs from racing two days before this adventure was an interesting diversion. After a couple of afternoon laps of the triangle moraine it was time for a classic staple of these SMCC Asulkan ski camps: the bonk-slog up the tree triangle back to the Asulkan hut at the end of the day.
Shortly after the last stragglers arrived back at the hut, the wind got much stronger and battered the hut all night. The wind sustained through the morning and brought warm temperatures along with it. Freezing levels rose above the hut, motivation levels did the opposite. Trees were uncovered by the wind and their snow was blown into the outhouse thanks to some broken locks. And it was raining. It was time to bail.
The ski down from the hut was interesting as the snow got slower and less supportive as we worked our way down. The snow could be described as elephant snot or fluffy powder depending on whether the person you were talking to was from Fernie or not. On the way down we encountered what is likely another full house at the Asulkan. Nobody was pumped to hear that it was raining at the hut.
Well at least I got back to Edmonton at a decent hour 😉

Podcast interview with Doug Sproul on creating a ski guidebook + discussing the Manual for Ski Mountaineering Racing

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Have you ever wanted a ski guidebook with 80% of pages being pictures with skin tracks and ski lines right on them? How about having Google Earth ski touring maps right on your smartphone?
In today’s podcast I went on to interview Doug Sproul who is the author of the most comprehensive ski guidebook I ever saw (and you most likely too). The guidebook covers terrain of the famed Rogers Pass (Glacier National Park, BC) that is arguably the best place for touring and ski mountaineering in North America.
Doug has been selling a PDF version on his website for some time but feedback from people ultimately  pressed him to think about printing. Since the publishing, production and shipping costs are very high he is running a KickStarter campaign right now. If you would buy this book anyways then now is the time because if you don’t buy it via KickStarter before Nov 26th then everyone just gets their money back and no book will get printed.

Listen or download

At the beginning, I am giving a short preview to our e-book Manual for Ski Mountaineering Racing.

In this episode we discussed:

  • Intro to Manual for Ski Mountaineering Racing.
  • How Doug created the book by learning every piece of software.
  • What lead him to creation of such a comprehensive tool and take years out of his personal life.

Resources related to this podcast episode:

Please leave a comment below if you liked the episode or give me some feedback of how can I improve future ones.
Thank you!

Rogers Pass in fall light beauty + October snow dusting

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Yesterday, after a shivering -4 C night in a 10+ C sleeping bag I got rewarded with what I hopped for – beautiful views over a lightly snow dusted Glacier National Park, BC.
For those that have been to Rogers Pass only in the winter or haven’t been at all these few pics should convince you to visit in summer or fall.
I hiko-runned-scrabled my favourite trail in the area, up and to the very end of Abbot Ridge. Just after 10am I was at the top, still enjoying the best light nature has to offer.
BTW, Abbott Ridge area is a permanently closed area in the winter, so your only chance for the below views is a snow-less season.

Rogers Peak and Swiss Peak morning light
7am light hitting Rogers and Swiss Peak.
Abbot Ridge
This could make for a nice hiking post card, missing the usual bear though. Left: looking to Mt Abbott from end of official trail, Right: looking back at the ridge from Mt Abbott (2465m).
Rogers Pass, Abbott Ridge
Random Rogers Pass beauty. Winter is slowly approaching.
Mount Sir Donald
Mount Sir Donald, with its spectacular climbing routes, is a deserved king of Glacier National Park. It was first climbed in 1890. The below 1902 photo, from Wikipedia, shows the Illecillewaet Glacier (to the right from Sir Donald) flowing all the way down to the valley. Now, it is about 400 vertical meters higher.

Canadian team summer skimo training camp – Revelstoke, Sep 15-16, 2012

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Since 2009 Canadian National Ski Mountaineering Team have been meeting every September for our summer training camp.
Previous camps were usually hosted in Canmore, AB by Steve Sellers but this year we thought it’s time for a change and organized it in Revelstoke, BC.
The team was pretty much complete with one exception – everyone’s favorite and North America’s fastest, Reiner Thoni, couldn’t make it as his old truck started to come apart a day before his departure.

Camp concept

The idea behind this camp wasn’t about training hard. It was about getting together and have good times.
We are also trying to blend in some younger blood into the team before people find themselves sharing a room at World Championships in February, 2013.
Attending: Melanie Bernier, Martha Burley, Steve Sellers, Stano Faban, Brad Schalles, Peter Knight, Adnrew McNab, Ian Gale, Jeff Colvin, Julie Matteau.

Day 1: hiko-running-scrambling Mt Cheops (2605m)

Summary of day one and all photos are from Brad Schalles (WestCoast Skimo – http://westcoastskimo.blogspot.ca/), one of new additions to the Team. Watch out for Brad this year, he will be the NA dark horse this year.
On Saturday the group split up, with five of us heading up to Rogers Pass for a run and scramble up 1300m to summit Mt Cheops. After meeting up with Steve, who had spent a cold night at the pass, we headed up the trail in the crisp morning air.
The run up to Balu Pass was fast and we all felt light on our feet on the superbly maintained trail. We made it to Balu in an hour and thirty minutes – we all remarked on how much faster it was to run up the valley rather than ski.

Just below the summit rock atop Cheops Mountain, from left: Steve Sellers, Martha Burley, Melanie Bernier, Stano Faban, Brad Schalles.
After a quick snack on top of the biggest rock we could find, we scrambled along the ridge to the top of Mt Cheops. At the summit we pulled a few bouldering moves to ensure that we were on the tippy top of Mt Cheops. We had a snack and took a group photo in our team Rab jackets, and then we set off down the ridge towards our next stop: an ice cold dip in Connaught Creek (which just might be the coldest creek in Canada).
We made a light-speed trip back to Revelstoke (thanks to Slovakian over-drive), and we regrouped at a fine local establishment with Andrew and Peter. They had spent the day at the Martha Creek Melt Down where Peter placed 1st and Andrew 4th. After a great night caching up and talking all things skimo, we headed home to rest up for the next big day of the camp.
Descending from Cheops with the Trans-Canada highway one vertical mile below us.

Day 2: Skimo pentathlon + bike ride

Watching the summer London Olympics left me with lots of inspiration and so on Sunday morning we all met at Revelstoke high school stadium. The leader for this session was Jeff Colvin – one of the fastest Canadian skimo racers few years back – who is a track & field coach at the school.
Under Jeff’s leadership we all completed the following “skimo pentathlon”:

  • 100m sprint
  • shot put
  • star run (agility run)
  • long jump (from stand-still)
  • 800m run

Everyone had loads of fun as none of us knew what to expect from each discipline. On top of that, by the time our heads somewhat grasped one skill it was time to move to something else – testing our adaptiveness in the process.
Women’s pentathlon was won by Melanie Bernier and men’s main prize went to Brad Schalles who blew everyone in the 800m run on top of winning the 100 dash.
» Revealing video coming soon 🙂
Afternoon
After a season planing meeting during the lunch we split into road and mountain biking groups.
In fact, it was only me and Brad riding the road. We had a good 3h ride in the sunset lit valley north of Revelstoke, riding the always twisting road on the shores of 130km long Lake Revelstoke.
The mountain bike group rode the shadowy side of the valley, however, great Revelstoke trails kept them warm too.

Next camp

Team’s next camp is in the works. It will likely be already on skis somewhere high in the beautiful Canadian mountains.

Needle Peak (Coquihalla) and Rogers Pass conditions

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Here is a brief report on conditions from Needle Peak (Coquihalla area) and Rogers Pass.
On my way to Canmore I planned two stops – a quick ski at Coquihalla area and a full ski day at Rogers Pass.
Forecasted avalanche conditions were quite different for the two locations and indeed the weather at both locations was quite different as well.

Needle Peak – Coquihalla (Jan 16, 2010)

Approaching Needle Peak.
Looking back at Needle Peak.
Weather conditions can be defined in two words – blue bird. But what surprised me was absolute absence of winds – even “calm” would be too strong of a word.
Snow within the treeline was quite deep and fairly dry. Once on the ridge and getting out of the trees the top layers were wind affected but it really depended on the spot how much the wind played its role as it changed quite a bit.
Skiing experience was pretty good, especially in the tree line. On the ridge not so pleasant, due to breakable wind slab, but definitely skiable.
Avalanches – I observed only one debris from a small slab that was about 8m wide and run for only about 15m. Might have been about 20-30cm deep. It was on NE aspect on a wind loaded slope above tree line.

Rogers Pass (Jan 17, 2010)

No surprises. Deep track setting at Rogers Pass.
No surprises. Deep track setting at Rogers Pass.
Due to high avalanche danger rating at tree line and above we opted to head for Ursus Trees and then gain a ridge on the right side of the basin and ski laps there.
Weather was typical for Selkirks – high overcast with occasional breaks chased by small flurries.
However, the temperatures felt quite warm (about -2 C) even at 2000m. The winds were calm where we were.
In the trees we skied and pretty much anywhere in the tree line the snow was…super deep and…very good. 🙂 Hard work setting a skin track though as the penetration on skis was about 30cm and more.
Skiing was Rogers Pass average, in one word – fantastic. We had the whole treed slope for ourselves, so we skied a brand new run every time.
We observed debris at couple of locations from avalanches from the previous days but nothing on that day.
Neither anything was going on a surface hoar layer in the trees we were skiing. However, these trees get skied a lot, therefore, the surface hoar might got destroyed before any snow fell on top of it.

More photos those two trips

I took this photo to show you one of the coolest lines skied at Rogers Pass. Greg and Aaron did two rappels over ice falls to accomplish this first decent.
I took this photo to show you one of the coolest lines skied at Rogers Pass. Greg and Aaron did two rappels over ice falls to accomplish this first descent. I believe they did it in the 2008/2009 season.
Looking west from the top of Needle Peak.
Looking west from the top of Needle Peak.
Skiing trees in deep snow at Coquihalla.
Skiing trees in deep snow at Coquihalla.

Rogers Pass: Significant changes to Winter Permit System

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Since the end of the last season the System underwent significant changes that were introduced to public at the beginning of this one.
Anyone that skies or skied at Rogers Pass most likely knows about the Winter Permit System that is in place to keep the winter recreating public safe, however, now the rules got a bit more strict and some new restricted areas were created.

What is the Winter Permit System in short?

Skinning up inside Cheops restricted area.
Skinning up inside Cheops restricted area.
“The Winter Permit System allows backcountry users to enter Winter Restricted Areas that are affected by the highway avalanche program when artillery gunfire is not anticipated,” explains Parks Canada website.
In other words, it is in place to make sure no one will enter areas when they are under gunfire via avalanche control work that is conducted to keep the transportation corridor open.
The Winter Permit System divides the park into three types of areas:

  • Winter Prohibited Areas are closed to visitors all winter.
  • Winter Restricted Areas are where permit holders can only ski here on days when the area is posted as open.
  • Winter Unrestricted Areas of the park are open to visitors all winter. No permit is required.

How does it work and what is new?

From a skier point of view the permit system used to work this way:
Any time you or your group intended to ski in a winter restricted area you had to drive up to Rogers Pass Center, find out what’s open and what is not, and apply for a permit.
Then one of you filled out the permit and off you went to where it was open – meaning the area was not controlled by avalanche professionals for that day.
Since the changes were introduced this process changed a bit. In some ways it means more hassle, more restrictions but in some ways it makes things easier and makes rules more clear.
Now there are two ways how to apply for a permit to a winter restricted areas:
1. The old way with a change:
As before, you drive up to Rogers Pass Center and fill out the permit there. But as of now, everyone in the group needs to fill out a permit and sign a waiver. A bottom portion (stub) of the permit of each one’s permit needs to be placed on the dash of your car. The bigger slip goes with you on the trip.
2. The new way:
You apply for an Annual Winter Permit – for free – at the Rogers Pass Center (RPC) and you will be set for the rest of the winter without needing to drive up to RPC each time you want to ski in a restricted area. To get your Annual Winter Permit you need to sign couple of waivers and sit through one of the orientation sessions that are being held twice a week at RPC.
The Annual Winter Permit consists of two “credit card like” looking cards. One has a photo of you on it and you carry it with you on your trips. The other one needs to be placed on the dash of a car that is used to access the area.
Of course, you can access a restricted area only when it’s open. To find out what is open you can either visit Parks Canada website or call this number: 1-250-837-SKIS (7547).
Benefits
An obvious benefit for those that ski the Pass regularly or couple of times a season is that they don’t have to drive up to the Pass every time they want to ski in a restricted area.
Hassles
For those that ski the Rogers Pass only a few days per season it means driving up to RPC to get a permit any time they want to ski in a restricted area. And each member of the group has to fill out the permit and sign a waiver, each and every time.
New restricted areas
There are three new restricted areas that are very popular locations – McGill, Cheops North, and Grizzly Shoulder. That means that you will have to apply for a permit any time you intended to ski here, unless of course you have the annual permit.

Skiing bottom parts of Grizzly Shoulder and looking towards Cheops North (with Hourglass), both are new restricted areas. Photo by Reiner Thoni.
Skiing bottom parts of Grizzly Shoulder and looking towards Cheops North (with Hourglass), both are new restricted areas. Photo by Reiner Thoni.

Why all these changes?

Based on Parks Canada website: “Changes to the Winter Permit System are based on concern for public safety – due to expanding terrain use by backcountry recreationists and the operational need to separate recreation activities from avalanche control actions. Boundaries to Winter Restricted and Prohibited areas have been adjusted in order to firmly apply accepted standards of 1000 metre standoff from artillery targets.”
In other words, until now skiers were exposed to the same danger but now that is no longer acceptable 🙂
Now more seriously – it is a concern now because people are skiing at places they never skied before and the highway avalanche program professionals feel that there would be potential accidents if these changes weren’t made.
Also, a part for initiating these changes was how backcountry users were dealing with railway tracks – crossing them or just walking on them.
By law, crossing Canadian Pacific Railways tracks is trespassing on CP property. Therefore, some crossings and access points have been evaluated and re-established. And make sure to not walk on tracks at all. You can walk parallel to them but at least 16m away from them.

What you should do? What others think?

Parks Canada is making a great effort to make sure that the public has access to as much terrain in Glacier National Park as possible. Therefore, we should all behave in such ways that won’t compromise future use of this great terrain by getting us shut out via some highway corridor safety or CP property issues. The priority is on safe public travel and transportation, so be good guests for the sake of all of us.
Understandably, some local or frequent skiers to Rogers Pass feel that something is being imposed on them that restricts them in a big way. I might agree in some ways, however, I think we should give the new changes a chance and re-evaluate them at the end of this season.

What do you think? Want to learn more?

Changes to the System is a bit of a hot topic among the Rogers Pass winter users these days. Therefore, you are welcome to express your opinion about this topic and discuss it in the comments below. It would be interesting to see what people thing.
To learn more details about the changes in Winter Permit System you can visit Parks Canada website – Winter Permit System.

Interview with Julie Matteau – Canada's ski mountaineering champ enjoys every day in the mountains

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A year ago, not many people involved with ski mountaineering and backcountry skiing knew Julie Matteau, except her touring friends and a couple of work related contacts. That is not the case anymore.

Getting ready for a transition at one of the races.
Getting ready for a transition at one of the races.
Last season, Julie became the Canadian Ski Mountaineering Champion, she won the Canadian Ski Mountaineering Cup and won all Canadian skimo races in the process. Also, she clocked more vertical feet during that season than most backcountry skiers would do in ten years.
And while doing that, all of us that know or have met her, were treated to her happy smile all the time and everywhere.
Here is more from Julie in an interview about pretty much anything:
Q: Last season you won everything that Canadian skimo racing scene offers. Was that your goal or it just happened that way?
Last year, with a better pre-season training regime and a healthier body, I was definitely aiming to win as many races as I could.
My ability to focus and my level of skiing were much better which paid off. I was hoping, but didn’t expect, to win all the of the Canadian series races as well as I did.
Q: When did you start ski mountaineering racing and backcountry skiing? How did you start?
I started backcountry skiing back in 2001, the first winter after I moved to BC. It began as something I wanted to do as a recreational sport after being inspired from a friend’s pictures of Rogers Pass.
I slowly got into the sport, starting with renting the equipment and slowly getting my own. Only much later, in the year of 2007, was I made aware of the competitive side of backcountry skiing, ski rando racing, with the visit of European friends with their very light gear.
With a few friends/co-workers of mine at MEC, we all decided to race in Whistler at the Telus World Backcountry Freeride Jam Festival for the first time. Them with light equipment, and myself with my regular backcountry ski gear.
Despite the 2 days of hard racing, I truly enjoyed the course and the vibe within the crowd. I witnessed some serious speed by a few European racers that week-end,  and it began.
Q: Is there anything that sucks being a gal when backcountry skiing and what are the benefits?
Being a gal doesn’t really suck, you can even get special treatment sometimes depending on your partners 🙂 On a more serious note, I have to say I’m very happy to have skied and ski with great partners that treat everyone with a lot of respect.
A lot of male friends appreciate us gals joining their group because it balances the testosterone level. I have heard it many times that “it’s good to mix it up”!
Q: You used to live in Vancouver (before in Quebec) but you moved to Revelstoke. Do you like it there?
I love it here! Not that I didn’t enjoy back east all those years or Vancouver in the last 8 years.  The great living in Revelstoke for me, mainly involves living with my boyfriend and being able to enjoy what I love doing almost every day.
Revelstoke has an amazing outdoor “backyard” that offers limitless options if you like to be active. Its inspiring to live within a very fit and active community and it definitely responds to my love for the mountains.
Q: In Revelstoke, you get to ski with an amazing group. Besides being great people, they are also very strong skiers. What does a day trip with them involve?
Julie ripping powder at Rogers Pass.
Julie ripping powder at Rogers Pass. Photo by Bruno Long.
I’m very fortunate to be surrounded by so many amazing skiers and mountain people. To get to spend so much time with well rounded skiers enables me to improve my skiing and learn more in the mountains.
Their knowledge of the area and their abilities motivate me to be a better “mountain man”. Their fitness and skiing skills push my athletic abilities and allow me to improve on every level.
People I ski with are very efficient: start early, discuss our options for the day and its conditions, take only small breaks during the day to snack and have lunch and pound as much vert as the day allows us.
Everybody pitches in for setting the track and its amazing how efficient big groups can be around here…one day a group of 12 of us skied 9,000 feet in a regular day, everybody knew how to move.
Q: How much vertical feet/metres have you climbed the most in a day?
11,500 feet in one day. It was a long day with some big objectives….came back with our head lamps in the dark, such a good day!
Q: Do you do any specific training for skimo races or you just ski as much as you can, then go race?
Last year I built up my strength from May to January with Crossfit training in Vancouver, at Crossfit Westside with the amazing Jenika. I was lucky not to be working last year from January on, so I spent almost every day skiing. I had an extraordinary winter.
Racing at the US Championships 2009 in Jackson Hole. Photo by Dave Bowers.
Racing at the US Championships 2009 in Jackson Hole. Photo by Dave Bowers.
Although skiing in the mountains got me some serious mileage, I had to spend time working on my skiing with my racing skis and practicing transitions. Going uphill with the light gear consist of a bit of a different technique and skiing down requires some serious practice! [Ed. You can read how lighter gear affects technique here.]
I did a few sessions of interval training as well which I think helped a lot. Racing is such a different mindset and requires a lot physically which is why I think you need to do both.
Q: Do you currently have any sponsors?
In the past I have been well supported by my ex-employer MEC but as of right now I’m on my own. I hope to get some sponsorship this year with the World Championships in Andorra and the Pierra Menta all coming up in 2010.
Q: What are your favorite activities beside ski touring?
I much enjoy mountain biking, trail running, climbing and Crossfit training. This summer I got to do a little bit more sport climbing and light mountaineering which I find very interesting. I’d like to improve my skills in these various sports to be a more well-rounded mountain athlete.
Q: What are your racing goals for the 2010 season? And what are your non racing goals?
My non racing goals always include staying healthy and enjoying every day I spend outside in the mountains!! I also want to improve my skills in less than perfect conditions, and my steep and rocky skiing abilities.
As for racing, I’m aiming to keep my title and continue to push my fitness. I’m shooting for a good result in the World Championships in Andorra and completing the Pierra Menta race.
Skiing McGill Shoulder to Bostock Creek with Sir Donald in the background.
Skiing McGill Shoulder to Bostock Creek with Sir Donald in the background. Photo by Bruno Long.
Q: Do you like to ski tour more with guys or with girls?
I like both depending on the individual. I’ve been skiing with guys the majority of my time since they outnumber us. There are few females that I would love to ski more with but I also enjoy the mixed group.
Q: Your boyfriend is also Canada’s top skimo racer (You are both on the Canadian National team). Do you think about how his race is going when you are racing, or you are totally focused only on your own race?
I always look up to the leading pack in a race and since Jeff [Ed. Jeff Colvin] is always in front of me I often wish he’s having a good race. Races are usually pretty long so it gives me lots of time to think. I definitely think of him while I’m racing but with very short thoughts.
I bring my focus back when I think of anything else other than the actual race I’m in. Everything happens so fast in racing that you want to be focused to minimize your errors.
I very much enjoy crossing either my boyfriend and my ski partner Andrew McNab when I race, its a huge motivation to hear them yell your name!
Q: How does your favourite day in the mountains look like?
My favorite day in the mountains is filled with friends, laughter, good snow, peeking from the sun and some amazing turns.
I like it when you don’t necessarily think the snow conditions are going to be perfect, but on your first turns you start getting little fuzzy feelings and you instantly get a permanent grin on your face 🙂
The non credited photo (the first one) in this article is from Julie Matteau’s collection. Author can contact me at “info(at sign here)skintrack.com” to add his name.