The Canadian Rockies aren’t necessarily known for incredible ski quality. Most years it ranges from mediocre to abysmal. Facets, persistent weak layers, and long periods without any precipitation mean that the snowpack is usually not very inspiring, and often downright terrifying. What is inspiring is the terrain. Few places in the world offer as much…
The Grand Daddy Couloir on Bow Peak in Banff National Park is a line I’ve been staring at for as long as i’ve been driving up and down the Icefields Parkway. Dozens of ski trips have had me staring across the highway at this thing, and every time it has called me to come and…
The Sugar Cube is an awesome day tour located near Helen Lake. A short Couloir, and a number of relatively long slopes offer lots of opportunities for ski touring.
If you have done any ski touring in the Canadian Rockies, you’ve probably heard of Bow Summit. The many dozens of cars parked here, and number of AST1 courses that take place here on any given weekend should hint that this is a very popular ski touring destination. But is it really the best first…
Puzzle Peak (or OXO peak) is usually a great, classic ski tour to a prominent mountain summit that is relatively easily accessible along the Icefields Parkway. The day I met up with Brandon, however, it was a little more of a “scramble in ski boots” than it typically would be. But I think, that’s part…
Dolomite Shoulder is an awesome backcountry skiing day trip located on the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park, Alberta
Crystal Ridge is a large ski touring zone north of Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway located just a few kilometers south of Bow Lake.
Helen Shoulder makes up the south ridge of Dolomite Peak on the Icefields Parkway. The ridge offers access to the Cirque Peak drainage (Helen Lake) via east-facing slopes on mellow terrain. West slopes feature a number of long runs towards the Highway. There are lots of amazing burnt trees and wide-open slopes with a bit…
Jimmy. Jr bowl is a great ski touring gem at the north end of the icefields parkway just past Bow Lake.
