Report from January 13, 2025

On Monday Dwanis and I battled out into the British Columbia backcountry.

Things started flat and mellow, then quickly escalated into a full-blow BC bushwhack switchback into the steeps…

Pillows and steeps.

Pillows and steeps and logs.

Pillows and steeps and logs and trees.

It was rough going.

4 hours later, we poked out into the sunshine on the summit.

Well, our summit.

We didn’t really know where to ski.

The first option was sun-kissed and convex.

The surface hoar 12″ down was disconcerting.

Option #2 had ghost tracks in the shade and looked viable but very short for the effort we’d just put forth.

Numero 3 was precipitous into a hanging snowfield with unclear exit.

The 4th choice was a beat-t0-hell chute that had seen some unfriendly sideslip treatment.

Our final option was a blind rollover that I thought held pillows and steep terrain.

I wasn’t sure though…

We went for it.

The top turns in the sun were lovely.

As we entered the shade the snow increased in depth and explosiveness.

The pillows starting coming.

Easy at first.

Low angle and visible from a afar.

The mountain warped and twisted away from sight.

Twice I was sure we were cliffed-out.

The ledge just kept stair-stepping down in poofy, hugable pillow after pillow.

Chip-shots, flat landings, doubles, triples, quadruples, breaking as we rolled off them – they were all good.

We poofed and popped our way down – lost and strange.

Fearful and hopeful.

Somehow it all worked.

Exhausted & enthralled we stumbled onto a old lateral moraine with a perfect 38º pitch, affectionate spiney features, and friendly pillows.

The final 13 turns of the trip were my favorite.

We slithered home with smiling ease.

Thanks, BC!

Photos