Canadian Wilderness Ski Traverses

Canadian Wilderness Ski Traverses Itinerary

Bugaboos to Rogers Pass Traverse

This is undoubtedly the mega-classic of all Canadian wilderness ski traverses. It was first done in 1958 in nine days without any helicopter support — a remarkable effort! The traverse has since been done in just 80 hours (!), but most groups still take between 8 and 10 days in order to enjoy the traverse and allow for some inclement weather. We budget eight days of touring for our trip. This is a must-do traverse for every seasoned ski tourer with a good sense of adventure!

Best Season: Mid-March to mid-May

Start: Usually ACC Conrad Kain Hut in Bugaboo Provincial Park (accessed via helicopter in winter)

Finish: Rogers Pass Asulkan Valley Trailhead at the TransCanada Highway in Glacier National Park

Lodging / Camping: There are a number of usable shelters along the way. Some are well-equipped like the ACC Kain Hut (open only from mid-April on), the International Basin Hut and the ACC Glacier Circle Hut. The Malloy Igloo and the McMurdo Hut are very basic shelters without equipment. We also camp in tents at least two to three nights along the way.

Food caches: We usually arrange to deposit a food cache mid-trip at the International Basin Hut to keep the pack weights manageable. Additional food caches are possible at an additional cost.

Difficulty / Trip Crux: This traverse covers over 130 km /  80 miles with over 10,000 vertical meters / 33,000 feet of elevation gain and loss. It is a tough trip that requires excellent physical fitness and advanced skiing ability. The terrain is steep at times. The packs are always heavy. There are several cruxes, such as choosing the season’s best way around Mt. Syphax (although we can get some inside knowledge from our friends at CMH Bobbie Burns Lodge) and finding the four ice-covered rappel stations that allow descent from the Deville Neve.

Access: Either by helicopter from Golden to the ACC Kain Hut (long flight) or with our friends at CMH Bugaboos (shorter flight, only possible on Saturdays). Access on foot or by snowmobile is lengthy and the climb to the Kain Hut is cumbersome as the summer trail leads across steep moraines and rock slabs that are hazardous in winter and spring.

Southern Monashees Traverse

This is a less-known gem with an easy approach either from a roadside trailhead or (better) by a short helicopter flight. The Southern Monashees have a huge snowpack — more than any place in the Selkirks or the Rockies — and pretty mellow glaciers. The terrain is spectacular with huge ski runs up to 2,000 vertical meters / 7,000 ft.

Start: Helicopter drop-off south of Cranberry Peak (about 50 km from Revelstoke, BC)

Finish: Either a) TransCanada Highway close to Three Valley Gap or b) Mt. McPhearson Cross Country Trailhead about 7 km from Revelstoke, BC

Best Season: Usually possible from mid-December, but the best time is mid-January to mid-May

Lodging / Camping: The only official hut along the way is the Blanket Glacier Chalet, a commercial ski touring lodge that is rented out on a weekly basis to groups and not usually available for single overnight stays. There are rumors about one additional “secret shelter” en route which offers no facilities / equipment but a roof and four walls. Hence, it’s four nights of camping in super scenic spots at treeline or below, usually with access to running water and/or frozen lakes.

Food caches: We commonly arrange for a food and fuel cache at Blanket Creek (two days into the trip), set up by helicopter.

Trip Crux / Difficulty: This is a good trip for wilderness ski expedition beginners. Most glaciers, while large in size, are relatively mellow and with a bit of local knowledge, relatively easy to navigate. The most difficult part is the final ~1,600 m / 5,300 ft descent from Mt. Begbie or Mt. English all the way to town level, especially in late season! If the group doesn’t want to face hip-deep isothermal snow at the valley bottom, there is an excellent helicopter operator based in Revelstoke and getting a pick-up higher up is only a short (and relatively cheap) flight away.

Northern and Southern Selkirks Traverses

These traverses pick up where the Bugaboos to Rogers Pass Traverse ends, and offer a continuation for another 10-14 days all the way to Mica Creek at the northernmost tip of the Selkirks. Starting at Rogers Pass is convenient and cheap (no helicopter access) but also requires a good amount of bushwhacking and wild river crossings in the northwestern reaches of Glacier National Park, namely in Ursus and Mountain Creeks. An option is to spend a few dollars for a helicopter drop-off just outside the National Park. We commonly split this traverse into two parts: Rogers Pass to CMH Adamant Lodge (five days) and CMH Adamant Lodge to Big Mouth Creek or even all the way to Mica Creek (five to eight days).

Start: Part 1: At Rogers Pass or by helicopter drop-off at Alder Creek south of the Glacier National Park boundary. Part 2: Vehicle or snowmobile approach up the Goldstream Forest Road or helicopter drop-off on the Goldstream Neve.

Finish: Part 1: CMH Adamant Lodge or Goldstream Neve. Part 2: Hamlet of Mica Creek (road access) or by helicopter from a pick-up close to Kinbasket Lake.

Best Season: Early March to mid-May

Lodging / Camping: There are three well-equipped huts along this traverse: Sorcerer Lodge, ACC Great Cairn Hut, and the ACC Fairy Meadow Hut. Sorcerer and Fairy Meadow are usually rented out on a weekly basis to ski touring groups but an overnight may be possible depending on current bookings. We will be camping in our tents most nights, with the camping spots on the first part of the trip being mostly at treeline with access to running water. Camping on the second part of the trip requires some above-treeline camping.

Food caches: We commonly arrange for a food and fuel cache at Moberly Pass (Part 1) and Fairy Meadow Hut (Part 2).

Trip Crux / Difficulty: This is a very remote trip that requires a lot of stamina. The descent to Bachelor Creek can be challenging due to its low elevation and isothermal snow, and climbing out of it involves a short bit of bushwhacking. It can be a long walk on the Goldstream Forest Road to a vehicle pick-up point.

Access: Best by helicopter on both ends of both trips, although part 1 can end with a vehicle pick up on the Goldstream Forest Road.

Trip Details

Meeting Point

Depending on the itinerary, we commonly meet in either Canmore, Golden or Revelstoke on the evening before the first day of ski touring.

Climate/Weather

The Columbia Ranges of BC are primarily influenced by a moist, maritime climate (very much in contrast to Canadian Rockies) with moderate winter temps. During a typical ski touring week, you should be prepared for heavy snowfall and temps from -1C (30F) to -15C (5F). But of course, it can get as cold as -30C (-22F) in a cold mid-winter week and as warm as 10C (50F) during a warm, spring skiing week in May.

For spring skiing weeks, powder snow (dry, cold snow) usually preserves well on the many northerly aspects even if it hasn’t snowed in days. At the same time, the southerly aspects will start to corn up (melt-freeze cycle) with sunny weather, which yields nice spring skiing, if the descents are well timed with the day time heating. Unfortunately, as with any backcountry skiing, we can’t exclude (but do our best to avoid) the “in-between stages” of powder and corn: Crud a.k.a breakable crusts!

Services Included in the Total Price

Guiding by a UIAGM/ACMG certified Mountain and/or Ski Guide, possibly assisted by an apprentice guide depending on group size / preferences, access by helicopter, depending on the trip itinerary, lodging in basic alpine club huts on some itineraries (bunks with foamies), all trip food (home-prepped, light weight dinners, breakfast and lunch supplies), avalanche safety gear (transceiver, shovel and probe), glacier equipment (harness, rope and crampons, if necessary), National Park wilderness overnight fee fees if applicable, pre-trip meeting and all guide expenses.

Not Included in the Total Price (most can be quoted separately) are:

Lodging in the valley before or after the traverse, transport to and from the trailhead, ski touring equipment rental (if necessary), any additional cost for transport including helicopter evacuation in case the trip has to be abandoned due to adverse weather or snow stability, equipment failure etc.

Medical/Rescue and Trip Cancellation Insurance

We strongly recommend the purchase of a travel insurance package that does cover adventure travel. Common policies sold by travel agents or policies included in your credit card contract tend to exclude “mountaineering”  if you read through the fine print. We recommend an adventure travel policy on our website at http://ontopmountaineering.com/travel-insurance/  which our clients had good experiences with in the past. *NEW: we now recommend including covid-19/pandemic coverage with your insurance policy.

FAQ

Can I Do It?

This is a trip for seasoned individuals with an extensive ski touring background (except for the classic Wapta Traverse): Very strenuous backcountry ski traverse in remote, alpine and often glaciated terrain on alpine touring (randonne) or sturdy telemark equipment.

You must be able to ski safely and controlled at all times while wearing a heavy (15kg – 25kg = 33lb – 55lb) backpack. In spite of the existence of some huts and possibly pre-arranged food caches, the ski touring party has to carry all technical equipment, winter camping equipment, cooking fuel and dehydrated food.

Depending on the conditions, we might have to rope on while skiing both up and downhill.

You need to be in EXCELLENT physical and mental condition, ready to be on your feet for about 10 hrs. On some of the days, followed by setting up camp. If in doubt whether you have the required skills, give us a call!

Feedback (From our Wapta Ski Traverse)

References of prior guests: We will gladly put potential clients in touch with previous participants of each trip in order for interested guests to get more personalized references and their questions answered from a more objective point of view than what our office could provide.

“Guide: Great. Mike and Jen were approachable and full of knowledge and experience and were totally helpful. Mike’s judgement allowed us to safely complete the WAPTA – hoorah!
 Itinerary: Spot on.
Lodging/Food quantity and quality: The Huts are in a great location and much better than camping.
10/10″ Guy S., Australia

“The Wapta trip was pretty much everything I hoped it would be (except for the blisters); challenging, scenic and enlightening. Overall, a memorable experience. I’d definitely recommend it to someone who is looking to complete a real journey through the mountains.
Guide: Mike was excellent. Very cautious and set a reasonable pace on the hill. He was happy to share his knowledge and was a great leader throughout.
Itinerary: The Wapta is what it is – a traverse and I appreciate that is the overall objective – decent downhill skiing is only a bonus so I wasn’t bothered that we didn’t get too much of that on this route. We didn’t seem to have the time or weather to make as many of the side trips as the online itinerary suggests. Reflecting on that itinerary, seems to me you’d have to have a very fast group and perfect conditions to get it all done.
I am definitely keen to do more trips with OnTop. If I have any friends looking for a genuine Canadian Rockies experience I will be strongly recommending you. Say an 8/9 out of 10.” Steve T., Hong Kong

“Thanks so much. It was a wonderful trip. Jordy and Leanne did a fantastic job. I really enjoyed them and the other guests. Food was great. Thanks for making it happen. I would definitely recommend On top. 10/10! ”
—Eric S., ID, USA

“Dave’s performance was Excellent. Dave clearly knows his stuff with respect to both the technical aspects of his job, and how to work with people. He is one of the most capable leaders, back country or otherwise, that I have had the pleasure to engage with in the past 30 years or so. Trip Organization and communication was generally excellent and no complaints.
One suggestion: let people know they may be carrying up to 50-60 lbs of stuff at some point in the trip. It wasn’t a problem for me (except for all the huffing and puffing) as I have been training for activities like this, but others may be in for a rude surprise.Itinerary was perfect.Lodging and Food quality was Excellent. Thanks for arranging the night in the Coast for me. The ‘meat-etarian’ in me was well satisfied! 10/10. Already bragging about you to others.”
—Richard E., BC, Canada