We spent the last 3 days travelling in the Rogers Pass on part 2 of our Ski Guide Exam.

Jan 18 - We skied up to 8812 col and off the backside and ascended to the N shoulder of Ursus Major. Coverage on the Bruins Glacier was over 3m with variable snow surface ranging from power to downflow soft slab in on steep exposed rolls. We backed off crossing the ramp to the summit because of multiple layered windslabs producing sudden planar results in the top meter of snow. The skiing on the north aspect was excellent. Our low point in that area was 2200m

Jan 19 - We travelled up the Asulkan valley to attempt the Youngs Peak Traverse. The winds picked up over the course of the day and by the time we left the valley they were strong to extreme from the south. This and previous winds has created firm surfaces in the alpine, and we decided not to ascend the headwall on Youngs Peak, again because of a planar result under windslab. There has been significant snow transport in this area. Below the elevation of the Asulkan Cabin (2100m) the ski quality was good to excellent in Tree Triangle and Triangle Moraine.

Jan 20 - We completed the Little Sifton Traverse and also summited Little Sifton. We found a variety of surfaces once we broke out of treeline on Grizzly Shoulder. Wind scour, wind press, windslab and in places scoured down to previous crusts. However, there was excellent skiing to be found in sheltered East aspects on Little Sifton summit, and once you descended off the glacier. Good to excellent skiing was found all the way to valley bottom in Hermit and Grizzly West Glades.

Sean Cochrane
Eliott Stonehouse
Will Woods
Mike Adolph (MG)