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Alpine Journals

Banff National Park

Skiing the Grand Daddy Couloir

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…

December 22, 2023 in Backcountry Skiing, Banff National Park, Icefields Parkway.
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Kindergarten Couloir

relatively chill North-facing line sitting above the south end of Boom lake in Banff National Park. We had the couloir on our list for the season as it gets a reputation for being a straight-forward Rockies Classic.

December 19, 2023 in Backcountry Skiing, Banff National Park, Kootenay National Park.

Surprise Pass, Lake Louise Alberta

Surprise Pass ski tour, near Lake Louise Alberta, is one of those iconic backcountry tours that deserves a revisit at least once per year when conditions are good. This classic ski tour requires a solid 3-6 hours to complete the approximately 900m of elevation gain over roughly 6km from the parking lot. The first 2-3km…

October 30, 2021 in Backcountry, Backcountry Skiing, Banff National Park, Skiing.

The Sugar Cube

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.

October 27, 2021 in Backcountry Skiing, Banff National Park, Icefields Parkway.
OXO Puzzle Peak Ski Tour

OXO Puzzle Peak Ski Tour

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…

January 1, 2021 in Backcountry Skiing, Banff National Park, Icefields Parkway, Skiing.

Dolomite Shoulder Ski Touring

Dolomite Shoulder is an awesome backcountry skiing day trip located on the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park, Alberta

February 25, 2019 in Backcountry Skiing, Banff National Park, Icefields Parkway.

Crystal Ridge Ski Touring

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.

January 13, 2019 in Backcountry Skiing, Banff National Park, Icefields Parkway.

Helen Shoulder Ski Touring

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…

December 29, 2018 in Backcountry Skiing, Banff National Park, Icefields Parkway, Skiing.

Jimmy Jr. Bowl Ski Touring

Jimmy. Jr bowl is a great ski touring gem at the north end of the icefields parkway just past Bow Lake.

December 28, 2018 in Backcountry Skiing, Banff National Park, Icefields Parkway.

Recent Posts

  • Skiing Cathedral Peak in Yoho
  • How to climb 8a/5.13b (after an injury, several years, and an extra 10kgs)
  • Skiing the Grand Daddy Couloir
  • Dreambed (5.11b) on Yamnuska
  • Kindergarten Couloir
  • Stanley Headwall Climbing – Sport & Multipitch Topo
  • The Alt-Left (5.11b A0) on EEOR, Canmore’s Best Local Big Wall Multi-Pitch Climb
  • Arch Enemy (5.11d) on the Stanley Headwall – A new modern classic
  • Minotaur Direct, 5.11+, Snowpatch East Face, Bugaboos Provincial Park (Topo & Description)
  • Climbing my first 8a/5.13b
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