Kokanee Glacier 2016 – Battleship and Key Hole

Kokanee Glacier Ski Trip – Jan 23rd – Jan 29th 2016

Day 3 – Sunny day up Pyramid to the Repeater Tower, Battleship laps

We woke up to Blue Bird which means we tour into the Alpine! Our objective was to ski the Key Hole. With the wind affected alpine we initially decided not too. We were also going to ski into Joker basin, but again the winds kept us away. We turned back to the Battleship. The main group skied Smugglers trees and the Apron, we skied the Battleship twice and Smugglers bowl. Lee and Stu decided to hit the Key Hole, Linda and I did another lap down Smugglers, then Pyramid and got back before it got dark. Awesome sunny day at Kokanee.

Useful links

Day1-FlyinSmugglers || Day2-EnchantedValley || Day3-Battleship || Day 4-SmugglersRadioRidge || Day 5-Happy Valley || Day 6-Griffen || Day7-Smugglers

• Trip preparation page (link may change each year)
• British Columbia’s Ministry of Environment official web-page for Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park Kootenay Rockies webpage on Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park with summer routes and activities primarily described.
• Alpine Club of Canada’s webpage on the Kokanee Glacier chalet.
• Snow forcast for Whitewater and SpotWX click on the area at Kokanee Glacier
• Our previous trips in 2007, 2008 and 2015
• 1:250 scale map of Kokanee area
• 1:50 scale map of Kokanee area – east map; west map
• 1:20 scale TRIM data map (best for navigation imo)
• For navigation I use PDF Maps on my phone and you can download my KML file here for reference

Downstairs drying room, getting ready

DPS wait

Skinning up the Pyramid

Lots of wind and interesting snow in the Alpine

Sun is low and intense

Never get tired of the view from the Repeater, Linda checks her messages as this is the only place you get cell coverage

Skiing down the Battleship. The snow was wind affected but not bad!

Cool snow

Little cooler for Lee

Skinning back up with Pterodactyl Ridge in the background

View down the Battleship with Kaslo Lake in the background

Stu and Lee head to Key Hole

Not bad snow

The only tracks

Looking back up to Key West

Looking back to the Keyhole

Pyramid alpenglow

Potential line off John Carter

Google Earth Image of our day, minus Key Hole

Elevation