Words and photos by Lee Lau; Stew Douglas; Adrian Bostock
Went to Rogers Pass to scratch an early season powder itch. Skied at Balu Pass area both times but managed to get to alpine on Sunday. Snow depths 210 @ 2450 180@ 2050 120@ 1900 Up to 30cms fell on Th Frid systems ie 081120 081121 on raincrust. Up to 60 on w/l alpine E aspects. Winds from SW – NW 15 – 20kts on Sat 081122. Temps about -5. Ski cuts on E aspects on convex rolls would release new storm snow on rain crust. Mostly cloudy with some clearing Clear and still on Sun 081123. Temps -5 to -7. Storm snow did not react to ski cuts.
Snowshed W of the Pass at about 1000m.
Visitor Centre
Never been here this early in the season or hiked up Con. Crk. in summer. Didn’t realize there was a bridge crossing about 1.5km up-trail so went up the N side on Con Crk. Do not recommend this bushwhack through Alderland. Take the S side skin track and then cross the crk.
Alderland
Skied the “girlfriend trees” off the Balu Pass headwall. Did a couple of runs and was thinking about heading a bit higher but weather got socked in and we decided to call it a day with 1450m of elevation and faceshots to start the season with the right tone.
Stew with pretty blown out poor shot.
The next day was quite nice. Met up with half the Salmon Arm backcountry touring population and headed up to alpine. Didn’t want to waste any time as the parking lot was filling up quickly and I could sense that a pack would be on our hills heading up to alpine also. We headed up towards Bruins Pass with the idea of skiing 8812 Bowl.
Chris, Chris, Stew, and Jeff. Avalanche Crest, Eagle Pk, Uto in the background
Leading out the Salmon Arm crew on Ursus Ridge. N face of Cheops in the background with valley fog percolating.
Adrian styling
As I skied down slope hordes and hordes were also heading up the Ursus Ridge conveyor belt
Jordie, Chris, Adrian and Lee heading up the ridge towards Bruins Pass – the saddle on lookers left. We were the second group in there today.
First, second and third turns were money. 1500 feet of powder is a helluva way to bring in the season.
Chris threw in many thigh-burning knee-dropping tree fairy turns and styled it
Jordie sounded like a train as he went by – love the s&%T-eating grin on his face – pure joy
Adrian – have you surfed before? Sure looks like a cut-back to me
Jeff – picture above is pretty funny as it shows how we laid waste to the slope