James and I sat down at a table at the Lot in Bend on a fateful winter evening a week before Christmas.
“So you want to go to Rogers Pass?”
“Yeah”
“How does the first week of January sound?”
“That works for me”
“K sweet”
Trip planned. Typical conversation for two dudes in their mid-twenties with nothing better to do than burn calories running around in the mountains on a pair of wooden planks.
A stellar looking avy forecast for January 3rd in Glacier National Park. A sign of good things to come.
I had driven over Roger’s Pass once before but a low-lying fog left me wondering how the mondo-sized ridges, bowls and couloirs resolved at their tops as they disappeared into the mist. I was sufficiently teased. Fast forward 2 years… By the time James and I rolled by Revelstoke, the night had already swallowed the peaks in darkness and we were forced to wait another ten hours for the sun to rise.
Our mobile base camp for the week, Barney the Purple Bandit. More to come on that front.
We woke up in the Asulkan parking lot, welcomed by a “Formal Warning” under our windshield wiper (something about no overnight camping) and the massive face of Avalanche Crest looming above with no fucks to give.. At some point during the drive, I found myself wondering why I was traveling a couple thousand miles across the continent when I hadn’t even fully explored my home. As the sliding door rattled open and my breath froze on the cool morning air, an
“Ohhhh,”
escaped my lips.
Enjoying the view of Ursa Minor on Balu Pass before climbing up Cheops (pronounced Cheeee-ops).
Here's the picture story of our 4-day Roger's Boot Camp.
Day 1 - Seven Steps of Paradise, Young's Peak
Eric Hafla boots up Young's Peak out of the Asulkan drainage before shredding the Seven Steps of Paradise, one of the Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America.
Your's truly near the summit of Young's. Photo: Eric Hafla. A cloud layer descended on us right after topping out on the ride, hence the lack of actual ski pics.
First day of the trip and the stoke is high. Photo: Jackson Knoll
Day 2 - Forever Young, Young's Peak
Skinning up to the bottom of Forever Young. Photo: Jake Parker
James Bridges digs his front points into the choke of Forever Young.
Jake Parker catches James in a committing jump turn at the top of Forever Young.
Day 3 - STS Couloir , Cheeeee-Ops!
The team heads up the Connaught drainage.
Skinning up to Balu Pass. Photo: Jackson Knoll
Ripping skins before dropping into the STS couloir. I experienced quite a case of loose bowel syndrome after peeking over the cornice into our descent. The flies on Cheops will be happy this summer.
Jackson drops in through the dug out cornice into STS couloir. I claimed at least a couple hundred GNAR points for cleaning up the entry with some whacks from my ski pole.
Eric Hafla sheds his speed in the meat of the couloir.
Day 4 - Gnarliest Skin Track Ever (but actually), Grizzly Shoulder
"There's gotta be a better way than this." Words of wisdom from Jake (in the milddew scented orange shirt).
It turns out they do not allow boxers in the Revelstoke Aquatic Center. But here we find Jackson sporting his frozen, chlorine soaked boxers in his natural habitat before we parted ways.