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Gday Everyone,

This is my first kick at the can posting trip reports here, with hopefully many more to come. As for many in the west of Canada, last season was one for the record books, so much snow, so many good days it was hard to let it go as Spring rolled around.... so we didn't... A couple of us decided to climb and ride 12 months and a couple of days ago we pulled it off, and, in fine fashion.....

The permanent snow/ice fields up here kept snow all summer long which has created some great summer riding and now an amazing base for early season turns....

The iconic Lake Louise, tourists flock in the summer and winter, not a soul around in the fall


We had a pretty significant snow event over the last week, dumping 20 + cms in places of pretty dry snow for this time of year, so we started to scheme on where would have received a bit of wind loading, where had some fun, steep terrain, and came up with a plan....

Mountain goats with the full Winter look going on, I love these guys... sweet beards!


This area is a good trek in (as is much at this time of year), though we managed to do some rocky skinning for much of the approach which was a nice change from walking on scree and rocks for the last 3 or 4 months of riding objectives. A few hours of skinning, walking, grovelling we made it to the glacier.

The Rockies, shallow, sketchy snowpack for sure... but views and terrain... so sick!!


Our objective for October 20th, 2012.....


It felt like Winter up there, quite a change from the balmy shorts and t-shirt climbs we had become used to over the past few months, so breaks were short, layers were plentiful... man, it sure felt nice to be skinning again also....

The short bootpack around the little bergschrund at the base of the chute


Skin track up the main chute/face


To cut a long story short, travel was awesome, the clouds broke just long enough to allow us great visibility for the whole climb up, the ski down and also to witness an epic icefall on the far side of the valley.... The chute in total probably had 2500 feet of boot deep (or more) powder on a pretty good, solid base....

A few pics below to show the riding on the lower part of the run.... and a few pics from the past 12 months of riding/climbing.. We are so stoked for winter up here... bring it on!





A skier I know, but I really like this shot!




Rae Glacier, August 2012


Rae Glacier, mini crevasse gap, August 2012


Whyte Glacier, September 2012


Whyte Glacier, lunch stop, September 2012


Long, rocky approaches... great views, amazing places... riding all summer was awesome!


Multi sport days were fun too..... single track riding in boots with boards is hilarious


Morraine Lake, Alberta, July 2012...


Big terrain on July long weekend... (nearly 3000 feet of fall line riding!)


April, 2012... I just love this shot...


Tent Ridge, Kananaskis Country, May, 2012


Spray Lakes View, Kananaskis Country, May 2012


I hope you enjoyed the pics, and here is to an awesome pow season to come...! I am really looking forward to seeing everyones TR's this coming year

Simon

cool tr, beautiful country!!

Nicely done!

Agreed----nicely done!!!!

Rad Beautiful terrain up there

Not bad for a first post homie.... keep the stoke coming!

Good shots for sure!

Thanks for posting, Simon.

Just wondering: was the couloir in the Oct. 20th mission the one between Mt. Ringrose and Mt. Yukeness (above Lake Oesa)?

If not, it sure looks like that one.

Looks pretty nice up there, would really love to be there in the winte.r My wife and I were the tourists and did a summer bike/hike/car camp trip there a few years back and my wife got to listen to me pointing out sweet lines the whole the time, fortunately she tolerates my obsession.

Hey Sauerboarder,

It isn't near Lake Oesa, now you have me wanting to check that out... This chute is accessed from the Lake Louise car park and hiking for about 4 hours or so up towards the Plains of six glaciers tea house!

Simon

Awesome!

booom!! thats a good day