The plan was for Sphinx hut outside of Squamish, but I'm learning that plans don't stand for much when you're backcountry skiing. Everything is dependent on the weather and snow stability. So rather than slogging 15km in the rain and wet snow on Saturday to spend the night wet in a hut without heat, we chose to "camp out" in Alex's Whistler abode. We exchanged the cold, wet night for beds, a wood-burning fire, and beer. We would have been happy either way, but it was nice to be dry and warm.
Sunday we headed to Joffre, past Pemberton, stoked that there were signs of improving weather.
Alex
Cameron
Once we past Keith's Hut, we aimed for Anniversary Glacier. The Avalanche ratings were considerable, so we had to play conservatively. Since I'm a newbie when it comes to reading snow stability (and skiing for that matter), I had lots of questions for the others. It took a lot of convincing to keep me going.
But then we all felt it. The famous "Woommff"-ing sound of a large slab of snow settling beneath us. I had just risen my camera to my face to take a photograph when I felt the snow I was on drop an inch or so. My heart dropped an equal distance within my chest. We decided not to go any further, and stripped off our skins for our decent.
Alex and Maddy, just after we felt the snow settle.
Alex and Maddy tearing off their skins.
It was a shorter ski down than anticipated, but it was still lovely!
Back down the way we came.
An instance of sunshine in the valley.
All smiles after the first run.
Cam and Maddy
Alex
Maddy
After refuelling, we started up Vantage. We heard the first sign of other people in the valley, but still made the first tracks on the hill. Nothing beats a blank canvas made of soft snow.
Looking over the ridge into the next valley.
Maddy and Cam getting blasted by snow and wind on the ridge.
Cam dropping in for a smooth ride down Vantage.
Not a bad way to spend a Sunday on BC's coast mountains.
The hike out was tougher than expected and I swear we had to go up hill to reach the car, but it felt great to wrap up the day safe and sound and exhausted.
Thanks to Alex, Maddy, and Cam for inviting me out for the weekend!
Alex, Maddy, Cameron, Me
