Skiing the south side of Paul Ridge, instead of the usual north side. Deep snow, lighter than usual, and huge hemlock trees made for a nice 300m descent. In theory one could continue on the west side of the creek drainage and pop out on the road at the switchback [...]]]>

Calum - Paul Ridge

Skiing the south side of Paul Ridge, instead of the usual north side.  Deep snow, lighter than usual, and huge hemlock trees made for a nice 300m descent.  In theory one could continue on the west side of the creek drainage and pop out on the road at the switchback by the settlement at Ring Creek, but who knows how dense the forest gets in there…

Paul Ridge Route in Google Earth

This was the same day of the Boulder Mountain avalanche incident.  The reports for the South Coast were just as scary as South Columbia, yet we were still able to have a fun, safe day in the backcountry by using common sense and managing the risk.  We don’t need the government to regulate the backcountry – we have the Darwin Awards for that.

Up/down track is green, a short scouting run is in red, and two laps and a bunch of good turns are marked in blue.  The Whistler ACC has more details about the hut. In Google Earth I find the best view is one with the Points [...]]]> Hwy99 / Marriot Basin / Wendy Thompson Hut

Up/down track is green, a short scouting run is in red, and two laps and a bunch of good turns are marked in blue.   The Whistler ACC has more details about the hut.  In Google Earth I find the best view is one with the Points turned off but the Path still enabled.

Marriot (.kmz), Marriot (.gpx)

Forgot to turn on the GPS until half way up the East Col. Otherwise, the route is great: Up East Col, down onto the Spearhead glacier, boot up ‘Stairmaster’, down one side of Phalanx, back up to the summit, down Foon’s Alley [...]]]> Blackcomb / Phalanx / Foon’s Alley / Poop Chutes / Black’s Pub

Forgot to turn on the GPS until half way up the East Col.  Otherwise, the route is great:  Up East Col, down onto the Spearhead glacier, boot up ‘Stairmaster’, down one side of Phalanx, back up to the summit, down Foon’s Alley (50 degrees) around and up to the Poop Chutes, then Blackcomb Glacier Rd. out to Whistler Village (I believe the last waypoint is Black’s Pub).

Phalanx (.kmz), Phalanx (.gpx)

Travel counter clockwise. Cross the creek earlier (futher south) than the track indicates and follow the stream leading west uphill instead of climbing up through the timber. On the way down, at treeline, keeping (skiier’s) left may lead to more open trees. The route shown gets [...]]]> Duffey Lake Rd / North Joffre Creek / Cassiope

Travel counter clockwise. Cross the creek earlier (futher south) than the track indicates and follow the stream leading west uphill instead of climbing up through the timber. On the way down, at treeline, keeping (skiier’s) left may lead to more open trees. The route shown gets rather tight.

Cassiope (.kmz), Cassiope (.gpx)

Soon it will be time for…

Great snow on Mt. Chief Pascal