Deep Winter Touring in the Canadian Rockies

Every year around this time, skiers feel the calling of the big mountains; it’s an all-consuming force that radiates from our very being. This year the calling arrived a bit early, in the heart of deep winter.  HAWL Bags were packed, gear was thrown in trunks, and we were off. The journey to the heart of the Canadian Rockies began.

I’m Jack Neupert and I work at Beringia. I'm 23 years old and live for big mountain ascents and descents. Before Beringia, I worked in the mountains around Alaska and in the PNW. With my home base now in Bozeman, Montana I can continue to hone my craft and surround myself with like-minded wildmen and women who share the same passion to create our own big mountain experiences.  

Mid-winter alpine objectives in the Northern Rockies are challenging. We had big aspirations, but venturing into these zones during deepest winter adds another level of complexity. Huge imposing faces impede travel with overhead hazards, while traversing wide glaciers means dealing with complex terrain littered with cross-loading, crevasses and seracs. All underscored by sub-zero temps that will punish your every mistake. Our hopes were big, but haunted by the Let It Bleed refrain “You can’t always get what you want,” during this seven-day mission to Rogers Pass we settled for bitter cold temps, unstable snow and low-angle, cruise-y BC pillow lines. 

Not every adventure is filled with steep faces, narrow couloirs, and dream lines. Being in the larger ranges forces you to control the ego, listen closely to the whispers of the wind, and form a deeper connection with the messages of the mountains. On this trip the message was clear - enjoy the simple pleasures. Pretty easy to do with nine of your best partners absolutely ripping 4,000 feet of perfect low-density powder. Memories of basking in the glory of the mountains bathed in sunshine ran through my mind the entire drive back. Post-mountain restlessness plants its seed early, allowing time to reflect on the experiences won and lost. But one thought remains: those high lines are still out there. 

 Photos by Nick Sramek & Alex Glenn