Dispatcher Col

Indifferent weather limited the higher elevation options today. For a change we headed up towards Dispatcher Col.

We've skied the lower reaches of the Dispatcher Bowl before but never made it all the way to the col. It's a fine tour. Generally low angle except for the final haul up to the col where one is rewarded with a great view.

We ended the day by dropping back into the Connaught just skier's left of the waterfall. It wasn't pretty but we can legitimately tick it off the list!

Disptachers Col

Steep headwall

At the col

Waterfall above the Connaught

Route

Tupper Traverse

The Tupper Traverse has a glorious remote feeling that is sometimes hard to achieve in Rogers Pass. We've come this way a number of times over the years. Each time the big slope behind Tupper gives us pause. It's huge and bloody steep. On this occasion we weren't overly concerned about stability. In fact it was hard as a rock. The greater hazard seemed to be catching an edge and sliding several hundred meters down a 40 degree slope.

Approaching the big slope

Thinking about long slides

Nick not sliding

No one took a header thankfully and we stopped for an extended lunch break to enjoy the solitude.

Lunch

Skins back on we thrashed our way around the east shoulder of Tupper into the Connaught Slide Path.

Connaught slide path

This eastern aspect had now been in shade for a couple of hours after baking in the sun all day. This created the interesting mix of a thin skiff of ice over heavy wet snow. It was...tiring....to put it charitably.

All in all a great day in the mountains.

Fortitude

Today began with another dash back to Albert Canyon for Steve. This time for skins.

Parks Canada finally relented on their collective punishment temporary safety closure of the Flat Creek access.

The crossing was still in, but just barely, and no one got wet feet to start the day. It would be a different story at the end of the day!

Photo: Nick

The recent warm spell made for a grueling ascent through the trees up to Fortitude Ridge. Thankfully it relented part way and there was some fine skiing down through the trees to skier's right of the main slide paths.

Photo: Nick

Then it was soaker time!

Photo: Nick