COVID 19; Please note there are new protocols and guidelines that we must all adhere to while taking part in club events and courses. Please ensure you have read and understood the following documents:
This mentorship event is part of the AMP
(Alpine Mentorship Program) organized by the
ACC Calgary section jointly with ACMG Guide
Brent Peters and PeakStratagem. Either Brent or
one of the other PeakStratagem guides will be teaching this event.
In this professionally guided and mentored 4 day event we will learn about route selection, snow pack assessment, glacier travel and how to plan and safely attempt summitting of Youngs Peak and skiing of Forever Young Coulior and other epic objectives (conditions permitting).
We will have 6 attendees plus one guide. We have the Asulkan Hut to ourselves for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights of the Alberta Family Day long weekend.
SKILL REQUIREMENTS:
While the uptrack pace will be reasonably moderate, with time for discussions and learning (ask lots of questions!), some of our uptracks will be on advanced, complex and glaciated terrain (conditions permitting).
Skiing can be in variable conditions and occasionally approaching double-black-diamond resort skiing. Don't worry, it won't be too extreme, nor will it be a race, but be prepared for some challenging ascents and exilarating descents. : - )
AST-1 certification is a minimum requirement and AST-2 is preferred.
Demonstrated ability and experience backcountry skiing 1000 vertical-meter days or more is also required.
As the Roger's Pass guide book by Douglas Sproul describes, we will be on "Pack-2" terrain, requiring glacier travel gear in addition to the usual ski touring gear. Glacier travel or crevasse rescue training is therefore also a prefered minimum requirement.
We expect to have a novice or two in glacier travel but mostly have participants with multiple days of glacier travel training and experience, including, of course, our guide.
A gear list for the party will be prepared prior to the trip.
Please send a brief ski resume to the trip coordinator to aid in the screening of your attendance to help ensure a safe and fun trip and learning experience for all. Thank you.
THE GOODS:
On Friday:
Transportation to the trailhead (the Asulkan Parking Lot in Rogers Pass) will be the responsiblity of each individual partipicant as there will be no formal car pool. We will, however, likely arrange for our guide to be picked up in Canmore area early Friday morning.
We will coordinate our caravan of cars to arrive at the Asulkan parking lot at 10:30 AM Calgary time (9:30 AM local time). That's about a 6:30 AM Calgary departure time.
We then ski/splitboard to Asulkan Hut, 7.2 km and 960 vertical-meters (about 4-5 hours). Then ski a bit as desired (sunrise to sunset is about 7am to 5 pm local time; 8am-4pm Calgary time).
Friday evening we will have a group debriefing meeting of the day's events, and plan as a group for the next day's skiing, with Forever Young Coulior as our primary objective (conditions permitting).
We will be on our own for meals, although meal plans may change depending upon group preference.
On Saturday:
Have breakfast and check conditions. Plan-A, if visibility, etc, cooperate, is to travel over Asulkan Glacier to Young's Peak (2.5 km away and 700 m above the hut); ski ridge top 1 km north and 200 m down to the Forever Young Coulior entrance. Then ski the 2 km, 850 v-m epic coulior line. Then skin back up the 1 km, 333 v-m tree triangle to the hut and celebrate the day.
With our guide and mentor, do a group debriefing of the day and plan for Sunday.
On Sunday:
Rinse and repeat, chosing from a plethora of possible objectives.
On Monday:
Ski some fine lines and get back to the cars well before dark with sore legs and big grins on our faces, and with newly learned tips from our mentor for use in future safe trips.
Plan B:
Access to Asulkan Hut through the moustrap area on Friday, although unlikely, may be problematic. There's always a safe Plan-B, including fine skiing even in high-high-high avy conditions in Rogers Pass when appropriate terrain is selected. We'll deal with the possibility of any access problems or delays as conditions and group desires dictate.
It is also always possible, however unlikley, that a Sundary or Monday storm may strand us in the hut for an extra day. Bringing extra food for such a possibility is always a good idea.
AMMENITIES:
Asulkan Hut has a fully equipment kitchen with cooking and eating utensils.
Propane is provided for heating, cooking and lighting.
Sleeping pads are provided.
There is also cell coverage at Asulkan Hut, thanks to a new cell tower installed a few years ago down on the highway (not sure how it would work in a heavy snowfall or temperature inversion).
COST:
Cost for the trip is $770 which provides 3 nights accomodation and wilderness passes at the premier backcountry skiing destination of Asulkan Hut (which we have to ourselves for the long weekend) in Rogers Pass plus professionally guided and mentored skiing for our 4 days at the hut.
We will have a good chance of skiing the epic, classic, Forever Young Coulior line (our primary objective, conditions permitting).
Comments and suggestions for improvement to optimize this event's planning are always appreciated; please email Wayne, the participating event coordinator, if you have any questions or suggestions. Thank you.
Required Items to Bring:
Beacon, shovel, probe, sunglasses, goggles,
headlamp, extra warm clothing and your other
usual packed items for day trips.
Glacier travel kit (harness, caribeaners,
slings, possibly boot crampons, etc).
Gear list and gear sharing (eg: ropes) will be
determined later.
Food and refreshment for at least 4 days.
Sleeping bag, toiletries and items of creature
comfort.
Recommended Items to Bring:
Extra batteries for your phone, gps, beacon,
headlamp, etc.
Any other gear, for safety, etc, that may be
wise to bring!
How to Get There:
Event Directions:
The trailhead is at the Illecillewaet (Asulkan)
parking lot on the south side of the highway
(about 4 km ‘west’ of the Rogers Pass Discovery
Centre), as shown in the following Google Maps
link:
When and only when you have been screened and moved to the attendee list, please pay as soon as possible using the paypal button below (credit card also accepted there). Then, please send proof of payment to your coordinator to reserve your spot. Thank you.
*Cancellation Policy*: If a participant is unable to attend a paid course or trip, there will be no refund unless the participant finds a suitable replacement that is acceptable to the trip coordinator. Acceptable waiting list candidates will have priority. It will then be the participant's responsibility to recover funds from the replacement. If the coordinator cancels an event, participants get a refund (less any non-recoverable costs). Note that ACC National does not refund hut fees due to weather, delay, closures, or any other reasons. The Calgary Section of the ACC is a not for profit club and we only charge attendees what it costs us to provide courses or trips.
Trip Feedback If you have any feedback, positive or negative, concerning this trip or any other, we want to hear from you!
Click here to be directed to our "Contact Us" page and contact the appropriate Chair person or the Section Chair. This is also a simple way to make your section executive aware of any praises, suggestions or problems you may have with any area of the Calgary Section of the ACC.
Thank you for your response.
Registration for this event closed on Monday, February 01, 2021 at 11:00 PM.