In this winter of lackluster storms and roller coaster temps around the West, I have learned one lesson over and over: the mountains always deliver. A mid-March trip to Powder Creek Lodge on the west slope of British Columbia’s Purcell Range was a great example of this lesson.
The snow gods had been fickle for almost two full months, and so many skiers had been bemoaning the lack of soft snow that I too was beginning to believe the doom and gloom: lowest snowpack on record, warmest temps in decades, variable ski conditions, time to ride your bike, blah, blah, blah . . . Nonetheless, not going skiing was not an option. Traveling in the winter mountain environment is good for the soul regardless of how deep the snow is or isn’t, and the reward for getting out when the stoke is down was, surprise, there’s still great skiing to be had for those who want it.
The long dry spell meant relatively low avalanche hazard and super easy traveling, which are a great combination for peak bagging and long tours. I have ski toured at Powder Creek Lodge for nearly 15 years and we still found new objectives and full days in the mountains.
Here’ a few shots to motivate you to get out the door, even when the snow gods are being fickle . . .
