Glad you like the BC it's a great place to ski but sounds like you're pretty new to the game.  I'd suggest you take your ASTI, but more importantly put some of the lift pass savings towards an ACMG Ski Guide or a trained and experienced local for the first couple of years before you and your buddy start making decisions about where to go.   You might be able to find some people to tag along with on this website or the Canadian Rockies TGR forum.  It would be very easy to get yourself into a bad situation if you don't have any knowledge or experience.  

Bow Summit is one of the very few low risk terrain features in K-country and the Rockies.  Sorry, don't mean to be a cold shower.  Good luck and play safe!

http://www.acmg.ca/default.asp

http://www.avalanche.ca/cac/

No sweat. I was expecting an answer like that and I understand your concern. I have tried to make it to anAST1 course but couldn't get away from work. I live in Cold Lake so I need to travel to Calgary or Edmonton to get the course. The CAA had a clinic for sledders in Bonnyville early Jan but then again I had to work. I have every intention on getting my AST1 course done for next winter. I've been paying close attention to all the info on CAAwebsite and got books, beacon, shovel and probe. I have a friend that use to live in Banff he's gonna try to contact some of his buddies that do play in the BC to see if they want to tag along. My buddy is flying in from Qc and doesn't speek much english so it kind of makes it hard to find people to go with.

Any spots other than Bow Summit that are considered low risk?

Thanks

Try Narao shoulder off the O'Hara Lake road, it's 300 m vert of great tree skiing and usually lots of snow.  I think it's in the guidebook, but you ski up the Road a couple of kms and then turn into the trees at a signed trailhead.  Ski up until you reach a bench in the alpine, where the windblasted rock makes it obviously time to ski down.  If conditions aren't good you should watch the open slopes carefully.  

Another good one is Panorama Ridge off the Taylor Lake trail, just east of Lake Louise.  SKin up the trail to the lake (1.5 hour), but instead of skiing to the lake stay in the creek bed and travel west to a large basin.  The Ridge is to hikers northwest (a south aspect) that has well spaced trees and makes for some nice yoyo.  Stay in the trees if the Avi forecast isn't good.    

Don't worry, lot's of frenchies in the Mountains, Canmore is full of them!.  

Thanks a lot, very appreciated. We ended up going back to Bow summit on sunday and we had a blast. The stability was good we've hit one little patch that was shaddy but it got better quick. There was lots of people around wich made it reasuring. We bougth maps of the region and are looking at the spots you just gave us and they look promissing. I'll post something if we end up going there. The park rangers gave us a pretty good list of spots as well.

Thanks for the tip 2Wheller. Panorama ridge was good. We took a bit longer than you to get to the base (2hrs) but still had a good time. The ski out reminded me of skiing back East. 

We went to Sunshine Village to do some Slackcountry behind Twin Cairns where we skied the deepest pow we've ever came across.  

It was a great week. I wish I lived closer to the mountains.

Nick

Hey Nick, good on you guys for getting out there. Did you end up going on any more backcountry ski trips? I used to live in Edmonton so I know it takes some real dedication to drive down all the way from Cold Lake

We had great late season snow conditions in K country. Taking advantage of good snow stability we skied the spray range traverse, which combines some of my favorite Kananaskis country ski tours. Here is my spray range traverse write up and photos to give you an idea of the terrain you ski through.