<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0">
    <channel>
        <title><![CDATA[Interior Mountains]]></title>
        <description>RSS of Interior Mountains</description>
        <pubDate>Mon, 14 Sep 2026 19:52:01 -0700</pubDate>
        <link>https://www.backcountryskiingcanada.com</link>
                        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[BC Southern Interior Conditions And Meet Up 2019/2020]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[This thread is a place to:&amp;nbsp;

- Share current ski conditions
- Post trip reports/general bragging
- Find&amp;nbsp;ski touring partners
- Any Southern Interior related questions

I encourage everyone to check out this thread regularly and&amp;nbsp;contribute to it often. Early season skiing is only a snowfall away and typically early season turns are had in September.&amp;nbsp; Below are a few photo examples I hope to see in this thread. Have a great fall, winter is upon us!&amp;nbsp;


Septhember 6th 2015&amp;nbsp; Mcrea Peak
Early October 2018 Mcrea Peak&amp;nbsp;

November 1st 2017 Rogers pass&amp;nbsp;

November 11 2018 Video peak&amp;nbsp;

Grizzly shoulder size 1.5 80cm crown failed on December 15th SH January 2018&amp;nbsp;


Janurary 15th SH found down 80cm&amp;nbsp; Sol Mountain Touring 2019

Mount Macpherson Revelstoke December 2017

Rogers pass Feb 2018
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2019-08-28 11:22:36</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/friends%20on%20a%20pow%20day</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/friends%20on%20a%20pow%20day</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Skiing Kokanee Glacier in July]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[While the US is having one of its longest ski seasons on record with several resorts making it to the July 4th milestone, it&amp;rsquo;s been a different story here in the not so Great White North. With a lower than average snowpack for the 2018/19 winter here in British Columbia and a much warmer than normal spring, our snowpack all but washed away in May. This left little options for Summer skiing in July on anything but glaciers. Luckily Kokanee Glacier is a stone&amp;rsquo;s throw away from Nelson where Backcountry Skiing Canada is headquartered, and equally lucky that I have a keen son who was adamant that he wanted to make some turns on his 16th birthday.



The day started early with a 4:45am wake-up and a 5:30 departure from Nelson. This put us at the trail head at Gibson Lake in Kokanee Glacier Park by 6:30 and at the saddle of &amp;rsquo;The Keyhole&amp;rsquo; before 9:00am. The Keyhole is the most direct route to Kokanee Glacier via a well-worn trail that heads up to Kokanee Lake but turns East just short of the lake. From there its a steep and sustained climb of almost 4,000ft to the ridge where you sneak between rock spires via The Keyhole.



The weather was variable at best with thunderstorm threatening all morning so we didn&amp;rsquo;t waste any time in getting to our destination, the idea was to get up and down before Mother Nature played with us and potentially taught us a lesson we weren&amp;#39;t in the mood to learn. After intermittent rain showers and good soaking, we arrived at The Keyhole in record time. We quickly relieved our backs of the omnipresent weight of our skis and boots and&amp;nbsp;transitioned to ski mode.



The Glacier was in fine form with 100% snow coverage and no signs of crevasses anywhere. The sun cups were moderate in size and easily skiable given the soft snow that formed them. With only the bergschrund showing&amp;nbsp;its face at the top of the glacier we toured&amp;nbsp;over to the &amp;lsquo;Giant&amp;rsquo;s Kneecap&amp;rsquo; and made long sweeping turns down Kokanee Glacier toward&amp;nbsp;Kokanee Glacier Cabin. Since the snow melt was more than anticipated our turns ended far short of valley bottom so instead of losing elevation to meet the trail we took a short cut over the shoulder of the Pyramid and down to Kokanee Lake which led us back to our car parked at Gibson Lake. &amp;nbsp;



Round trip, Kokanee Glacier via the Keyhole was 16km with 1,284m / 4,212ft of elevation gain which took us just under 6 hours to complete. Not bad for a 16yr old straight off the couch with dreams of Summer ski turns in his head.

Get all the details of this adventure on our Garmin&amp;nbsp;Connect page here as&amp;nbsp;tracked with the Garmin Fenix 5X&amp;nbsp;GPS watch.

]]></description>
            <pubDate>2019-07-12 08:18:06</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/Summer-Skiing</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/Summer-Skiing</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Leavenworth to Revelstoke]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[I&amp;#39;m driving from Leavenworth, WA to Revelstoke and have a few days to tour along the way. Any suggestions for easy access tours along the way?&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
            <pubDate>2017-01-05 12:17:59</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/Where%20to%20tour</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/Where%20to%20tour</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Sol Mountain Conditions]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[I just returned from the Sol Mountain Lodge&amp;#39;s annual set up week for the 2016/1017 winter season. We started off the trip with a settled base of 165cms at the lodge ( 1950m ) with a major warming crust from early November down 80cms, which&amp;nbsp;made for some great skiing conditions over the course of the week. We received 60+cms which came in steady amounts of 10 to 20 cm over&amp;nbsp;24hrs. While the week is oriented around prepping the lodge for the upcoming guests the main focus of this trip is the Sol Mountain ski program. It&amp;#39;s not easy work, our crew was tasked with &amp;quot;opening new terrain &amp;quot; which included building creek crossings, deep up tracks and even deeper skiing. I have a added a few visual aids below.&amp;nbsp;






If you are unfamiliar with Sol Mountain Lodge there are three
things you should know, and I&amp;#39;ll tell you about 2 of them. &amp;nbsp;First and foremost the Lodge itself is a well-appointed powder hotel with all the amenities that any hotel might have. Hot running water, showers, flushing toilets, comfortable beds, Wifi, stereo system, yoga studio, everything but a microwave. Second, the terrain is varied. You can get epic alpine descents down Mt. Fosthall that could keep Greg Hill happy, banging pillows and chutes at treeline, gentle alpine meadows and the most incredible tree skiing you can imagine. The third thing I could try to explain in words, however I could never convey the excitement and overall feel of Sol Mountain Lodge. Some call it stoke, others a good time and some say it&amp;#39;s the call of the Monashees. &amp;nbsp;So I won&amp;#39;t try to explain it, go see for yourself!

&amp;nbsp;A Little taste&amp;nbsp;of some classic Sol terrain.





&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
            <pubDate>2016-11-30 07:52:04</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/Sol%20Mountain</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/Sol%20Mountain</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Revelstoke And Area  2016/2017]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[So here we go again. Another ski season has begun and&amp;nbsp; I would like to start a forum for the Revelstoke area. This forum can be used&amp;nbsp; as a place to hook up with others, talk about conditions or even brag a little.&amp;nbsp;Looking to meet some new faces and visit new places this winter!

I will start by bragging. First day of the years was incredible. Went to the classic early season spot ( mcrea ) and scored some awesome early season turns. Supportive crust + dust meant we could ski anything that was covered without the fear of snagging sharks and being tossed!

The conditions yesterday if your into that sort of thing,

10/12/2019&amp;nbsp; 13:30&amp;nbsp; Elevation 2200m&amp;nbsp; sky, clear&amp;nbsp; wind, calm sw, precip , nil&amp;nbsp; air temp, -3.5&amp;nbsp; HS 30-50 cm&amp;nbsp; Very supportive temp crust ( 3-5cms thick ) with 15mm SH sitting on top.

And some photos, again&amp;nbsp; for bragging.















]]></description>
            <pubDate>2016-10-13 20:22:25</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/Revelstoke%20And%20Area%20%202016%2F2017</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/Revelstoke%20And%20Area%20%202016%2F2017</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Toad Mountain PSA and avoiding the temptation of Google]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[We went for a hike up Toad Mountain this past weekend. It&amp;#39;s a relatively easy hike&amp;ndash;about 2.5 to 3 hr turnaround at a good clip. Just west of Nelson, it&amp;#39;s also reasonably close to town. This was our second trip up, and, prior to leaving, I checked into Google to confirm the directions. I also have a guide book that we used last time: Where locals hike in the West Kootenay.&amp;nbsp;Loaded up with two info sources (one from Google/theoutbound.com and the guide book) off we went.
The drive&amp;ndash;first up Giveout Creek Road then Gold Creek Road&amp;ndash;seemed longer than usual and we eventually noticed we were losing elevation. The two sets of directions were conflicting so we went with what looked like the easiest. Google had told us to &quot;stay on the main road at all intersections.&quot; We followed these directions and overshot our mark. We didn&amp;#39;t follow the suggestion, which appeared later in the post, to get a backroads map for the journey. Funny thing is, we saw four other groups on the hike and they all&amp;nbsp;went past the right turn because they were following the easiest directions.
Lessons learned: 1) get a backroads map, 2) don&amp;#39;t trust everything you read 3) understand that forest service roads are always changing depending on what is being logged 4) accept that as humans, we are always looking for the easiest path, even if it&amp;#39;s not the best one.
This mistake was in no way epic&amp;ndash; we wasted about 20 mins. What was interesting is that everyone had made the same mistake because they had all got their info from Google and assumed it was 100% correct.
Here&amp;#39;s another Toad post FYI, and one more.&amp;nbsp;
~Andrew~

Be sure to turn right here, 7 k from the turnoff onto Giveout. Even if it seems that the main road is trending left.&amp;nbsp;

&amp;nbsp;More general pics. Nelson, then Whitewater, off in the distance. + a weird flower:





]]></description>
            <pubDate>2016-07-21 12:44:51</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/toad-mountain-psa-and-avoiding-the-temptation-of-google</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/toad-mountain-psa-and-avoiding-the-temptation-of-google</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Sol Mountain Monashees Update]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Sol Mountain lodge opened November 21 for the winter season.
Check out our updated website http://www.solmountain.com including a Daily Conditions Report and webcam.
On opening day the snowpack was 160 cm at the lodge and very well consolidated with no significant concerns, and good coverage above 1700m. &amp;nbsp;It was a great week of skiing with January like conditions. &amp;nbsp;We hit some great alpine zones on Fosthall and Mt Baldur and got to shred Funky Chicken and the Baldurzone. &amp;nbsp;A week of dry weather November 24 to December 2 formed a widespread layer of surface hoar from creek bottoms to treeline, facets in the alpine, sun crust on south aspects, and exposed November 13 crust in scoured locations. &amp;nbsp;This December 2 weak layer is now covered by up to 30 cm of storm snow &amp;ndash; just a matter of load before it becomes reactive. &amp;nbsp;Best we can hope for is rapid loading and a widespread avalanche cycle to flush it out. &amp;nbsp;Judging by the forecast for the weekend we may just get the flush we need!
We do have AST courses scheduled at the lodge with space in January. &amp;nbsp;Check our website for details.
Winter is here!
Aaron Cooperman, Sol Mountain Lodge

]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-12-04 16:09:09</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/sol-mountain-monashees-update</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/sol-mountain-monashees-update</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Malakwa BC-Gorge River Ski Touring]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Has anyone been up the Gorge River Forest Service Rd. yet for some turns? If so, is it plowed and active and what km marker did you get to?&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-11-08 19:04:26</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/malakwa-bc-gorge-river-ski-touring</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/malakwa-bc-gorge-river-ski-touring</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The on going interior weather and virtual high five thread]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[It&amp;#39;s that time of year. Just peeped on the extended forecast for Blanket Glacier and up to a meter is forecasted in the next 7 days. To me thats game on! Come back here to see photo&amp;#39;s and condition updates for the interior. Please share any information or some stoke if you feel so inclined!&amp;nbsp;Took a walk up glacier crest yesterday. 20 - 30 cms above treeline, no wind temps around 0. Anything with ice is going to be skiing well. That was probably the last hike of the year given the temps and the amount of precip we are about to receive!&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
Roberto too stoked for life!&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-10-29 00:53:21</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/the-on-going-interior-weather-and-virtual-high-five-thread</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/the-on-going-interior-weather-and-virtual-high-five-thread</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Perfect fall for Skaha Climbing]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Skaha Bluffs is a provincial park just south east of Penticton BC and has the reputation for the longest and sunniest climbing season in Canada. This 489 hectare park boasts world class climbing routes second only to Squamish BC. Skaha is a series of cliffs that range up to 80m/250ft in height and offer up more than 650 routes. Routes vary in difficulty from 5.4 to 5.13, however the majority of routes are in the 5.8 to 5.12 range and most of these are bolted throughout for sport climbing.

(click the images for a larger view)
The rock geology in the area is predominantly a coarse-grained gneiss which makes for excellent climbing. This form of metamorphosed granite is much edgier and more featured than gray rock found along the coast, and generally more solid than the limestone found in the Rockies (though some areas are a bit chossy).&amp;nbsp;The routes vary from large jug holds to more crimpy routes with an average length of about 30 metres, perfect for beginners to expert climbers.

Some of the more popular walls are:
The FortressThis is the first cliff on the approach trail with about 40 climbs, both sport and trad and some up to 3 pitches in length. Most routes are in the 5.10 to 5.11 range and this area receives shade on hot summer days.
Red-Tail WallLots of sport routes on this wall in the 5.8 to 5.10 range, though the upper wall boasts a number of 5.11&amp;rsquo;s. This wall is also shady in the afternoon and hence can be crowded.
The Great White WallA formidable 40 metre wall of white rock with about 20 routes, mainly in the 5.11 and 5.12 range. This wall receives shade only in the morning so get there early.
The Doctor&amp;#39;s WallThis consistently overhanging wall sports some of the most difficult routes at Skaha. A combination of 5.11 and 5.12 sport routes complemented by some excellent 5.10 cracks.






Some of the details and a map of the area:


]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-10-19 12:28:20</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/perfect-fall-for-skaha-climbing</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/perfect-fall-for-skaha-climbing</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Random Space Available at Powder Creek Lodge]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Hey Folks, we are fully booked for 2016 (and 30% booked for 2017) but we have a few random openings:

Dec 26-Jan 2 (2 spots Guided/Catered trip)
Jan 2-9 (6 spots SG/SC)

Drop us a line at: &amp;nbsp;&amp;#39;info@powdercreeklodge.com&amp;#39; if interested

Cheers, John
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-08-17 01:41:38</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/random-space-available-at-powder-creek-lodge</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/random-space-available-at-powder-creek-lodge</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Jumbo Pass Hike]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[This last weekend I packed my bags and drove 6 hours to Invermere from Nelson BC, to do the Jumbo Pass hike.
 
My group and I spent two nights at the Cedar Motel in Radium, being only a couple minutes drive away from the hot springs and quite close to Jumbo. We had our own little kitchen, two beds and were in downtown Radium for $120 a night. Split between the 3 of us, it was well worth the price. For only $6.00 we also got to soak in the Radium hot springs, which made a huge difference for our sore muscles.&amp;nbsp;

To get to Jumbo Pass, drive the Toby Creek road for 18 km past the Panorama Mountain Resort, then turn right on to Jumbo Creek road. The Jumbo trailhead sign is on the left at the 15.4 km mark on this road. I would recommend having 4X4, as the road is fairly rough.&amp;nbsp;

Jumbo Pass has an elevation gain of 670 meters with a hiking distance estimated at 5.2 km, being 2.5 to 3 hours one way. The trail starts off really steep, taking you through the shaded forest, until eventually evening out. Up higher, the ground is sprinkled with beautiful flowers and amazing 360 mountain peak views.&amp;nbsp;
You can reserve a spot in the fully equipped cabin, or just head up for the day. Either way, you can look forward to meeting friendly new people and breathing in the fresh alpine air.]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-07-27 02:17:05</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/jumbo-pass-hike</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/jumbo-pass-hike</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Climbing Rossiter Ridge in the Goat Range]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[&amp;nbsp;
The summit on Rossiter Ridge is often called Lyell Peak but the official name is Brennan SE3 since it&amp;rsquo;s parent mountain is Mount Brennan E1 which is 3km away on a bearing of 319 degrees. Mount Brennan is a local favourite for a 5,000&amp;rsquo; grunt in summer or better yet in early spring when it&amp;rsquo;s snow covered and you can ski back down from the summit. It&amp;rsquo;s one of the longest ski descents in the kootenays with a relatively simple access off the highway. Have a read of this winter trip report from a few years ago.
&amp;nbsp;

The new access to Mount Brennan and Rossiter Ridge is now up Rossiter Creek Road which is on your right hand side just before Retallack when driving from Kaslo. Several kilometres up Rossiter Road you&amp;rsquo;ll find the trail head for Mount Brennan and if you continue driving another few km until the road gets much rougher you can park and hike the rest of the way to Rossiter Ridge. If you have an ATV or Quad then you can drive until the end of the mining road which gets you right up high into the alpine. Follow this old mining road until it reached a bowl and you can either head east or west around a large false summit. If you head west you will find several abandoned mines and have great views of the East face of Mount Brennan. Once out of the bowl you&amp;rsquo;ll have the summit within your sights and its an easy scramble up the ridge to the top where 360&amp;deg; views await you of the surrounding peaks. Starting from the north you can see Mt. Cooper, Four Squatters Glacier, Macbeth Glacier, Mt. Loki, Mt. Carlyle, Kokanee Glacier, Mt Rico, Idaho Peak, the Valhalla Range, the New Denver Glacier and of course Mount Brennan.
Mount Brennan&amp;#39;s East face.
Can you find the Mountain Goat?

The easy access and incredible views make this a very worth wild climb. Topping out at 2,673m / 8,770&amp;rsquo; its a relatively easy day with only 3,000 of vertical gain and about 10km of walking (return to the car). Get all the details and view the route here on our Garmin Connect page.


]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-07-26 11:20:35</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/climbing-rossiter-ridge-in-the-goat-range</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/climbing-rossiter-ridge-in-the-goat-range</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Revelstoke Bouldering]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[It might not be everyone&amp;#39;s cup of tea but there has been a new bouldering area under development here in Revelstoke. Located on the shady north slopes of Mt English, Englishmen boulders is fast gaining a reputation for being one of the great bouldering areas of British Columbia and once you have seen the area it&amp;#39;s easy to understand why. A dedicated group of locals have been logging some serious man hours establishing new problems, trails and a guide book for the area is currently in the works.
&amp;nbsp;They say the best camera is the one you have with you. So here&amp;#39;s some iphone shots of the last few weeks up at Englishmen&amp;nbsp;

&amp;nbsp;Max on a new slab problem
&amp;nbsp;
Shooting for Jugs

Erik showing us there&amp;#39;s really no wrong way.

Seriously fun problem&amp;nbsp;


If you are  familiar with the bouldering community of BC then you have certainly heard of Rock the Blocs held every year in the Okanagan.. It&amp;#39;s a fun first, contest second type of event that is really all about meeting fellow climbers and cheering on those challenging themselves. A similar event is being held at Englishmen on August 15th , free to all and categories for every skill level. So if you are in the area come out and try something different! Bouldering is a very come as you are sport so bring a pair of shoes, some snacks and high fives! See you there. &amp;nbsp;

More information can be found on the Revelstoke Climbing Coops Facebook page. Please not this is not a coop event.&amp;nbsp;

https://www.facebook.com/groups/153098778109312/]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-07-08 11:38:11</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/revelstoke-bouldering</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/revelstoke-bouldering</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Getting high on Toad Mountain]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[The last time I climbed Toad Mountain just West of Nelson BC was approximate two years ago in the month of June. Back then it was a relatively snow-free hike rather than a ski tour. With plenty of snow still up high in the mountains (less than 50% of normal I am told however) and none in the valleys it makes climbing a peak a difficult endeavour as the question inevitably arrises, hiking boots or skis? On this day snow on the access road foiled our approach and added 5 km to our journey. Without knowing how much snow versus dirt was to be found this day the decision of skis or hiking boots was a debate we considered for some time as we geared up at the car. Ultimately we decided on both. Start in skis and hope that the snow takes us to the summit, failing that our hiking boots would be stashed in our packs in case our intuition failed us.
Toad Mountain off the distance with some remnants of the long gone mining era just off our skin track.


Mid way through the climb Whitewater Ski Resort comes into view in the distance.

Nelson coming into view below and Kokanee Glacier Park in the distance.


As it turned out skis was the right choice for the day as snow flowed right to the 7,247 foot summit of Toad Mountain except for a few dirt patches in sun exposed areas of the access road that we had to take the skis off for. After a few hours of climbing we found ourselves on top and took a much needed break to take in the views. With good coverage and bomber conditions the ski down was rewarding and much faster than being on foot. The spring corn snow made for enjoyable turns and covered any obstacles in the forest except for the occasional open creek.


After almost seven hours we returned to the car sweaty, slightly sun burnt and tired but with happy smiles on our faces. Glad to have had skis underfoot and the gumption to head out with aspirations to get high and explore some peaks that otherwise aren&amp;rsquo;t accessible for several more weeks on foot.
The 360&amp;deg; summit view is worth the effort.


Check out some of the stats on the Backcountry Skiing Canada Garmin Connect page as compiled by the Garmin Fenix 3 GPS watch.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-05-10 11:45:00</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/getting-high-on-toad-mountain</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/getting-high-on-toad-mountain</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Report Confirms Jumbo Resort Avalanche Risk]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[The proposed Jumbo Resort development is in the news again, this time with reports showing that it is at risk of avalanche danger. The following article is from the West Kootenay EcoSociety:

An Avalanche Risk Assessment comissioned by the developer of the Jumbo Glacier Resort has confirmed that the day lodge and service building foundations constructed last year are within the medium to high avalanche risk area.
The developer&amp;#39;s Environmental Certificate requires that all buildings be constructed outside of avalanche hazard areas. In a letter sent to the Glacier Resort Limited&amp;#39;s chief architect in December 2014, EAO Enforcement Officer Autumn Cousins stressed that the both the service building and the day lodge locations should be evaluated.
&quot;Once again, this developer is putting expediency ahead of public safety and the environment,&quot; said David Reid, Executive Director of West Kootenay EcoSociety. &quot;The Minister needs to cancel this Environmental Certificate and shut this project down before any more damage is done and before anyone gets hurt.&quot; West Kootenay EcoSociety has been a long-standing opponent of hte resort and is taking the Province to BC Supreme Court over the creation of hte Jumbo Glacier Mountain Resort Municipality.

The report finds that the service building sub-floor is located mostly within the high-risk red zone, with the remainder in the medium-risk blue zone. The report, completed by Dynamic Avalanche Consulting, notes that buildings are not usually permitted in the red zone.
The majority of the Day lodge sub-floor is within the blue zone, with the remainder in the low-risk white zone. The report notes that only industrial plants and buildings that are not continuously occupied are allowed in this zone. The day lodge fits within that description, according to the report. The report also lists other resorts with buidlings built in avalanche hazard areas, including Nelson&amp;#39;s Whitewater Resort.
In October 2014, Glacier Resorts Limited poured two concrete floating sub-floors and a lift anchor just days before the Environmental Certificate was set to expire. Opponents of the project cried foul, noting that pre-construction requirements for environmental protection had not been met. The Minister of Environment must now decide whether Glacier Resorts Limited had &quot;substantially started&quot; the project by October 12, and whether the confirmed violations of the developer&amp;#39;s requirements justify the cancellation of the Environmental Certificate. The avalanche assessment report adds additional violations to that list.
The report is available here in part 1 (7 MB PDF) and part 2&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;(14 MB PDF)]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-04-24 00:03:24</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/report-confirms-jumbo-resort-avalanche-risk</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/report-confirms-jumbo-resort-avalanche-risk</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The Valhallas really are heaven]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Just spent a week up at the amazing Ice Creek Lodge on a self guided self catered trip with 9 other awesome guys. &amp;nbsp;We found some great snow and rad lines. It was all over too fast!

Skinning up Urd


Dropping Knee


Towards Fat Daddy Col


Early in the mission to ski Lucifer col


Skinning up under Lucifer&amp;#39;s shadow


Best run of the season


Plenty of steep lines at Ice Creek


Steep bootpack to Urd Peak


Fast run off the top


Me putting my Salomon Q105&amp;#39;s to good use that I won from Backcountry Skiing Canada
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-03-23 22:17:43</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/the-valhallas-really-are-heaven</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/the-valhallas-really-are-heaven</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Canadas 10 Best Ski Destinations]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Looking for a list of top places to ski in Canada? Well, here you go! Doug O&amp;#39;Neill writes this fantastic little article about the best resorts to hit up, great activities for the kids and also what the non-skier types can do while you&amp;#39;re out there hittin&amp;#39; the slopes!
1. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia: Together, the adjacent Whistler and Blackcomb mountains offer more than 200 marked runs, 16 alpine bowls and three glaciers over 3,200 hectares of incredibly beautiful terrain.
For the non-skier: dog-sledding, tube park, zip trek, snowcat tours, and visits to the trendy shops and eateries in Whistler Village.
For the kids: in addition to ski lessons catering to all levels and ages, there are special kids and teen programs and the Whistler Kids Snow School. Plus, there&amp;rsquo;s also &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;outdoor skating at Olympic Plaza and the thrilling Coca-ColaTube Park.
For more information visit http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com.

2. Sun Peaks, near Kamloops, British Columbia: At 1,500 hectares, Sun Peaks is the second largest ski area in British Columbia and is the third-largest in the country. This destination is popular with families and seasoned skiers with its opportunities for alpine and Nordic skiing.
For the non-skier: Sign up for a guided mountain tours of any of the 124 trails with a local Sun Guide or with Olympic ski champion Nancy Greene. Other options for non-skiers include snowboarding, snowmobiling, tubing and snowshoeing.
For the kids: skating, dog-sledding, aqua centre programs, &amp;nbsp;ski lessons and time on the special bungee trampoline. Teens enjoy the Mascon Hangout at Sun Peaks Sports Centre where they can entertain themselves with Xbox, Wii and movies.
For more information visit http://www.sunpeaksresort.com.

3. Banff/Lake Louise, Alberta: Skiers have long been coming to this region in the heart of the Rockies where the skiing is offered in three main resorts: Mt. Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise Mountain Resort. Banff National Parks is a UNESCO World Heritage site popular with tourist year-round, though in winter it becomes a 6,641-square kilometre playground. &amp;nbsp;(Lake Louise alone offers 139 runs.)
For the non-skier: winter trekking, dog-sledding and tubing top the list. Lake Louise in winter morphs into a 2.5 km-long skating rink. Plus, there are plenty of culinary and spa opportunities in and around Banff. Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is a popular way to warm up on a winter&amp;rsquo;s day.
For the kids: almost all area lodges have kid-friendly programs and activities, including snowshoe tours, tobogganing, bonfires, winter hiking and trivia nights.
For more information visit http://www.banfflakelouise.com.

4. Mount Tremblant, Tremblant, Quebec: This busy ski destination is nestled in the Laurentian Mountains about 130 kms from Montreal. Most of the skiing revolves around the well-appointed Mount Tremblant Ski Resort.
For the non-skier: non-ski options include tours of nearby Quebecois villages, tubing, dogsledding, spa treatments, Scandinavian baths and snowboarding.
For the kids: younger children (ages 1 to 6) enjoy the special programs at the Kidz Club, located in the Sommet des Neiges Hotel in the pedestrian village.
For more information visit http://www.tremblant.ca.

5. Le Massif, Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec: Le Massif in Charlevoix is the highest point east of the Canadian Rockies. Picture a 770-metre vertical drop. There are 40-plus runs, the longest of which is about 5 km long. The best way to get there is a leisurely one-hour train ride from Quebec City, during which passengers can enjoy incredible views of the St. Lawrence River. In addition to alpine, there-&amp;#39;s cross-country, snowboarding, ice-climbing and lots more.
For the non-skier: You must try rodelling, which is a form of sledding, on the specially designed 7.5 km trail on Mont &amp;agrave; Liguori. There are also gourmet tours of the Charlevoix area, plus excursions to the art scene in Baie-Saint-Paul. The culinary delights at La Ferme are without equal in the region.
For the kids: The Youth Program offers a beginner package that includes a ski lesson, day lift ticket and equipment rental for the entire day.
For more information visit http://www.lemassif.com.]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-02-21 01:25:05</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/canadas-10-best-ski-destinations</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/canadas-10-best-ski-destinations</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Monashees Backcountry Report]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[FEBRUARY 19 MONASHEE BACKCOUNTRY REPORT
&amp;nbsp;
Passing on a little article I write for the Sun Peaks Newspaper on Monashee backcountry conditions.
Hate to be a broken record, but the pattern continues of intense storms ending with rising freezing levels. &amp;nbsp;The most recent being February 10 to 12.
This year powder skiing seems to be like surfing, all a matter of being there when the swell is up!&amp;nbsp; Meaning that good powder skiing is found during the storm.
But what to do between the swells?&amp;nbsp; Coffee shops in Revelstoke and Nelson are likely doing booming business!&amp;nbsp; Backcountry skiers need to be creative and adapt to changing conditions.

January 25 freezing levels and rain hit most peaks in the Monashees &amp;ndash; and across all of BC.&amp;nbsp; Once this layer froze the backcountry was left with an unusual thick boiler plate crust.&amp;nbsp; The biggest hazard was sliding out of control.&amp;nbsp; This solid snowpack provided fast travel conditions and sunny skies, and great opportunity for ski mountaineering and exploring new terrain.
Different conditions necessitate creative use of terrain, and utilizing different techniques.
Often walking on the crust was much simpler and safer than trying to skin on skis and risk sliding and fall hazard.&amp;nbsp; Ski crampons also are a great option for these conditions.

Sol Mountain guests on the way to Pride Rock in the Monashees

This year January seemed to be more like April.&amp;nbsp; Hang in there, good chance January pow will come in April!

Any Splitboarders out there?&amp;nbsp; Sol Mountain Lodge is holding their 3rd Annual Splitfest 6 Nights Mar 29 to Apr 4.&amp;nbsp; The trip is fully catered and a great chance to pick up tips from the pros.

Aaron Cooperman
Sol Mountain Lodge
info@solmountain.com
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-02-19 13:11:01</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/monashees-backcountry-report</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/monashees-backcountry-report</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Yoga For Skiers]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Knowing a great Stretching and Strengthening routine to prepare for the ski season can make a huge difference. Not only does Yoga help to prepare our body and mind for the challenges of the sport, but also gives us something to focus on in between seasons. Check out the article below, written by Charry Morris, to learn a few great poses to help you out this season and the ones to come!&amp;nbsp;When I lived in the Rocky Mountains, as soon as fall arrived and the crisp, cool weather settled in, I began to think about the powder days ahead.
Now that I live far from the mountains, I still get that tingle inside once fall hits.
Now, because I have the experience of skiing over 100 days a year for over 15 years, I know just how important it is to prepare the body for the rigors of the sport. I know just how to train so that I have the strength, balance, and endurance needed for my ski holiday.
Yoga is the perfect cross-training tool to prepare for days on the slopes.
Just as with yoga, skiing is meant to be equal parts effort and ease. In yoga the dance is between the inhalation and the exhalation, creation and dissolution. In skiing the dance is between the constant fine tuning and precision within each turn and the letting-go quality of heading down the hill with beauty and grace.
Yoga and skiing also happen to require a lot of balance.
In yoga, the standing and balancing poses train the body, to find balance between gravity (grounding/rooting action) and rebounding force (equal and opposite uplifting reaction). In skiing you play with the same forces of nature&amp;mdash;gravity, which pulls you down the hill, and rebounding action, which allows the ski to move through the snow into and out of the turn.
Yoga trains the body to become strong, like a diamond. The book Hatha Yoga Pradipika has laid out the path to achieving the &amp;ldquo;diamond body.&amp;rdquo; The diamond body can withstand any climate, stave off any illness, and digest any food. It is pure and clean and contains vital living force that is in tune with nature&amp;rsquo;s forces.
The skier needs to have rock solid musculature of the legs and hips, a strong core and back, and be able to adjust to any and all conditions with reflexes like a cat. If the skier follows the instructions of the Pradipika, she will attain ultimate physical conditioning.
So, with the slopes in mind, here are some yoga exercises that will keep you in balance and upright on your skis.1. Chair Pose
Utilizing the quad strengthening component to this posture, the shape mimics the shape of the body while skiing.
Adding some dynamic movement up to standing and back into the squatting position increases the strengthening aspect to this exercise.
2. Lunge (Three variations)
Begin with the classical version to find the stretch throughout the hips, hip flexors, and low back.
Then, take the top of the foot down and lift the knee off the floor to strengthen the quadriceps muscles in an elongated position.
Then, tuck the toes back under and lift the thigh and knee up away from the floor.
These exercises tone the lower limbs and create the endurance necessary for long days on the hill.
3. Lunge with Twist
Going into the classical lunge variation, stretch the torso up away from the hips and twist toward your front leg.
&amp;ldquo;Hook&amp;rdquo; your opposite elbow outside of the front thigh. Bringing the palms of the hands together, thumbs at the sternum bone, spin the navel, ribs, and chest up.
Look up.
Spinal flexibility and core mobility is crucial for injury prevention on the slopes.
4. Tree Pose
Standing on one leg while balancing is difficult enough. Add the downhill momentum of skiing, even on two feet, and you can begin to understand the importance of this exercise.
Stand upright. Shift the weight to one foot. Bring the sole of the opposite foot up to the inner calf or thigh.
Take the hands at your hips, or over the head.
When you become really proficient, close your eyes and imagine yourself zooming down the hill. Make sure you balance on each leg for an equal amount of time. Work up to a minute on each side.
5. Warrior III
This position continues to work on balancing aspects, while adding strength and endurance for the back.
Stand upright. Reach the arms overhead, or keep them by your sides.
Tilt the body forward and the non-standing leg, up and back.
Bring the body and back leg to horizontal. Switch legs and work each leg for up to a minute.
6. Move from Tree to Warrior III (dynamic balance in motion)
Skiing is a dynamic balancing sport. You are moving, actually hurtling, yourself downhill at increasing speeds and inclines as your skills improve. This exercise trains your mind to adapt to the shifts that occur while moving and balancing.
Start in tree position. Hold for a four breath count (improve your concentration by actually counting your breaths and staying with the count fully in your mind&amp;rsquo;s eye), then move to Warrior III and hold for four breaths.
The US Ski Team members I have worked with could maintain focus and balance throughout this exercise with their eyes closed the entire time! Give it a try!
7. Locust
Core and back strength are crucial for a day on the slopes. The spine takes a lot of torque while turning the skis as the body absorbs gravity, centrifugal and centripetal forces of nature.
Lie on your belly with the arms by your sides. Lift the whole body up off the floor. Hold for eight breaths.
Rest. Repeat.
8. Reclining Hip Opener
Strong musculature around the hip joints prevents injuries, but a certain amount of flexibility in that same hip musculature will prevent injuries around the knee joint.
Lie on your back with bent knees, feet on the floor. Take one foot and place the ankle across the opposite thigh. Push the knee away from the body.
If you need a bit more stretch, bring the foot and thigh that is on the floor toward you by interlacing your fingers at the back of the thigh and pulling the leg toward the torso.
If your head and low back lift off the floor, go back to the first version.
9. Happy Baby
Relaxation is always necessary and tightness in the hips prevents the mind from quieting. This is a nice exercise to find release in the low back and hips.
Lie on your back. Bend the knees and grab the soles of the feet.
Pull the thighs down toward the floor outside of the torso.
Close the eyes and find sensation. Imagine your breath entering and loosening up any and all tightness you might be feeling.
10. Reclining Spinal Twist
Release the spine, tone the abdomen, prepare for final relaxation.
Lie on your back. Bend one knee and place the foot outside of the straight leg knee.
Take the bent leg across the body and down. Twist the torso in the opposite direction.
Hold for four breaths. Repeat on the other side.
11. Final Relaxation/Savasana
If there is only one &amp;ldquo;pose&amp;rdquo; you should do every day, for the rest of your life, it is this one. Become a master of relaxation. It will not only help you recover from your workout or day on the slopes, but it can help you recover from a day at the office and prepare you for whatever difficult emotional life situation you might encounter.
Lie on your back. Feel the pull of gravity. Tune into that sensation of body moving downward into earth.
Keep going, little by little, body part by body part. Notice the sensation of your body weight as it &amp;ldquo;settles down&amp;rdquo; and into the earth&amp;rsquo;s embrace.
Let go. Rest. Let the body go. Rest.
Let the thoughts and the mind go. Rest.
Let the breath go. Rest.
When you feel lighter and free of body/mind attachments, move slowly onto your side.
From there, when you are ready, sit up.
Take a moment, or two or 10, sitting upright in silence, watching, listening, tuning into your own inner nature.
As Maria Rainer Rilke offers: &amp;ldquo;The inner. What is it?&amp;rdquo;
From the beauty of outer nature, listen and follow her advice. Move with the natural forces. Listen to the inner force of the heart&amp;rsquo;s wisdom.
Strength and awareness in and around the core of the body, our solar plexus region, allows us to remain upright, standing firmly between earth/snow and sky, or moving downhill with grace and ease.
Yoga has laid it all out for us as to how to achieve maximum physical harmony and balance with nature.
Prepare yourself as best you can by following the principles of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and good luck both on and off the slopes!
&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-01-31 01:05:47</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/yoga-for-skiers</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/yoga-for-skiers</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Days Of My Youth: POV Montage]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Although there isn&amp;rsquo;t quite as much snow as we had all hoped for this season, here&amp;rsquo;s another fun video to help inspire you to get out and about. It&amp;rsquo;s a short montage of wonderful POV shots from &amp;ldquo;Days Of My Youth&amp;rdquo;, produced by MSP Films and Red Bull Media House.



&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-01-24 01:47:14</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/days-of-my-youth-pov-montage</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/days-of-my-youth-pov-montage</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Tree Well Rescue]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[If you&amp;rsquo;ve ever wondered what it might be like to fall into a tree well and how to deal with this type of dangerous situation, check out the short video below. It&amp;rsquo;s a great reminder of what tools to keep close while skiing in the backcountry and why having at least one other buddy is really important.



&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-01-17 01:03:37</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/tree-well-rescue</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/tree-well-rescue</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The Shadow Campaign: Sun Dog]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[A beautiful and heart warming piece, directed by Ben Sturgulewski, that portrays the simple adventures of Chilean skier Santiago Guzman and a dog companion. As these two play up high in the mountains, it&amp;rsquo;s hard not to feel like it truly is the little things in life that matter most.&amp;nbsp;



&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-01-10 02:13:50</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/the-shadow-campaign-sun-dog</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/the-shadow-campaign-sun-dog</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The Unrideables: Alaska Range - Trailer]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[These guys take back country skiing to a whole new level, quite literally actually. Created by Red Bull, Speedflying is a high intensity sport that combines skiing with parachute flight. Though this is only a short trailer you can really get a feel for the beauty, excitement and sheer terror that comes with the sport. The full film will be coming out this month, so be sure to check it out!&amp;nbsp;



&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-01-03 01:00:10</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/the-unrideables-alaska-range-trailer</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/the-unrideables-alaska-range-trailer</guid>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Wannabe Wednesdays]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Starting up for a second season and we have moved over to the interior. New edit every Wednesdays will double as stoke and conditions reports from the week leading up to it. Here&amp;#39;s the first!&amp;nbsp;

Luke with the face anchor, really the only way to properly enter a line.

 



&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
            <pubDate>2014-12-17 19:32:41</pubDate>
            <link>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/wannabe-wednesdays</link>
            <guid>/index.php/forum/bcs/category/interior-mountains/topic/wannabe-wednesdays</guid>
                    </item>
                    </channel>
</rss>
