Backcountry Snowboarding and Telemarking in the Canadian Rockies
(Alberta and BC)
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Healy Pass
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Most of those places mentionned below require some ski-touring to get to your destination. If you want to do some backcountry snowboarding a split board is not perfect but it will perform ok especially when you are climbing or when you are breaking trail in deep snow. You can also use all terrain skis, they are good for touring and downhill. Most of the places listed below are not more than 30km from the parking or the nearest road and most are less than 15 km. Most of the touring trails are intermediate advanced . The mountains where you can do some turns have different levels of difficulty, most of them anyway. Check for the at avalanche conditions before you go.

Banff area

Close to the Sunshine ski hill you can find excellent areas for some telemark turns and backcountry snowboarding . Around the Sunshine Meadows you have some mountains who can provide you with some short but sweet runs.

  • Twin Cairns

    This is looking at Twin Cairns from the top of the Wawa Chair at Sunshine Village. We crossed over to the right skyline ridge ...To read more see the trip of Dave Stephens around Twin Cairns

  • Quartz Hill

  • Healy Pass:

    This is an area that I know because I spent a weekend backcountry snowboarding using my split board and skins. From the parking lot of the Sunshine village ski area it is about seven kilometers to the top of the pass. Excellent skiing can be done in this area. Read more about my trip and see pictures of Healy Pass and Egypth Lake -- En francais

    Kananaskis Area

  • Burstall Pass

    Around the pass, you can have the chance to ski and snowboard. It looks an excellent place to have some turns.
    Burstall Pass, Lonnie Springer (pictures only)

    On December 24th, Jason Wilcox and I decided that it was time to give Alpine Ski Touring a try. What better place than the famous Burstall Pass deep in the heart of Kananaskis country and about the only place with enough snow left after days of extremely warm weather?... Read more about the trip

    Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park

  • The Nublet

  • The Cerulean Lake Hillside

  • Around the lodge and the Naiset cabins:

    Few years ago, I parked my car at the Shark Mountain Cross Country Ski Trail and packed my equipment into my improvised sled and started making our way to Assiniboine.Read more about my trip and see pictures of the Assiniboine Pass and area


    Here's two other trips there is also an article of the times:
    Kathleen Gilroy's trip to Assiniboine
    Ski Adventure at Assiniboine by Doug Lesar (no pictures)

    Jasper National Park

  • Maccarib Pass

    I have been there twice. It is a spectacular area especially if you make your way to the Tonquin Valley. From the parking lot, close to the Marmot Basin Ski Resort It's 12 km to the pass. Read more about my trip and see pictures of Maccarib Pass and the Tonkin Valley

    Other Tonquin Valley Adventures
    Don Bauer photos of his trip to Wates Gibson Hut
    Tonquin Valley and Maccarib Pass Ski Touring with Snow-Caving
    ON NORDIC SKIS IN CANADA'S WILDERNESS
    By RUTH ROBINSON of the New-York Times




  • Fraser Glacier

    Before you get to the glacier there is some places where you can do some telemarking. Last time I was at the Wates-Gibson Hut, many of the guests were taking turns in this area. They seemed to have had a lot of enjoyment from their skiing experience.

  • Eremite Valley

    Few turns can be possible high in the valley.

  • Little Shovel Pass

    High in the alpine you can find some places to telemark.

  • Bald Hills

    Bald Hills are located by Maligne Lake. It 's about 6 kilometers to reach the area. I was there in 2006. There was a lot of snow even when there was not much in the valley below. I brought my splitboard with me.Read more about my trip and see pictures of Bald Hills

  • Shangri La

    Chic Scott said that: "the bowl above the hut, 7 km across and rimmed with many small peaks, offers excellent skiing. Days can be filled touring the meadows, admiring the scenery or carving turns and scrambling to the summits." This is a place that is top on my list of places to do in the near future.


    Kootenay National Park

  • Chickadee Valley

    I have never been there but It is a popular destination to take turns.

    Chickadee Valley is a great tour or telemark trip. It's 10 km return with only 200 m elevation gain to just before the final climb. The scenery along the way is beautiful. We had great snow conditions and people before us breaking trail. We had a couple of fabulous runs at the top. Read more about the Chickadee Valley (great pictures)

  • Stanley Glacier Valley

    There are a few good slopes.
    Mt Stanley -Trip Report Circa May 2004 with VIDEO

    Lake Louise area

  • Purple Bowl
    There is some gentil slopes

    Waterton Lakes

  • Summit Lake

    There are telemarking slopes above the lake.
    Summit Lake near Waterton Park by Trail Peak

  • Forum Lake

    Forum Lake (Forum Ridge trail) by Trail Peak
    You can have some fun in the area.

    Skoki Area

  • Packers Pass

    The Northwest flank of Packers Peak above Zigadenus Lake

  • Merlin Ridge

    Merlin Ridge by Allan and Judith
    Good slopes above Lake Merlin

  • Wolverine Ridge

    Purple Bowl/Wolverine Ridge by Tom Wolfe
    West flank of Fossil Mountains

  • Skoki Valley

    Skoki by Allan and Judith
    Around the Lodge there some interesting slopes

    Yoho National Park

  • McArthur Pass

    To the north of Mount Odaray.

  • Opabin Pass

    It has a nice 300 meter ski trail

  • Vice President
    On the far side of the valley opposite the hut.
    Lake O'Hara Nordic Ski Tour by the Elbow Valley Cycle Club of Calgary

    Icefields Parkway South

  • Bow Summit

    Bow Summit by Mark Klassen Mountain Guide You have to go to the Peyto lookout from there you go to the big parking lot . The base of the main slope is located about one km from there. This is a very popular place due to its approximity to the highway. Although, many skiers have died there killed by avalanches.
    Bow Summit from bfcoffey
    Bow Summit environs by Mark Klassen

  • Molar Meadows

    You can have some fun gliding in the area.

    Wapta Icefields

    This is an area for ski mountaineering. It is probably the best in Canada. There are many slopes where you can do some telemark in the area. We also can find four huts where you can sleep overnight. There are also many crevasses and the avalanche hazard is real. This is for advanced skiers only or bring a guide with you.
    Wapta Icefields

    Icefields Parkway North

  • Parker Ridge

    Parker Ridge by gregadams101 (mainly pictures) Chic Scott said, " it is the perfect location in the Rockies to make a few turns"


    There is no life like it, spending time with friends in a winter cabin in the Rockies


    Resources: Ski Trails in the Canadian Rockies by Chic Scott



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