Ski Mountaineering in Canada

Canada, like the USA, is a huge and very mountainous country that gets some serious winter weather and has no shortage of ski-mountaineering opportunities.

Coast Range

Rocky Mountains

Emma Livingston skiing the steep side-country at Kicking Horse resort.

Coast Range

The Coast range has some easily accessible mountains, such as Garibaldi and Matier that are just a few hours drive from Vancouver, but also some remote and serious ski mountaineering country in the area around Mt. Waddington further north.

On the summit of Mt. Matier, Coast Range, British Columbia.

Skinning up the Anniversary Glacier towards the summit of Mt. Matier, Canada.

Skiing near the Elfin Hut with the extinct volcano of Mt. Garibaldi in the background, Coast Range, BC.

Skiing Whirlwind Peak above Whistler.

Rocky Mountains

There's no shortage of mountains in the Canadian Rockies, but my experiences here are that the ski-mountaineering can be a bit problematic. Lots and lots of snow lead to generally quite elevated avalanche hazard, and often the only way through the trees to the open slopes higher up is up an avalanche slide path.
In compensation there are some great ski resorts with interesting side-country, Kicking Horse near Golden is a particular favourite.

 
Skiing some deep (and heavy!) snow at Rogers Pass, Selkirk Mountains, Canada, April 2018. Same again below!







Linda Biggar skinning across Epaulette Lake on our way up towards White Pyramid, 3275m, near Saskatchewan Crossing.
 



Kootenay National Park.