Selkirk Lodge, BC: 4/2- 4/3

[schubwa]

I found it interesting that in a recent post Tony had reported that wonderful late March storm cycle had somewhat missed interior BC. This does not compute. At least where I was. Our guides thought we got nearly five feet the week we were in the Selkirks. It basically snowed for seven days straight, with some sun breaks. I wished it had been sunnier so we could have spent more time in the alpine.
Friday was our last full day at the hut and it was snowing again, with easily another 20 cm overnight. With no visibility we headed down valley and into the trees again. It's actually quite steep right below the hut and it was just another face shot day in Canada. We trekked back to "Bavaria" and enjoyed more luscious pillow lines and steep trees. I figured we skinned up about 30K vertical feet for the week. No small feat as it was soft and we had to put in new skin tracks every morning. Good thing guide Eric is such strong SOB, he set all week. Whew!
Saturday was the last day and some were a little groggy from the prior evening's "Flair Party", a tradition with this group. All I can say is that it is a costume party and has been going on with these guys and gals for years and was so fun. I wore a wig, jewelry, a mesh shirt and some boxer shorts that have "David's" (Michelangelo) likeness on the front, which I'd bought in Rome.
We packed up and left our gear at the heli pad, just uphill from the hut. It was snowing again and looked to be even deeper than the previous days. We went for Oasis and Sweet Stuff, more steep trees and poofy lines. Some of the guys were hucking off the pillows, and I did my share, but I'm not much of a risk taker, even though it was the last day. I was worried the chopper might not get in, but we heard it in the distance as Selkirk Tangiers flys in bad weather down the valley from where we were. Apparently the whole Justice Glacier/Albert Icefield drainage is in their permit area, but they rarely fly here due to a long standing gentleman's agreement. Also, Grania said the lodge hadn't missed a Saturday heli exchange in 30 years. Quite some record, but it could be broken at any time.
We had a great last day and then it was in the bird and back to work, sweethearts and reality.

I think this is Dan Kane or Steve Ward. Who knows, it was deep.

Melissa Nau popping out and liking her Coombas. Lots of Dynafits on this trip, they rule.

Matthias Schabel of Bozeman, riding some seriously wide planks, gets it good on the last day.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Second half of March snowfalls (inches):
Whitewater 30
Fernie 30
Kicking Horse 19
Sunshine 17
Red Mt. 13
Revelstoke 11.5
Lake Louise 5

Geographically Revelstoke is closest to Schubwa's location, but the lift served area is in somewhat of a snow shadow relative to surrounding mountains. Whitewater's snowfall is more similar to the backcountry places, but obviously since it's a couple for hundred miles south of the TransCanada Hwy it's not going to match with the northern places for many storms.

Key points here:
1) Those are not impressive snow numbers for half a month. However, from what I can discern at http://www.powderwatch.com/ nearly all of that snow came during Schubwa's week.
2) Depending upon location the backcountry places get more snow. A lot of the Selkirk places are in the 500 inch range vs. 400 at Whitewater and 375 at Revelstoke. There may be a few microclimates where it's closer to 600.
3) Perhaps most important is that even 6 inches of new snow over a "settled powder" subsurface in the backcountry will ski like 12-18 at a resort where the subsurface is packed. 30 inches new in a week at a backcountry lodge would nearly always be epic IMHO.

 

[schubwa]

Depending upon location the backcountry places get more snow. A lot of the Selkirk places are in the 500 inch range vs. 400 at Whitewater and 375 at Revelstoke. There may be a few microclimates where it's closer to 600.

Sounds like they were nowhere near these numbers this year, with the storm track taking a southern route most of the season. The hut keepers said our week was the first time they had face shots all season. We just got lucky this time, I guess.

When asked about returning to the Selkirks with my girlfriend who is pretty strong on deck and skis, but is no expert, the guides recommended staying in Revelstoke and trying out some of the local cat (or heli ski) operations such as K3 and Great Northern. It appears some of them offer day trips, so that is an option. They added you have the newly expanded Revelstoke ski area to check out and was told their snowcat terrain isn't all that hard to access from the lifts, much to their concern I'm sure. Since I now know two guides who live there, going up to Roger's Pass for some day tours is yet another way to enjoy the area. The Master's World Cup Nordic Ski Championships are in nearby Sovereign Lake BC (Silver Star) next early March, which I'd like to race in, so the wheels are turning already!