Day 14 - Kicking Horse

Today after another big sleep, and another bad coffee and bad brekky (Limoncello be warned, the morning after I return and do a 200km ride, you are being hit for free range eggs, mushies, avocado, and 3 delicious coffees) we headed to Kicking Horse.

Whoah.

The place, serviced by 1 gondola, 1 detach and 2 fixed quads (I think I have that right) is simply staggering. There are 2 or 3 main ridges that the lifts (Gondola Golden Eagle Express and Quad Stairway to Heaven) service. So, 2 lifts servicing an enormous amount of terrain.

The views from 2450m at the top of Stairway to Heaven were simply stunning; SW into the Rockies and Northwest down the Columbia Valley.

I have never seen such epic in bounds terrain before. Gnarly chutes that dared you to approach dominated our line of vision everywhere we looked. Cornices, steep chutes, steep tree lines, cliff faces. Just endless epicness. Unbelievable.

Avalanche warnings everywhere, out of bounds and backcountry warnings every which way.
But untouched lines lay just within reach. Hero lines lay untouched between tracked bowls, speaking of the evident avalanche danger, yet I was surprised how easily Josh and I both agreed we would maybe, just maybe, risk it, with a local present.

Had I a little more local knowledge, some hiking would be occuring, but with these bowls and faces all facing the sun and with weak sublayers present through the entire area due to poor base formation earlier on, avalanche potential is currently rated considerable, so common sense must prevail.

Plus Josh's mum has warned me to bring him home.

Here are some photos.











Hard to believe we're looking down into the resort. It's like Europe or something. The scale is staggering.



Some backcountry shots...looking North....(I think it's North)







Park time.
I nailed this the first two tries before Packy got the camera out. Then I got all mung. This is laughing in frustration.