To discover some of Canada’s best ski touring terrain and longest runs, you don’t have to search beyond the Icefall Traverse. This 7-day adventure is all about traveling through complex glacier terrain past some of the highest peaks in the range. Similar to the Haute Route, but the key difference here is the exclusivity—there’s only our group, no one else in sight. We’ll travel hut-to-hut, have sole access to them, and, with the weather gods on our side, we’ll cruise down three of the longest runs in Canada, all over 7,000 ft vertical! No need to worry about unfavorable weather, either—there’s always a back-up plan.
A week of superb ski touring through some of Canada’s best touring terrain is just a few clicks away! The Icefall Traverse is as good as it gets—high peaks, complex glacier terrain, and comfy huts. Each lodge or cabin offers something new, whether it’s the longest run in Canada, dozens of glacier runs out the door, or some terrific tree skiing. An ACMG guide will lead you through BC’s terrain, make sure you don’t miss out on epic descents, and find just the perfect terrain for you. You’ll end each day at the huts, enjoy a hearty warm meal, and enjoy million-dollar views from the living rooms.
Kick the adventure off with a heli ride into the Mons Hut, sitting at the toe of the glacier near the base of Mons Peak. Get settled in and ready for untouched backcountry terrain! Stepping out the door, you get a view of the Icefall on the Lyell Glacier—the traverse will pass above this icefall the next day.
The Mons Hut gives access to many ski peaks and long glacier runs. Possible objectives for today include Mons Peak, Cambrai or the North Glacier on Mount Forbes. At 3,612 m (11,850 ft), Mt Forbes is the highest peak in Banff National Park. The run on the North Glacier takes you right up to the imposing north face. Once you’ve had enough for the day, return to your cozy and warm hut.
Meals: Lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Mons Hut
Time to move—this morning, you travel to the Lyell Hut. There is a long run down to the edge of the Icefall Canyon, a 2,000′ deep hole ringed with sheer cliffs and filled with frozen waterfalls.
The Lyell Hut sits on a rock outcropping at 2,835 m (9,300 ft) and is surrounded on all sides by glaciers. This is the highest elevation ski touring hut in Canada. You can watch alpenglow sunsets on the north face of Mt Forbes out the front window! One evening possibility is to ascend Christian Peak, Lyell 5, watch the sunset and ski down to the hut in the evening twilight. It takes about 10 minutes to ski from the summit to the hut.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Lyell Hut
Cross the Continental Divide over into Alberta and ski Rudolf, Edward and Ernest (Lyell 1, 2, and 3). These are some of the highest peaks in the range, and you can normally ski right off of the summits. From the summit of Lyell 3 at 3,448 m (11,312 ft), you have a 2,200-meter (7,218 ft) descent down a run called the Wild West—the longest ski run in Canada! This run was first skied over ten years ago, but it has only been skied a handful of times since. The addition of the Alexandra Cabin has made this run a lot more feasible for the average group.
An alternative for getting to the Alexandra Cabin is to ski the Deep End. This run skis more directly to the Alexandra Cabin, exits the glacier much sooner and has more trees and rock for reference. If the visibility isn’t good this is a great option for getting to the Alexandra. With over 1,500 m (4,920 ft) of vertical drop, it is still a huge run in a spectacular setting.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Alexandra Cabin
After a comfortable night in the Alexandra Cabin with a wood stove and a sauna, you will head for Icefall Lodge, where you will spend the next two nights. The route to the lodge climbs up out of Lyell Creek by either the portal or the Shark’s Gate. The addition of the Alexandra Cabin means you will do this in the morning when it’s cooler and generally safer.
Once you reach the lodge, you are treated to a sauna, shower, electricity, wood stove, double rooms, running water, and many other comforts. The Icefall Lodge sits at treeline, and if the weather is snowy, there are many tree skiing possibilities here. It is usually possible to arrive at the lodge earlier in the week if there’s bad weather up at the huts. There are multiple ski objectives, both summits and ski runs from the lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Icefall Lodge
Climb over Ice Pass and ski down to the Rostrum Cabin. It is also possible to ski to the summit of Mt Kemmel along the way and enjoy a 1,200-meter (3,940 ft) ski down to the hut. The Rostrum Cabin sits at treeline with a view of the blue ice and tumbling glaciers draping Rostrum Peak. While it is smaller than the lodge, it has many of the same comforts.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
The last day is a skin up to the Tempest Glacier and a long run down to the valley bottom for a helicopter pick-up. You will pass through Porcupine Saddle, skiing past blue glacier ice and sometimes through crevasses. In the right conditions, you can climb and ski from the summit of Icefall Peak to the valley floor, another run of over 2,100 m (7,000 ft) vertical. Once you reach the valley floor, a helicopter will come pick you up, marking the end of the trip.
What you get on this adventure:
Some dietary requirements can be accommodated. Vegetarian and gluten free are generally ok, vegan diet cannot be accommodated.
What’s not included:
In order to join skiing the Icefall Traverse, you should be an experienced backcountry skier with expert downhill skiing ability. You should be able to tour 1,800 m (6,000 ft) vertically on recreational days touring. The biggest day of the tour involves 1,500 m (4,920 ft) of climbing and 4 km (2.5 miles) of valley bottom travel. Make sure you’re fit enough to cover these
Since you’ll be backcountry skiing, there may be variable conditions with anything from powder to frozen crud, breakable crust, moist snow or corn. You must be able to ski in control in any of these conditions to avoid hazards such as crevasses or cliffs.
Liability waivers are a standard part of all guided outdoor adventures. Recently, the requirements have become a bit more rigorous for ACMG guides—meaning that you’ll need to agree to the signing of the waiver at the time of booking.
Prior to booking, we ask you to review the waiver. During the checkout process, you’ll have to acknowledge the risks and agree to the signing of the waiver. You are required to bring a printed copy on the trip.
Please note that signing and agreeing to the terms of the waiver is required in order to join this adventure. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us prior to booking.
Skiing / riding gear
Clothing
Miscellaneous
Group sizes and pricing
Skiing the Icefall Traverse can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to Golden BC, the staging area and starting point of the Icefall Traverse journey, most people fly into Calgary International Airport (YYC). From there, you can rent a car and drive to Golden. Make sure to reach Golden at least a day prior to the start of the tour, as you have a helicopter flight early in the morning of Day 1.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both medical and travel protection. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!
Deposits
When booking a trip, you can either pay for it in full or reserve your spot with a 50% deposit. The remaining 50% of the trip price is to be paid 120 days prior to departure, at the latest.
Secure your early bird spot with a 10% deposit! This tour gets sold out very quickly, but with early-bird booking, you will be the first one to know about any new upcoming dates. Pick your preferred dates without the risk of your bucket list adventure selling out!
Cancellations
Thank you for all that you do to make these experiences happen!!! “We like it here” is an understatement… Love the details in the new cabins and the amazing terrain each hut/cabin/lodge access has- the views are beyond beautiful. Easily top favorite place’s on earth! A huge thank you and shout out to Corin Lohmann- he is a fantastic guide. Two full Traverse trips with him, and I hope to have another in my time. Always a grand adventure!!!