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If you don't like Helos flying you would hate Blanket Glacier , One day and I was only there of 4 it felt like you were Vietnam during the height of the war close to an air field. All day CMH was lapping with I don't know how many helos one slope that actually they shared with Blanket.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arctos Guides
I think if shit goes sideways you will change your opinion of helo's in the air around your vaca cuz they will drop everything to be there tout suite to save your ass
the blanket was my introduction to bc hut trips Its definately gots the terrainQuote:
Originally Posted by DougW
https://hosting.photobucket.com/albu...080&fit=bounds
did 3 blanket trips back in the 00's
only delt with the helis on 1
They only really ski the alpine, blanket peak, big apple, hellen keller etc
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they dont ski the killer tree runs of the monster, xmass, and its a good 4k down to greenbush lake if ya gots coverage
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and the dont let em huck pillow meat right out the back door
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they also couldnt toot suite bro outta the vortex crevasse and he gots to spend the night till the sar pros showed up the next morn to long line him out
The choopin wood and crawling down the ladder into the creek every morning for water was kinda lame
and Al never did much to improve the lodge
cept the new drying room
glad we did one last trip in 16 before he turned it over to his son and they went 5 day guided only
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doubt ill go back for that
not a fan of either but not a lot of unguided options these days
place definately has quality good varied terrain and tends gets good snow and the revelstoke lz is nice for pre post hut days
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https://vimeo.com/19772946?share=copy
headed to the https://www.dezaikolodge.com/ in march
anybody ever been?
yeah 4 or 5 times cuz Dezaiko is very close to Prince George where I was last living, it recently changed hands to another long time local ( carpenter/ guide ) who did a bunch of updates to the lodge,Quote:
Originally Posted by skifishbum
500yr old balsams with some some good tree skiing
we would also ski up to " The Farm " all the time which was the next range over
it can get pretty cold up there so make sure to pack the long johns and bigger pufffy, altho this reminds me of the time there was a inversion at x-mas and it was above zero so also pack the skin wax
Hey Al, is "the farm" the hut you can access from the train? I thought I heard it called the McGregor hut at some point but this old drug addled brain is easily confused.
Always thought accessing a hut from a train (in Canada anyway) would be a very cool thing to do.
It's got a ton of terrain. A lot of N facing trees and interesting if a bit convoluted stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by skifishbum
Like xxx said pack extra clothing. It can be - 20 or colder and snowing heavily there. Super interesting range that's in most people's blind spot.
You'll love it. I hear the new owners are really good people
Ya Lee- Bryce is an old Nordic ski buddy of mine (on of the top Jr Biathletes in the country back in the day). He is one of the greatest humans I have ever had the privilege of knowing.
I had a chance to head out there this year but can’t make it happen. Super bummed.
no " The Farm " is a hut accessed by parking at I think it was km 27 on the pass lake road and hiking up for 3+ hrs and it has always been a BC staple for PG folk. You can drive a little further up pass lake to get closer to Dezaiko, where they might land a helicopter but mostly they run Choppers out of an old farm on the banks of the fraser,Quote:
Originally Posted by garyfromterrace
I could mention Dezaiko was originally built by George Evanoff so " George Evanoff park " was named after him. After Georges passing his son Craig Evanoff operated Dezaiko lodge, it was taken over a couple years ago and is now operated by Brice Cox another familiar name in the PG out door scene
On the RR thing you might be thinking of Red mountain and so for that hut you take the train or drive to Penny ( I think the mail still gets dropped by the RR ) and its about a 3-4 hr hike, I hiked in but did not ski Red mtn, as we were hiking out they were lining in a bunch of building materials to upgrade the Red hut which was really needed
Moosespit is or was involved with caretaking Red mtn hut, Moospit has probably forgotten more about that whole area than i can remember, also Duncan is one of them govy bio types that knows everything going on in the area
As Lee points out Dezaiko and this whole area is in a blind spot when it come to the BC skiing in BC
I never skied with him but I paddled a few time with Bryce, some of those nordic racers made the jump to BC skiing in this area, those guys have BIG motors on the skin track and i would bet bryce is one of them
it looks like we have one extra spot flying in the week of march 9th
if anybody wants to go hit me up
the reason i say good tree skiing thru 500 yr old balsams is cuz thats one of the guys we skied with told us
a retired VP at one of the big lumber outfits, the joke was buddy couldn't see the forest for the 2x4's
Dezaiko cooks with propane and flys in a little fire wood for the heat & ambience the food was awesume but of course it will be a different cook
Hmmmmm. Could be. .Quote:
Originally Posted by skifishbum
Edit. Dammit...already committed
Arctos Guides......
The goat stuff, by far....!
many thanks.....
Love this thread.
Question, has anyone skied Durrand Glacier Hut and their small Haute-route hut system outside of Revy? I read about them in a recent Backcountry article and it has certain appeal to be honest. I researched and contacted them, and they strongly advise using provided packs & rescue gear, which I wasn't wild about as you have a pretty limited (it appears) carry weight on the heli ride in. The accommodations sound very solid, and their terrain sounds intriguing and expansive. Also appears to maybe be guided-only? I dunno, if some of you all said the terrain and accommodations are so sick it negates the gear and guided bit, I'd probably plunk down for next season.
Do some reading about Ruedi Beglinger (there’s plenty available). If being part of Ruedi’s very particular world seems like an experience you’re looking for, and you can afford it, it’s a premium experience in some incredible terrain.Quote:
Originally Posted by SILENCER
This was great advice. The article I read did mention the accident in 2003, but more research shows a more complex story, Wylie's book, etc. Also, his reputation for driving hard and such. His operating tract sounds immense, and I also just read he lobbied to have helis banned from regular flight over his terrain to preserve the experience. I am no farther or closer to ruling this in or out, just wiser at this point. Again, there is still some appeal to his operation. Overall though, I'm curious how SME's terrain compares to the ones that Arctos lists above so well. Sounds glaciated and big, I can gather this much. Just curious if anyone here has skied with SME before.Quote:
Originally Posted by kootenayskier
Thanks man.
I've skied SME. I'd go again but only if guaranteed I didn't have to ski with Ruedi. Have been told I can specifically request Joey or Fiorina etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by SILENCER
The terrain is stupendous.
Pics are from a few years ago. Keep scrolling through for pictures
http://www.leelau.net/sharonandlee/sme-woolsey-peak/
never been
he gave my ski bro one of them red SME fleece cuz bro ( ER physician ) fixed a dislocated Shoulder on a skier which saved all kinds of problems & a chopper ride
I have done a fair amount of skiing with joe the snow shoveller but joe woudn't say shit if he stepped in it
More excellent beta, thanks Lee.Quote:
Originally Posted by LeeLau
The Backcountry article focused on Florina and her ascension in the family business. That could be the ticket, requesting her.
I’ve never been, and from the stories, I don’t think I could tour with Rudy either.
https://www.icefall.ca/skiing/icefall-ski-traverse
While I haven’t done the traverse, ice fall lodge is in an amazing spot, and might be worth considering.
Due to the cold temps, the exchange is delayed here at Snowfall Lodge today, so I’ll make use of the down time and add another review.
We just wrapped a week of guided skiing here at Snowfall Lodge.Attachment 482817
Over the week, we had over 100cm of storm snow followed by temperatures plummeting to -32C. Needless to say, we didn’t get to experience as much of the alpine as I would have liked; but the tree line and tree skiing we did get to do was fantastic. Lots of old growth tree lanes, pillows and the opportunity to ski runs in excess of 1000m. Home drainage runs with wide open fall line made for excellent powder skiing.
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Normally, they run groups of 18 guests and three guides plus staff here. IMO, that would be tight quarters. We had a group of twelve guests two guides + lodge staff and the accommodations were nice. The lodge has a similar layout to Icefall lodge and also has a wood fired sauna with two bucket showers. The sauna is great! Classic out houses with views to the south.
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The terrain is big and there is quite a bit of glaciated alpine terrain to explore. If there was a touchy PWL or a large avalanche cycle, it would be a challenging place to ski for the week as there is very little accessible high hazard skiing. However if you’re looking for big terrain out the front door, this place has got it.
The only downfall to Snowfall IMO, is the group size or the overall cost if you want to go as a smaller group.
Overall Score 4.8
Accommodations 4
Terrain 4.8
Value 4
Bump. I've read TR's and threads, mostly from Lee, Zenith and Arctos. Looking for some recs to help me wade through the many great options:
My wife and I are looking to head up to BC for a heli-in, guided hut trip 3/21-28 of 2026. We're both strong, fit skiers and tourers, solid touring+glacier experience and are looking for a not-super-rustic trip experience with solid amenities (this is a splurge). We've done hut trips in CO and Europe, but this would be our first time skiing backcountry in BC. We're probably biased to terrain variety over gnar/big line accessibility, but skiing that stuff would be great.
She's a savvy trip planner and has done some looking but wants me to make the call. She's proposed VMT, Icefall Lodge, Battle Abbey and Sentry. I am feeling good about Sol, Powder Creek, Hilda, Selkirk Lodge, and SME - Durrand as well.
What's the spot for a late March trip with upside late-season snow quality, reasonable storm skiing options and solid hut+amentity situation?
I think you might want to check & see see what is actulay available
For sure, but it's for 2026, so not much availability out there to be seen at the moment. Trying to hone in who we pursue in the coming monthsQuote:
Originally Posted by XXX-er
Go for places which also have glaciers. Selkirk Lodge, Battle Abbey, SME. These have superb glaciers skiing and metric tonne of tree skiing too. Icefall has terrain and skiing but isn't even close in terms of luxury. All things being equal pamper yourselves with triple ply t-p and indoor toiletsQuote:
Originally Posted by alpinevibes
Sweet, thank you Lee. Have you (or anyone else on here) been to SME?Quote:
Originally Posted by LeeLau
I have. It's superb terrain and the lodges are nice. I would go again with the stipulation that Ruedi wouldn't be our guide. But that's just a caveat personal to me.Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinevibes
K, yeah I’m getting that vibe a bit from various sources. I assume they’ve got a handful of guides and groups going at once, with their whole hut-to-hut plan?Quote:
Originally Posted by LeeLau
Aye. It's 12 guests split into 2 groups. The groups travel separately. Each group has a guideQuote:
Originally Posted by alpinevibes
Hey all, appreciate all the info in this thread. Look into trips for this coming winter and obviously late in the game as far as finding openings but LQ Outpost has some. Sounds like really good steep tree skiing there, how much alpine terrain is there?
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...d.php?t=352657Quote:
Originally Posted by wilcox510
Found the thread where I answered bumski. Feb is prime. Take it. I've got a cook reco also if needed
As far as LQ goes, the tree skiing is phenomenal. I found it had more options than Hilda during a big storm cycle with elevated hazard.Quote:
Originally Posted by wilcox510
The alpine terrain is good there too, though with elevated hazard some of it is hard to access and there are no glaciers.
I have one spot available Feb 21-Feb28 and two spots left Feb 28-March 7 at Burnie.
Haven't seen much talk about Campbell Icefield Chalet so I figured I'd give my two cents, or whatever my opinion's worth. I'm a relatively new skier and this was my first proper fly-in ski week so I can't compare to other lodges. The trip was run by my local chapter of the Alpine Club, and this is one of the few lodges that does self-guided, self-catered rentals which keeps the costs down.
I'm not sure I'd call the lodge luxurious but it was definitely comfortable. Hot water from the tap, couches to seat nine in the lounge, and plenty of space at the dining tables. Typical bookings are for 15 and we were a group of 14 which was about right for space. The lodge has ten bedrooms with two single beds each. The beds in five of the rooms could be pushed together for couples. There are 3 (or 4?) outhouses and two bucket showers in the sauna. The custodians have a separate cabin. Those on the trip who've been to lots of lodges were pleased with the place (they had less kind words for Ymir Lodge, although I believe that one's been shut down).
We had low to no vis almost the entire week so we stayed mostly down below treeline. There are lots of options for tree runs but of course it can get a bit stale if you're skiing it all week. The tree runs are also all mostly SSW aspect. The terrain is mellow enough that with good vis but touchy avalanche conditions you could still ski some alpine runs. There are a few chutes around and some steep pillows not far from the lodge, but if you're an expert skier looking to challenge yourself this probably isn't the lodge for you. It looks like there would a few good longer tours in the spring though.
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Resurrecting this. Have not been to Campbell myself. Looking at the map the issue was (to me) lack of N facing terrain. Is my concern over blown?Quote:
Originally Posted by solarisphere
I’m headed to Deziako hut Jan 25th-Feb 1st. I’m visiting from California so I may not be used to the temps as cold as -20 mentioned in this thread. Is it common to invest in heated socks? I also may try to get out on my travel buffer day either locally to Prince George or closer to McBride.
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Having lived in PG I've been to Dezaiko quite few times ( 5 times?) yeah it can get cold but if yer movin the feet are ok ime, I have hotronic socks for riding lifts but I never use them touring, YMMV I supose
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Get the Grabber toe warmers ^^ the chemical heaters with the sticky backare very handy, I put em in boots or gloves
If its warmer than -10C I don't need to wear a base layer with my soft shell pants, as it gets colder I wana have a base layer IME
You do want a good puffy jacket to put on as soon as we stop, at above -10 I go with the lighter puffy, below -10 I want a big puffy
40L pack to carry your stuff
edit: I should mention if you forgot something/ need to resupply Cycle Logic is the BC ski store in that town where you are most likey to find the BC ski stuff
edit: one year on a xmas trip we had an inversion with huge wads of snow sticking to skins which suprised me for early season so make sure to take the wax
Didn't find the map but there is I think north facing terrain on the opposite side of the ridge from High Col. I think high col would not be skinable directly from lodge. The route is lodge to low col then along ridge to high col. At high col do some laps down north side and then come down from high col to lodge.Quote:
Originally Posted by LeeLau
Anyone on this thread interested in some open seats we have in our cat at Skeena Cat Skiing near Smithers, BC for Mar 4-7th? Skiers or snowboarders. Has been an epic trip last 2 years we have done, with endless powder and great accommodations and food. Appx $5k per person for 4 days all included. Can provide additional info individually if interested. Thanks
Kevin, DM me I could be interested in this.
Likely unable to dm with one post count. Best for you to reach out
I just got back from an epic trip at Dezaiko Lodge. We scored with conditions and there’s plenty of alpine and tree skiing on the tenure. It’s a fairly small operation with the owner Bryce guiding most of the weeks. I’m surprised it’s not on many people’s radar.
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