Kicking Horse, BC, Backcountry Report: "All-Time" Conditions in 3 Memorable Chutes - SnowBrains

"We climbed, then descended with a goal in mind. Christmas Tree Chute. The chute is dramatic. A jagged notch in the rugged ridge lined by a massive rock wall on the right and a fluted alpine wall on the left. Last night's storm enhanced the cornice that guards the chute. It failed in the night, sending a sluff down the length of the steep chute. We carefully climbed up to examine the entrance, found a way in, and clambered into the crack in the mountain."

"Todd let me drop first. 2 turns in the dark before I could see the chute proper, a slow turn as my brain processed information, then a full speed gravity suck down. The sluff was soft and deep and riddled with firm chunks. I grunted, controlling my speed and flew off a small rock I didn't exactly expect. It took 3 turns to control my speed before I launched out of the sluff path and into the deep, fresh snow of the apron."

"The snow shattered under my feet and burst up onto my legs and chest. The mountain lost angle, I hooted, and glided to an effortless stop. Head down in the sunshine, I followed the team up the next ridge and into a narrow, rocky canal that opened onto a glorious deep powder chute. The couloir was a religious experience. An experience that required all my years of training to appreciate and properly take advantage of."

Two locals and the narrator left the resort boundary at 9:30 a.m. and climbed toward Christmas Tree Chute. A storm-enhanced cornice failed overnight and sent a sluff down the steep chute. The group carefully climbed to inspect the entrance, found a way in, and entered the crack in the mountain. The narrator dropped first, navigated dark turns, then experienced a full-speed fall through soft, deep sluff with firm chunks, hit a small rock, controlled speed, and landed in deep apron snow. The group climbed another ridge into a narrow rocky canal and a glorious deep powder couloir called 'all-time.' A final shaded feature introduced uncertainty as darkness and sluff complicated the descent.

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