Crowfoot Pass

It is becoming necessary to drive further and climb higher to find the good snow.

The Bow Lake area is majestic, beautiful, and FAR from Calgary. We drove the 2.5 hours (one way) in hopes of finding some north facing slopes, free from the effects of sun and rising temperatures.

Since I was not familiar with the area, we parked near the Num-Ti-Jah lodge and did an extra 3km along the north shore of Bow Lake to reach the start of the Bow River. From there, we crossed to the other side and connected with the main trail leading up to Crowfoot Pass.

Crossing Bow Lake, with Crowfoot Mountain looming

It was a busy day, with at least 4 other groups heading to the same area, and another heading up one of the steep gullies on the north side of Crowfoot Mountain. We also saw one lone guy doing laps on some very steep looking terrain, making beautiful carves on the way down.

A soft, powdery exterior with a hard, rocky centre

As we neared the pass, we decided we would not be making the trip all the way, and watched for a while as at least two groups made their way up the southwest face of Bow Peak. This is definitely something I'll have to do at some point, perhaps with an earlier start in order to reduce the effects of sun on the slope.

Crowfoot Pass, with Bow Peak on the left

We skied several slopes, and the snow was perfect. There were no signs of a crust, and the powder was light and fluffy.

The long drive was definitely worth it and I plan to come to the area again this season.