EARLY SEASON MISSIONS: BC HUT TRIP

My name’s Amanda Ludlow — a prairie girl who found a home in British Columbia’s beautiful Kootenays. This past year I became a CSGA ski tail guide out here in BC, and even when I'm not guiding, you'll usually find me sliding on snow somewhere in the BC interior. Follow along as some buddies and I chased some early season magic in the backcountry — even if not all went according to plan.  

The original game plan with two of my friends was to do the Bonnington Traverse in the Selkirk Mountains — a four-day mission staying at a different hut each night from Bombi Summit to Porto Rico. However, fate had other plans for us.

Due to thin, early-season conditions along the route - and a hip injury - we decided to stay at the first cabin on the route, Grassy Hut, for all four days.

Day 1: Bombi Summit to Grassy Hut.
This consisted of a 10.37-kilometre (6.4-mile) tour with 821 metres (2,694 feet) of elevation gain. Early-season conditions were upon us, with creek crossings, rocks, and lots of alder bushes. I struggled with a super sore hip, so it took longer than anticipated for me to get up there. We were keen and excited, but our skis and skins were not happy with these conditions.

We arrived at the hut around 2:00 p.m., greeted by the most gorgeous sunset. Our buddy went up for a glorious sunset ski while my other friend and I watched from the hut. We also saw a moose from afar — super rad. He came back stoked as ever and told us there was lots of skiing to be had, which was fantastic news. We decided to stay at the hut, concerned about my hip and the conditions for the rest of the traverse. We watched the sun set, the moon rise, and were blessed with the most beautiful star show. That night, we played cards and talked about our excitement for the next day.

Day 2:
We got a slow start to the morning. Conditions were foggy, but we caught some clear views just in time for our runs. We made it to the summit of Grassy Mountain and found some mini cliffs to fly off. The snow was surprisingly amazing — we just had to watch out for a few sharks. We ended the ski day just before dusk and headed back to the cabin for a warm fire and some pesto pasta. Our goal for the next day was a sunrise and sunset ski, depending on conditions.

Day 3:
The stats: 10 km (6.2 miles), 1,045 m (3,428 feet) of elevation gain.
5:30 a.m. was our wake-up call — our friend said the sky was clear, with 360° of stars all around. Headlamps on, we were out the door by 6:00 a.m. in the dark. The most magical part about ski touring in the dark is how everything looks like it’s been coated in glitter from the shine of our headlamps.

We went to the summit in the dark, but unfortunately the valley clouds had risen and created a whiteout. We waited in the cold, hoping for a sunrise. After an hour, we cut our losses and descended. Luckily, once we popped through the clouds, we were greeted with the most beautiful view of the valley — one of those views that’s so nice it could make you cry. Going back up for another run was a must before returning to the hut for lunch.

The final mission for me was to meet my friends at the summit for our sunset lap, and we did just that. What a glorious way to end the trip.

Last day:
Home time — a 10.37 km ski tour back down to Bombi Summit. It was far too sketchy to ski through the creeks and alder bushes, so we kept our skins on. Our friend’s mom picked us up at Bombi Summit with PB&Js and cookies. Shoutout to Will’s mom.

Takeaway:
Magic is real, and it’s in the mountains. And in friends. I’m so lucky my skis have brought me here. No matter the conditions, if I’ve got a pair of skis and some good people, I’m stoked.