Feb 22, 2026 4 min read Powder Highway Backcountry Conditions Report

Great Skiing, Challenging Snowpack

February has provided Southern BC with lots of great turns. Intermittent snowfall coupled with sunny skies has made for some great skiing and adventures in the alpine. However, the late January and early February PWLs have proven difficult to manage and have made for complex decision making in the backcountry. The alpine has been better than tree line and below tree line as the buried surface hoar layers are less prevalent there. Feasibly it could have something to do with the extremely warm alpine inversion we had in early February.

Snowpack Concerns

January 26/28 SH/MFcr is down 50-65cm in the Kootenays south of Highway 31A and 70-120cm in the Selkirks around Rogers Pass. It is buried deeper in the Monashes. This layer is still producing skier triggered avalanches through out the Powder Highway region.

Feb 9/13 SH/MFcr can be found down 25-35cm in the Kootenays south of Highway 31A and in the Kootenays south of Highway 31A and 40-60 cm in the Selkirks around Rogers Pass. It is buried deeper in the Monashes. This layer unfortunately was responsible for an avalanche fatality south of Revelstoke.

Wind Slab Wind slabs may exist in immediate lee features.

Outlook

Snow is on the way, more for the Rogers Pass area and less around Nelson.

The upper snowpack is complex and will remain so until we get a significant enough load to either flush out the layers or bridge them. That doesn't look like it will happen in the next 10 days, so diligent decision making is required, particularly in tree line and below tree line glades.

Feb 13 storm skiing in the Slocan Range. The Jan 28 layer was down 25 cm and unreactive to skier traffic.

Upcoming Trips

Ski Mountaineering Basecamp April 8-12, 2026

Price: $3000CAD+5%tax

Flying from Golden, BC to a remote location (To be Decided, based on conditions.) The camp will be set up in a venue that will provide excellent access to big, glaciated, north facing terrain—the key elements for an incredible spring ski and splitboard mountaineering trip.

This a small group trip with a 4:1 client to guide ratio.

-Three spaces left

-Heli flights included

-Two ACMG/IFMGA Guides

VOLCANO SKI MOUNTAINEERING IN CHILE

ARAUCANÍA REGION, SOUTHERN CHILE

Volcano Ski Mountaineering in Chile: The ultimate guided backcountry skiing and splitboarding experience amidst the spectacular volcanoes of Chile’s Araucania region! Our tour combines epic ski descents with visits to small towns, national parks, volcanic landscapes, rejuvenating hot springs, and cozy accommodations, creating an unforgettable adventure. While we provide a planned itinerary, we remain flexible with our plans to accommodate changing conditions or volcanic activity, ensuring your safety and enjoyment.

Jump on board for an epic journey through Chile’s Araucaniá region and experience some of the finest corn skiing on the planet.

24-October 1, 2026 One spot left

THREE-DAY KOMO KUSHAN / MOUNT BAKER SKI MOUNTAINEERING COURSE IN THE NORTH CASCADES

This Mount Baker ski mountaineering and glacier climbing course is designed for individuals seeking to build essential skills in snow, ice, and glacier travel on one of Washington’s most iconic glaciated peaks. Students learn current industry standard mountaineering techniques for safe ascent and descent, preparing them for successful climbs and ski descents on glaciated mountains in the North Cascades and beyond. The goal of this course is to develop confident, self-reliant ski mountaineersready to explore Mount Baker and other major alpine objectives independently. This program offers an excellent foundation for skiers looking to gain independence in the alpine environment and develop ski touring skills for glaciated terrain.