Matt Ruta 
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Some people are alpine start people. I am not one of them. So it was notable that I had woken up before my 2:30 AM alarm. It could have been the nervous excitement around the day’s objective, conversations over beta photos the previous night replaying in my head. I wondered, groggily, if maybe I’d been dreaming about serac fall. As my brain slowly spooled up, I changed my mind. The perpetrator behind… Read More
I’ve long admired the resumes and skills of guys like Andrew McNab, Marcus Waring and Ali Haeri. These are names that appear over and over in the Rockies and beyond, whether as first descentionists in mountaineering literature, guides accompanying well known pros and productions or just whispers around a campfire or at a ski town dive bar. So when all three of them invited me along on a trip into the Kinbasket… Read More
Several attempts and no success. That’s been the story of Pope’s peak and I over the years as I tried in vain to ski north couloir from the summit. The first time, Joel and I cleared the ice crux before heavy sloughing chased us back into the safety of the valley. The second time, we didn’t even make it up the fan before a surprise squall turned the slough taps on full… Read More
I could not have timed leaving BC better this winter. I spent a good chunk of time in Europe racing skimo world cups and during that period I’m pretty sure it snowed once at home. Folks did not seem impressed. Fortunately, that one snowfall accounted for about a meter, just before I got home – which really spruced things up. After the inevitable massive avalanche cycle ensued, we got a really nice… Read More
Whoops, this draft has been sitting around collecting dust for nearly an entire year. (I’ll backdate it so anyone referring to it for beta doesn’t get confused by the time of year we skied the line.) It was a wonderful day skiing a route you won’t find much information about, so I think it’s still worth publishing. For various reasons, spring 2023 didn’t line up all that well for me. I spent… Read More
Six or seven years ago, Trevor mentioned that someone should really go see if it was possible to ski the west face of Glacier Peak, high above lake Oesa, right from its 3283m summit. I’ve had it in the back of my mind ever since. So, when May long weekend delivered a cold, sunny weather window I decided it might be a good way to get off the beaten path a little…. Read More
After getting a decent warmup on the north face of Peyto Peak the week prior, it felt like spring might be on. Christian and I decided we’d better go find out. Since the highway between Golden and Lake Louise is closed during prime ski mountaineering season this year (and last year, and next year; ugh) we agreed on Hwy 93 south as a meeting spot. Christian is Canmore based for now so… Read More
Last week I bailed on an objective close to home because the approach was too heinously melted out. Then, the other day, Kieran and I pulled the plug just above the bergschrund on the north face of Mt. Andromeda because the snowpack was far too wintery and unstable. Can’t win, apparently. So yesterday, Chris and I thought that maybe west was the goldilocks aspect and set off from Lake Louise towards Mt…. Read More
My first ever September turns (Seriously. I have no excuse.) took place Sept 21st high above iconic Moraine Lake. This trip report will be brief, as in all honesty there wasn’t much of a trip to report on. Just a great day on an easily approached big line for my 11th consecutive month of skiing. Plus a few photos, which I think came out all right.
On August 23, summer or not, the forecast was calling for snow. Having been without the restorative effects of exposure and a good bone-chilling alpine wind for altogether too long, Trevor and I decided it was time for a mission to Mt. Athabasca’s beautiful Silverhorn. Ian was interested as well, but had injured his foot recently and wasn’t too sure about front pointing. At the last moment, Trevor reassured him with a… Read More
Matt Ruta 