Avalanche Crest #1

Avalanche Crest sits above the Illecillewaet corridor in Glacier National Park and is a classic Rogers Pass ski tour with multiple descent options along the west-facing ridge. From the Illecillewaet parking area you skin up through mature forest, generally following the summer hiking trail corridor, then break into more open glades and the alpine bowl below the crest before gaining the ridge proper.

The #1 line is the most serious of the Avalanche Crest descents, dropping from higher on the ridge into steeper, more committing terrain with exposure to unsupported features and cliff bands on the north side. Expect a mix of open alpine faces and gullies with terrain traps low down near the highway; precise navigation is key so you don’t drift toward the north-side cliffs or get funneled into tight gullies on the exit.

Best days are when the lower forest is well filled in and stability is solid enough to manage overhead hazard and the steeper rolls on the upper face. Give extra space to convexities, cross-loaded features, and the gully bottoms near the road, and expect traffic from other parties when conditions line up. Full details on permits, daily openings and closures are on the Parks Canada Rogers Pass winter page: Parks Canada – Ski touring in Rogers Pass.