Bagheera East Peak South Face

South-facing line on the east sub-peak of Bagheera in the Hermit Range above Rogers Pass. Skis as a distinct face on the subsidiary summit rather than the main north-side objectives, so it often sees less traffic and can hold cleaner snow when the bigger lines are beat up or touchy.

From the usual Bagheera approach, trend toward the east sub-peak and gain the upper basin below the south face. Skin or bootpack through broken glades and morainal rolls to the base, then switch to crampons and axe for the final climb when the surface firms up. The line finishes on the sub-peak, not the true summit, which keeps exposure and commitment a notch lower than the main mountain.

Terrain is a planar south face with short rollovers and limited overhead hazard compared to the bigger north aspects, but it still collects wind effect and can build touchy slabs after storms or strong southwest flow. The lower fan tapers into gullied terrain that can act as a terrain trap in a slide cycle. Best skied when a solid melt–freeze or settled storm cycle has locked the pack in, with enough recent snow to smooth out old debris but not so much that you’re dealing with fresh storm or wind slabs.