Bagheera North Face

Bagheera’s north face drops into the head of Ursus Creek in Glacier National Park, deep in the Rogers Pass touring zone. Most parties reach it from the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre via Balu Pass, then traverse into Cougar Valley and climb Bagheera from the south before committing to the north side. Once you roll over, you are a long way from the highway with your exit pointed down-valley toward McGill Pass and Bostock Creek, not back to Connaught Creek.

The line skis in distinct stages: a tight, fairly uniform entrance couloir, then a broad north-facing wall with a double fall line and hanging exposure, finishing in a second, narrower exit couloir that funnels into moraines above Ursus Creek. Expect overhead hazard from the upper face, cross-loaded pockets, and wind slab issues on the main panel; the exit choke has held snice and thin slabs that have forced short rappels in lean or firm conditions. Treat the whole thing as alpine terrain even when the skiing feels friendly lower down.

From the bottom of the face, trend down-valley through long glacial moraines to reach the floor of Ursus Creek, then continue the big link-up toward McGill Pass and out to Bostock. You are committing to a full traverse with no easy bail once you drop the north side, so parties need solid stability, a clear weather window, and enough daylight and fitness to manage complex route-finding, avalanche terrain and potential transitions or rappels. This is not a first Rogers Pass north-face objective.