Bonney Moraines #1

Bonney Moraines sits in Glacier National Park’s Rogers Pass permit area, so you need a valid Parks Canada winter permit, winter parking permit, and national park pass before leaving the lot. Check the Rogers Pass Backcountry Access map each morning to confirm Loop Brook / Bonney is open and under which permit type, and read the daily avalanche bulletin before committing to the Loop Brook terrain trap and the overhead hazard from Ross Peak and surrounding paths.

From the Elephant’s Trunk skintrack, continue south into the forest, trending skier’s right (west) whenever you hit steeper rolls to the east. The uptrack gains a broad, mellow ridge around treeline and then weaves through open forest to the base of the eastern moraine. Once on the moraines, laps are short and intuitive, with multiple low-complexity up and down options that are easy to scope as you go, but wind effect from the Bonney Glacier can turn the surface into hard slab or sastrugi.

The approach up Loop Brook is a classic terrain trap with big artillery-controlled paths overhead; do not linger in the gut and avoid regrouping under start zones. Exits ski best on the west end via open avalanche paths that demand solid stability and awareness of other groups above you. An alternative is to cut across the creek around treeline and traverse into the Ross Peak path, but that line crosses steep, consequential slopes with serious overhead exposure and should be treated as full-value avalanche terrain, not a shortcut.

Bonney Moraines is often sold as an “easy” tour, but conditions dictate everything: frozen debris, hard wind board, or deep ruts can make both the climb and descent awkward and serious. The forest below the moraines is tight and skis poorly in marginal coverage, so most parties plan on multiple laps up high and then pick the cleanest west-side exit they can see. For current permit rules, closures, and the daily access map, start at Parks Canada – Ski touring in Rogers Pass.