Bonney Traverse

Bonney Traverse is a Rogers Pass ski tour linking the Bonney Glacier side of the highway to the Hanging Glacier basin, in the Bonney Group of Glacier National Park, BC. It sits west of the Asulkan Group and north of the Trans‑Canada Highway, in classic Selkirk glaciated terrain with big overhead ice and serac hazard from the Bonney and Hanging Glaciers. Expect complex routefinding across broken moraines, rolls, and short steeper pitches rather than a simple up‑and‑down lap.

From the highway parking on the Bonney side, skin up through mature forest and moraines toward the Bonney Glacier, following established uptracks that trend into open glades and then into more open alpine terrain. The traverse typically works across the moraines and lower glacier benches toward the Hanging Glacier basin, with options to tag short north and east facing shots along the way before committing to the full linkup. Parties often use this as a through‑tour between Bonney laps and Hanging Glacier laps rather than a simple out‑and‑back.

Terrain is a mix of glades, broken moraines, and low‑angle glacier benches with short steeper rolls. Overhead hazard from seracs and cornices is the main concern, along with cross‑loaded features and wind slab on convexities. The line crosses active avalanche paths that run full‑path from the Bonney and Hanging Glaciers, so it is generally a mid‑winter to early spring objective in a settled snowpack and stable hazard. Treat it as serious glacier terrain: crevasse rescue kit, harnesses, and the skills to use them are standard.

You are inside Glacier National Park’s Rogers Pass winter permit system. A daily winter permit or annual permit, plus a national park pass, is mandatory for most ski touring here, and some slopes above the highway are periodically closed for artillery control. Check the Parks Canada Rogers Pass avalanche terrain ratings, daily avalanche bulletin, and winter permit map before committing to the Bonney Traverse, and be ready to adjust plans if the Bonney artillery control zones are active. Full details and current closures: Parks Canada – Skiing and Snowboarding at Rogers Pass.