Camp west lite

Camp West Lite is a ski touring line on the west side of McGill Shoulder above the Trans-Canada Highway in Rogers Pass, accessed from the Bostock trailhead. From the parking, you follow the established winter skin track up McGill Shoulder, initially on the summer trail before it branches right after the last left-hand switchback and continues through mature forest to the broad south-facing ridge.

The line drops from the ridge into the Camp West slide path on a west-facing slope, offering a long, open avalanche path descent back to the valley. Camp West Lite joins the steeper main Camp West path roughly two-thirds of the way down, then follows the shared runout to the highway, with a flat ski back along the road corridor to the Bostock parking.

Terrain is large-path avalanche skiing with overhead hazard and a pronounced roll where the two paths merge; in lean snowpacks this area can hide a cliffy choke and creek features, so many parties trend skier’s left to stay high on the wall and avoid the constriction before cutting back into the forest. The shoulder itself is a common uptrack and can be thin, crusty, and sun-affected due to its southerly aspect, with better snow quality once you gain the higher ridge.

This zone is fully alpine avalanche terrain managed under Glacier National Park’s winter permit system; check current Rogers Pass winter access rules, daily avalanche bulletins, and any artillery control closures before committing to the line. More info