Christmas couloir

Christmas Couloir sits on the south-facing flank of Ursus Major above the Connaught Creek drainage in Rogers Pass, Glacier National Park. From the Connaught Creek skintrack you continue past Balu Pass into the broad Ursus Major South Bowl, with the line obvious ahead, tucked under the headwall of Ursus Major. Most parties gain the feature by skinning or booting up the nose or flanks of the face rather than straight up the gut, to reduce exposure to overhead hazard and rockfall.

The line skis as a hybrid couloir/face with significant overhead terrain. Solar input is a major factor here: the south aspect bakes quickly, building crusts and reactive slabs over older sun crusts, and wet-loose or slab avalanches can run full-path into the bowl. Wind loading from the prevailing west and southwest can stiffen slabs along the flanks and convexities; several serious incidents have occurred on the slopes immediately beside the couloir when parties traversed under wind-loaded pockets and above cliff bands. Treat the lower cliffs and the constrictions as classic terrain traps.

Approach and exit both run through complex avalanche terrain in the Connaught drainage, with multiple large paths overhead. You are in a fully committing Rogers Pass setting: long day, big vertical, and limited safe options once you are on the face. Conservative spacing, careful route selection on the flanks, and a solid read on recent sun crusts and wind events are mandatory. Check the Glacier National Park winter permit system and daily area openings before heading out, carry the required permits, and verify the Avalanche Canada forecast for the Rogers Pass region.

Access to Christmas Couloir is subject to Parks Canada’s Winter Permit System for Rogers Pass, which now applies to all backcountry travel leaving the highway corridor. Make sure you have both a valid Winter Permit and any required parking permit, understand daily area closures for artillery control, and be prepared to change objectives if the Ursus/Connaught zones are closed. Full details and current regulations are on the Parks Canada site: Parks Canada – Rogers Pass winter permits.