Christmas Trees

Christmas Trees is a short, low-angle glade line in the Connaught Creek corridor at Rogers Pass, sitting just below the open slopes of Hospital Bowl and Video Peak. It’s essentially the band of small subalpine firs that marks the transition from the steeper alpine bowl above to the denser valley forest below, giving you a mellow tree option when visibility or hazard make the bigger lines a bad idea.

From the Connaught Creek parking, follow the standard Hospital Bowl / Video Peak uptrack into the valley and up through the forest toward the SE shoulder of Ursus Minor and the base of Hospital Bowl. As you break out into the more open "Christmas tree"–sized glades below the main bowl, you’re in the zone; pick your line through the spaced trees, staying clear of any obvious gullies that could act as terrain traps and avoiding pushing too far toward the larger slide paths that feed into Connaught Creek.

This area is popular on storm days because the trees give definition and the terrain is relatively forgiving, but you’re still in full avalanche terrain with overhead hazard from Hospital Bowl and nearby slide paths. Watch for wind loading from prevailing SW–W winds, manage your exposure to the bigger alpine start zones above, and pay attention to Parks Canada avalanche bulletins and any seasonal closures or permit requirements for the Connaught drainage.

Rogers Pass ski touring uses a mandatory winter permit system tied to daily avalanche control closures. Before heading for Christmas Trees, check the current Glacier National Park avalanche bulletin and Winter Permit System maps, and confirm which Connaught Valley areas are open. Full details and daily updates are posted by Parks Canada at https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/glacier.