Herdman Couloir / Crossover Path

Steep north-side ski line on Mount Macdonald above Connaught Creek in Rogers Pass, linking the Crossover Path into Herdman Couloir. Expect serious overhead exposure from the Macdonald north face and big cornices hanging over the gut; this is not a casual lap and deserves full avalanche-forecast homework and a conservative mindset.

From the Hermit parking, skin up Connaught Creek and find a safe crossing; in many seasons you’re waiting for avalanche debris or a solid mid-winter snowpack to bridge the main channel. Once across, bash through dense alder on the fan to gain the lower Crossover Path, then trend up into the main drainage and switch to bootpack when it steepens and narrows.

Most parties boot the Herdman proper, though a wrap-around from the south side of Macdonald is sometimes used by climbers and guided groups. The line is confined with rock walls, overhead cornices and exposure to sluff and old debris; watch for runnels, hard refrozen surfaces and chunks from cornice fall. Aim for cold, “boring” stability with well-settled storm snow and avoid warm pulses, strong solar or wind-loading events.

Ski back down the couloir to the Crossover Path and out the fan, managing overhead hazard and regrouping only in true islands of safety. The exit through the alder and creek can be the crux late season when bridges thin; keep energy in the tank for a careful recrossing of Connaught Creek.