Teddy Bear Trees #1

Teddy Bear Trees sits on the shoulder beside the Grizzly slidepath in Rogers Pass, inside Glacier National Park. From the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre parking, skin up the Connaught Creek drainage to the Grizzly Fan, then trend climber’s left into the steep, densely switchbacked ascent track through the trees that gains the lower south ridge of Grizzly Mountain. This is a quick-hit lap zone rather than a full summit tour, often used when higher alpine terrain or Winter Restricted Areas are closed.

Despite the name, this is serious avalanche terrain. The main open pitches are trees but exposed to the Grizzly slidepath, which runs frequently, and to overhead hazard from steeper start zones above. Parks Canada documents past skier-triggered avalanches here, including a 2015 incident where a party was caught after following an existing uptrack higher than planned. Treat any existing skintrack with suspicion, manage exposure to the slidepath, and avoid being in or under the obvious terrain trap features low on the slope during elevated hazard.