Backcountry ski run (advanced)50.0799° N, 122.8745° W

DOA (Down, Over, and Around)

DOA (Down, Over, and Around) is an advanced backcountry descent in the Blackcomb backcountry above the 7th Heaven area of Whistler Blackcomb, immediately outside the resort boundary in Whistler Resort Municipality, British Columbia. It is a steep, highly exposed line on Blackcomb Peak that is typically attempted by expert ski tourers and splitboarders.

Access is via the Whistler Blackcomb lift system, using a valid lift ticket to ride up before leaving through the Blackcomb Glacier backcountry gate. From there, the approach usually involves about 150 meters of skinning to the East Col, followed by a short ascending traverse south across the east side of Blackcomb Peak to the entry notch.

The route is classified as complex terrain and should be treated as an expert-level, very consequential descent. Steep sections reach roughly 45 to 46.5 degrees, and the line is about 480 meters long with around 222 meters of vertical descent inside the couloir walls. The opening crux is a ski-width choke that wraps around a rock outcrop before the terrain opens into a broader fall line below.

Snow conditions can change quickly because the couloir faces south and receives strong sun exposure. That aspect can lead to crust, warming, or unstable surface snow, especially later in the day or during warm periods. The route is also highly visible from the resort and can track out quickly after storms, leaving firm, cut-up, or mogul-like conditions in the narrowest section.

After exiting the couloir into the open bowl, riders need to trend skier’s right to cross back toward the ski area boundary and return to the bottom of the 7th Heaven Express lift. This is out-of-bounds terrain with no ski patrol avalanche control or rescue service, so proper backcountry rescue gear, Avalanche Skills Training, and snowpack assessment skills are essential before considering the descent.

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