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Q: What should my skiing/boarding ability and backcountry travel skill level be? |
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F: You should be at minimum a strong intermediate backcountry or powder skier/boarder, able to handle steep trees and possible variable snow conditions. If reserving Self-Guided at Carlyle, you should be able to apply the current avalanche hazard rating to your terrain selection, have knowledge in safe backcountry ski techniques and know how to deal with a possible backcountry accident/avalanche incident, your friends may be counting on you. |
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Q: How close is the skiing/boarding? |
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F: There is very little flat terrain around the lodge and therefore you will either be climbing or descending instantly. The options right from the lodge door include, Alpine: Misty Peak, Prospector Peak and Pyramid 1. Glades: Sunny Side, Lone Larch. Trees: There are three separate tree skiing areas directly beside and below our lodge, which consist of runs around 1000 feet. There's also the Rock Slide approx. 20 minutes from the lodge which offers snow pillow descents of up to 1500 feet. Carpenter Pass, 10 minutes from the lodge opens up days of NW facing tree skiing/boarding. |
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Q: If its snowing all week or if the visibility is poor are there good tree skiing options? |
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F: Yes, the tree skiing areas close to the lodge are Sunny Side and Lone Larch trees (total 3 days), Carpenter trees including Valentines and Trapper trees (total 3 days). Pyramid basin is next closest and offers over 1000 feet of excellent trees, next is Heyland Glades and trees offering 1000 foot descents, and the next prime area is 12 Mile Trees offering descents up to 1300 feet. In Total we have at least 10 days of great tree skiing options. |
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Q: What are the open alpine areas like and how far away? |
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F: Directly above the Lodge: Misty: tour to 8000 feet, 800' vertical descent back to the lodge, 2000 if you ski down to the valley bottom. Prospector: 1100' descent to the Lodge, 2300 feet to valley bottom. Ten minutes from the Lodge is Carpenter Pass, right over Carpenter, there is benched alpine terrain and some enjoyable steep role overs. Average descents from Carpenter Pass are around 1200 feet. The bigger Alpine in Carpenter basin is accessed over Misty Ridge via the "Sky Walk" (Misty ridge can be accessed in about 40 min. from the Lodge). Tha Alpine descents consist of Northern Dancer 1,2,3 and 4 which are all around 1000 feet if you stop at the bench mark, if you ski the entire run to the bottom, then it's 1700 vert. N Aspect. Three Musketeers ENE , is another big line off Misty. The next Open Alpine area (approx a 1 hour tour from the Lodge) is 12 Mile North, with descents 1000 - 1500 feet. Then there's the Flint Basin approx. 2 hrs from the Lodge which consists of numerous alpine descents around 1500 feet. Cody North is also about 2 hours from the Lodge offering 1500 verts. The Alpine areas can all support large avalanches, during times of considerable or high hazard, we give them wide berth. |
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Q: Is there a reasonable amount of safe skiing during times of a considerable avalanche hazard rating? |
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F: Yes, if you practice general safe backcountry skiing techniques, there's safe long descents in Sunny Side Basin, Sunny Side Trees, Carpenter Trees, 12 Mile Trees, Pyramid Trees and the majority of times at Heyland. The above adds up to about 7 days worth. |
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Q: What information do you supply to self guided groups in regards to the avalanche hazard? |
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F: We provide self-guided groups daily with weather data from Environment Canada and our daily weather observations. We have a remote weather station which logs data every 10 min. and graphs all important weather factors on the hour. The current Canadian Avalanche Centers Hazard Forecast, can be accessed by radio from the Lodge. |
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Q: When there are high winds associated with storm fronts or a prolonged draught can your area still offer good snow for skiing/ boarding and a good variety of different options? |
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F: Definitely, that's when Carlyle comes shining through. There is a vast variety of accessible sub-alpine terrain (which after 8 seasons has yet to be skied out) where snow quality stays powdery and most consistent. Most basins are U-shaped with high ridges and peaks deflecting strong mountain winds and if fronts packing high winds blow through, there's still always good consistent snow to be found in the open Alpine in protected areas. If there's a prolonged clear spell, we have a great variety of Northerly aspects and endless touring and descent options that will keep you enjoying good snow quality and new terrain daily. |
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Q: Is the Carlyle area more for touring or more for Yo-Yoing? |
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F: Both, due to the nature of the terrain within close proximity of the lodge, it's all about setting an up-track and then enjoying numerous descents from that high point, but with 10 different basins that are comfortably accessible lying further a field, exploration definitely awaits for those akin to tour. |
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Q: Are there any peak bagging options? |
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F: Yes, the ascent of Mt. Carlyle being the most prominent. The summit of Carlyle towers above the Lodge, and once on top, offers exceptional views encompassing the entire Purcell Range as far as the Bugaboos, the Kokanee Range and prominent peaks of the Southern Selkirks such as Mt Cooper at 10,000' or so being the highest, the entire Valhalla Range, and the Monashees as far as the Gold Range. This enjoyable ascent takes about 3.5 hours round trip, and consists of a fairly straight forward walk up the south ridge, an ice axe is recommended (we have a few for use at the lodge). Other prominent points are, Pyramid 1, Prospector, Misty, Little Prospector, White Face and Claim Post. |
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Q: Is there a good and safe ski out option, if the helicopter can't fly due to poor weather, or if I choose to ski out? |
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F: Yes, we have a safe ski out option down Long and then Keen creek which can be done unless the avalanche hazard is very high. The ski out takes approximately 3 hours on average and is 25 km, 23km on a forestry road with approximately 6 km being flat, so most of it is downhill. The pick up location is 1 km up Keen crk. which is only a 10 minute drive from our helicopter staging area. |
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Q: How often does it happen that the helicopter can not fly in or out on your flight day? |
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F: Once a season on average, sometimes twice and some winters all groups make it in and out on the scheduled flight day. We have been flying with the same company and pilot for the last 11 winters. He is a very safe and awesome pilot and very familiar with our flight paths and options. |
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Q: If I can't fly out what happens? |
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F: You can either ski out or extend your ski trip and stay at the lodge, naturally for no extra charge. If this happens you can contact any one that's necessary by radio phone from the Lodge. |
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Q: If I can't fly in what happens? |
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F: You'll have to stay in Kaslo, Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort or Nelson overnight, you will have to cover this unexpected cost. For those on a tight budget, the Kaslo Hostel is a great place to stay, cooking facilities are available there and rates are very reasonable. Otherwise we recommend to head to Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort (10 min. drive from Kaslo) which has unique caves for soaking and offers a restaurant, bar etc.
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