Powder-Cap Traverse

VOC Ski Guide

Using This Ski Guide Preface Winter Safety Avalanche safety Waxing Navigation Snow Shelters Gear Lists

Difficulty Rating Intermediate NTS Mapsheet 92 J/3 Road 20km/1 day Route 40km/3 days Starting Elevation 430m at Roe Creek or 800m @ Alexander Falls High Point 2210m Technical Notes Brew Hut:1680m Callaghan Lake: 1200m

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Access

Access to south end of divide is via Roe Creek logging road. Access to north end of divide is via Callaghan Valley Road to Alexander Falls. An alternate access at the south end for a longer trip is via High Falls Creek.

Route

The route can be divided into 4 sections:

1. Ascent to Brew Mountain Cabin. The standard route these days is from Roe Creek. Approaching from Brandywine Creek is still possible as well.
2. The traverse of the Brew Divide and thence north along the main divide, passing Mt. Fee on its west side. Parties can avoid the steep narrow ridge 2 km south of Fee by dropping down to gentler west slopes via a shoulder to the south, and skiing near tree line. Access to the Cayley icefield is best through a Col 1km east of the head of Shovelnose Creek. In the creek, slopes are steep and the Glacier crevassed.
3. Powder Mountain ice cap, straight-forward glacier travel.
4. Descent to Callaghan Valley - once in the valley bottom pick up the groomed XC trail network. Follow these trails back to Alexander falls, via Callaghan Lake or by the more direct Wild Spirit Trail.

There are many possible access points to the divide from the Brandywine or Callaghan Valleys. These can be used to shorten the trip, or to escape in case of bad weather.

• An exit can be made from the junction of the Brew and main divides. Drop down east into a valley directly north of the Brew divide. Follow a creek on the north side to a logging slash and thence on logging roads in the valley bottom to Brandywine Creek.
• Escape NE from Powder Mountain down the valley. Cross the west fork of Callaghan Creek on snow bridges and pick up the Wild Spirit XC Trail on the other side. There is a bridge over the main fork of Callaghan Creek
• Escape SE of Powder mountain down the valley. This route does not lead to a convenient bridge, so stay on the west side of Callaghan Creek and pick up Callaghan West FSR below Metal Dome.

Hazards

1. Many potential avalanche slopes must be traversed.