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

Omer lakes | Loch Lomond | Mount Sedgwick | Mamquam | Alice Ridge | Diamond Head | Garibaldi Neve traverse | Brohm Ridge | Sphinx Bay | Black Tusk Meadows | Helm Creek | Cheakamus Lake | Singing Pass (Via Trail) | Singing Pass (Via Lift) | Spearhead Traverse | Rethel Creek | Cloudburst Mountain | Brew Hut | Brandywine Mountain | Metal Dome | Powder-Cap Traverse | Callaghan Lake | Telemagique Ridge | Puma Peak |Pemberton Ice Cap | Gin Peak | Beverley Creek | Rainbow Mountain | Mount Sproatt | Overseer | Ipsoot Mountain | Tenquille Lake | McGillivray Pass | Lizzie Lake | Microwave Road | Frosty Mountain

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 5 sections:

1. Ascent to Brew Mountain Cabin
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. Powedre Mountain ice cap, straight-forward glacier travel.
4. Descent to Callaghan Lake - once in the valley bottom conserve levation on the north side and avoid Callaghan Creek by crossing on the lake.
5. Ski out on Callaghan Lake road.

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.

Hazards

1. Many potential avalanche slopes must be traversed.