Just back from Mount Assiniboine. I was snowshoeing for 3 days. The nights were quite chilly and snowshoeing for 1 1/2 to get to my spot and then struggling to set up the camera without losing fingers was also a challenge. The snow conditions are very scary with lots of people being killed by avalanche so we had to stay in flat areas.
We snowshoed the paths to the targets in the prior mid day to make sure we could make it in time for sunrise to plow the trail and then got up in mornings and pushed to get up the trail by sunrise.
But enough with my excuses - here are my best from the trip.
It was fantastic. Blue skies, clear, and beautiful.
1-5 of 5
Comments and feedback are appreciated - Scott
1 Sunburst Lake at -30 after 1.5 hours of snowshoeing
2 On the path to Ogg Meadows at -28c
3 Near my usual reflecting Ponds that were not Reflecting in the Snow
4 Another near the usual reflecting pond :)
5 Returning from Wonder Pass - Glorious warm -15c with Sun
Sunny Sra: Glad you like the backyard set. It was pretty darn cold. Its really hard to pay attention to framing when your feet and hands are turning to cement. But it was fantastic. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott
graytrekker: The cold was easy to feel Glad you like the set. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated.
Great shots in a beautiful place. My wife and I are thinking of going in next winter for both X-skiing and some back-country. Can you share some details of your trip?
Jim Dockery wrote:
Great shots in a beautiful place. My wife and I are thinking of going in next winter for both X-skiing and some back-country. Can you share some details of your trip?
There are several ways to get to this spot. Ski in Bryant Creek 25km. Or ski in from Sunshine 30km. Or helicopter for 10 minutes from either Mt Shark or Canmore with Alpine Helicopters - it costs about $200 x 2 ways. I recommend the helicopter. First taking the helicopter in leaves you rested for activity when you are there and second if something goes wrong at -30c/late on the way in or out, rescue will not happen until the next day. Book the helicopter at Mount Assiniboine Lodge.
You can either stay at the lodge or stay at the Naisett Huts. The Nasette huts are inexpensive ($20/pp per night ?) but don't have a propane stove or served food. There is a kitchen at the Naissette huts which is quite good and you can buy fake logs to burn in your huts to keep the edge off. The lodge is fantastic. The staff are fantastic, but it costs ~$400/PP/PER night. And the toilets are pits. They have hot showers, cooked gourmet food, lounge area, and they guide you for the room rate. The downside of this is that depending on the time of the year, 6:30PM dinner may conflict with sunset. If you can afford it do the lodge - then you don't have worries - they will guide you and feed you and its low risk. I have been there so many times they let me go by myself, in the face of avalanche risk, but you would have to convince them about yourself. If you stay with the Naisette huts the risk is with you.
The helicopter will fly your stuff in/our at $5/lb if you ski in. [The flight includes 40lbs and skis included] All attention should be to safety (Inreach, clothing, emergency shelter, knowing where you are going, avalanche awareness, ski tip replacement....) if you are skiing. I would categorize it as extreme for most people. Lots can do it but when things go wrong, they will be really wrong.
[There is a campground in the summer that is very nice but you asked about winter. I have yet to see anyone staying at the campground in the winter and don't know if they would let you book it]
In the winter I suggest the best spots are:
1) Up in front of the lodge, looking down on the valley sunset, sunrise, or night. There is a hidden park bench that would be a good staging spot. see my linked smug mug.
2) About 300m to the west are the reflecting ponds area. My strategy is this spot or 1 for helicopter morning sunrise.
3) About 1.5 hours of up to Sunburst lake. My first photo.
4) I like going way up the ogg meadows on the windy pass trail to the trees, as a shot but this would require several hours of skiing before sunrise.
5) Going up toward wonder pass yielded my last photo and there are great shots looking back.
Winter is difficult. You need chemical warmer for hands and feet to stand still for 1/2 hour. You need to dress well. And you need to know what your are doing for avalanche risk unless you go with the lodge.
6) if you go with the lodge and are happy with day time shooting, then you don't have to worry, the lodge will guide you and make sure you are safe and they really know the routes.
[the nublet shot is not safe in the winter for avalanche risk for most mortals. Don't do it]
Thanks so much for that info Steve. I had glanced at the rates, but didn't understand how much cheaper the huts are. I would be interested in that but my wife wouldn't stay there. This will be a bucket list trip, so we will for sure shell out the $ for the chopper and lodge.
dallvr: Glad you think the effort was worth it. It was pretty cold - chemical warmers on feet and hands and tonnes of clothes and it was still chilly. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott
Dragonfire: Find a tough gf that is warm who skis and is not afraid of heights Glad you like the shots and information. Much appreciated. Scott
Brilliant work Scott! Sounds like a great adventure and one for which I'll need to prep and gather tons of experience in the backcountry at extreme winters; as I'll moving to BC next month myself and am looking forward to photographing the immense beauty of western Canada!
Glad you like the set. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. 