Eye on the Prize
Jess Ruggles staring at our destination, Old Glory Mountain
It was a cold winter in 2021 and three of us had taken up the exciting sport of skitouring and split boarding. We were still new to the activity and had an ambitious goal for the season. Our plan was to climb over the Mount Plewman ridge, ski down to the valley below, and then ascend the other side to reach the summit of Old Glory.
However, there was a warning from Avalanche Canada about a potential problem with a wind slab on the east-south-east facing slopes, which was unfortunately our best route up the mountain. Despite the warning, further investigation revealed that the danger posed by the wind slab was less serious than initially anticipated.
Fir Forest climbing its way up a snowy mountain, near Rossland, BC
Undeterred, we set off early in the morning with a newfound confidence. The climb over the ridge was challenging, but the views were breathtaking. We descended into the valley and moved through dense trees, but as we ascended, the trees thinned and the sun beamed down on us. We finally gained the ridge connection to Mount Plewman and from there, we could see our destination, Old Glory Mountain, far off in the distance.
We were thrilled at the sight and took a moment to enjoy the views of the mountains surrounding us and have a glorious peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The sun was at our backs and a warm spring breeze blew across us, providing the perfect weather for our journey.
After savoring the moment, we continued our descent into the next valley. The experience of climbing over the Mount Plewman ridge and reaching the summit of Old Glory will always be a memorable one. Despite the initial warning from Avalanche Canada, we were able to achieve our goal while still taking the necessary precautions to stay safe. It was a testament to our determination and our love for the sport of skitouring and split boarding.
However, as we were relatively new to touring, we recognized that even though we had no avalanches, it was really hard for us to know if we were lucky or if we were actually safe. We learned the importance of continued education and experience in the sport to truly understand the snow and mountain conditions. We made a commitment to ourselves to always prioritize safety and to never stop learning.
View from the top of Old Glory
