Egypt Lake

BOU AVENUE
Egypt Lake

On 14 December 2019, Daniel Dufresne, Szymon Kijak, Shoji Okada, Aga Sokolowska, Zosia Zgolak and I skied to Egypt Lake shelter in Alberta's Banff National Park. Starting from the Sunshine Village lower gondola station, we briefly skied along Lower Canyon ski run before taking the Healy Creek trail turnoff and dropping down to the bridge over Sunshine Creek. A long and uneventful grind up to Healy Pass ensued. Snow conditions were excellent on this day, and other than Shoji having some blister issues, we had no problems climbing up the skier-packed trail to our high point of the day near Healy Pass. We removed our skins here and descended semi-open slopes west of the pass. While there was plenty of fresh powder here on this day, it was hard to maintain momentum on the gentle slopes. Indeed, Szymon struggled so much with his splitboard on the descent that he finally opted to take it apart and strap his skins back on. In the end, it was easier to follow someone's up-track down through the trees. We eventually ended up slightly upstream of the bridge over Pharaoh Creek, and the short uphill to reach the shelter was most annoying. As it turned out, some of us still had to strap on our skins again anyway in order to retrieve water from the creek which in itself was a bit of an adventure. Kudos go to Daniel for the difficult task of drawing out the water and to Aga and Zosia for their physical support to keep Daniel from plunging into the creek!

After dinner, Aga and Daniel were still feeling energetic, and they shoveled out one of the snowbound outhouses before going for a moonlight ski to Egypt Lake. The rest of us were content to just sit and chew the fat inside the lukewarm shelter. As Aga had forewarned us before the trip, the wood stove inside the shelter is rather anemic in generating heat, and I never felt truly warm until I was tucked inside my sleeping bag. We shared the shelter with another large group, and although they were quite noisy throughout the night with people constantly getting up and going outside to pee, they at least kept the wood stove burning which made getting out of bed the next morning much more bearable.

It's boring already! The group starts off along Lower Canyon ski run near the Sunshine Village parking lot.

Looks scary! A couple of climbers can be seen ascending the classic waterfall ice route known as Bourgeau Left-Hand.

Too bad it's so chilly! Sonny is enjoying the great snow conditions on this day.
Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

The Polish Brigade! Szymon, Aga and Zosia break out of the trees en route to Healy Pass.

Shoji: Zosia, should I eat the cuttlefish & asparagus or the vanilla paste? Shoji, Daniel and Zosia prepare to ski down the west side of Healy Pass. Pharaoh Peaks are at centre in the distance while Egypt Lake is visible to the left.

Let's rip it! Aga follows the others down the open slopes west of Healy Pass. Right of centre is the peak identified by various names such as The Sphinx, Sugarloaf Mountain and Natalko Nubbin.

Easier than trying to plow through the deep powder when the slope is this gentle. Shoji, Daniel and Sonny stick to a previous skier's up-track to get to Egypt Lake shelter.
Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

Home, sweet home? Hmmmm... Zosia and Aga arrive at Egypt Lake shelter with the highest of the Pharaoh Peaks in the background.

I'm a pothead! Aga supports Daniel to keep him from plunging into Pharaoh Creek while he draws water out with a bag similar to the one that Sonny is holding steady.
Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

After breakfast on 15 December 2019, Daniel led Shoji, Zosia and me back to Egypt Lake for some nice morning views. We then returned to the shelter to reunite with Aga and Szymon before departing together for the climb back up to Healy Pass. Much like the approach from the east, the climb through the forest on the west side of Healy Pass is a bit monotonous, but we had no problems following a good broken trail all the way up. The best skiing of the weekend in my opinion was a short but steep hill east of the pass and just above the open flats leading back into the trees. It is a shame that this section was not longer. Once we regained Healy Creek trail, we enjoyed a fun but unremarkable run back to the Sunshine Village parking lot. Amazingly, Aga and Szymon skied the entire return with their skins on and were never that far behind the rest of us. I suppose it still beats walking the whole way in snowshoes!

That wood stove sucks...big time! In the morning, Sonny, Shoji, Aga and Daniel enjoy a relaxing breakfast inside Egypt Lake shelter.
Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

Thank you Aga and Daniel for breaking trail for us the previous night! Shoji and Zosia ski toward The Sphinx behind the trees.

I was too lazy to remove the sleeping bag after packing it in the morning, but wearing my pack was the only way for me to carry my camera! Sonny is actually carrying his sleeping bag with him as he skis to Egypt Lake!
Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

We didn't bother removing our skins to descend this later. Shoji and Daniel climb a steep embankment not far from Egypt Lake.

Beautiful sunrise! Across Egypt Lake, the morning sun peeks over the east shoulder of The Sphinx.

Daniel is already eyeing that chute at far left as a potential ski descent! Egypt Lake is frozen and snow-covered on this day.

Nobody wants to take a lap around the lake?? The highest of the Pharaoh Peaks towers over Daniel, Zosia and Shoji on Egypt Lake.

Time for a quick pit stop before we leave this sh*t hole! Zosia and Shoji return to Egypt Lake shelter.

There were several of these, and I think they were attracted to the yellow snow near the shelter! A red crossbill visits the shelter.

A good-looking bunch of skiers!

Aga, Szymon, Zosia, Daniel, Shoji and Sonny pose for a group photo in front of Egypt Lake shelter.

	Sonny leaves Pharaoh Peaks behind him as he crosses the bridge over Pharaoh Creek. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Near Healy Pass, Shoji and Daniel climb slightly higher to get a better line of descent.
	The sun tries to break through the cloud cover above Monarch Ramparts in the distance. The Monarch itself is barely visible in the mist at left.
	Zosia cruises back along Healy Creek trail.
	Daniel and Shoji wait on the other side as Zosia crosses Sunshine Creek on the way back to the Sunshine Village parking lot.
	Total Distance: 25.0 kilometres Round-Trip Time: 29 hours 27 minutes Cumulative Elevation Gain: 1179 metres GPX Data

	The group starts off along Lower Canyon ski run near the Sunshine Village parking lot.
	A couple of climbers can be seen ascending the classic waterfall ice route known as Bourgeau Left-Hand.
	Sonny is enjoying the great snow conditions on this day. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Szymon, Aga and Zosia break out of the trees en route to Healy Pass.
	Shoji, Daniel and Zosia prepare to ski down the west side of Healy Pass. Pharaoh Peaks are at centre in the distance while Egypt Lake is visible to the left.
	Aga follows the others down the open slopes west of Healy Pass. Right of centre is the peak identified by various names such as The Sphinx, Sugarloaf Mountain and Natalko Nubbin.
	Shoji, Daniel and Sonny stick to a previous skier's up-track to get to Egypt Lake shelter. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Zosia and Aga arrive at Egypt Lake shelter with the highest of the Pharaoh Peaks in the background.
	Aga supports Daniel to keep him from plunging into Pharaoh Creek while he draws water out with a bag similar to the one that Sonny is holding steady. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

	In the morning, Sonny, Shoji, Aga and Daniel enjoy a relaxing breakfast inside Egypt Lake shelter. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Shoji and Zosia ski toward The Sphinx behind the trees.
	Sonny is actually carrying his sleeping bag with him as he skis to Egypt Lake! Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Shoji and Daniel climb a steep embankment not far from Egypt Lake.
	Across Egypt Lake, the morning sun peeks over the east shoulder of The Sphinx.
	Egypt Lake is frozen and snow-covered on this day.
	The highest of the Pharaoh Peaks towers over Daniel, Zosia and Shoji on Egypt Lake.
	Zosia and Shoji return to Egypt Lake shelter.
	A red crossbill visits the shelter.