BOU AVENUE
Powderface Pass
Hoping to take advantage of a recent large dump of fresh snow, Zosia Zgolak and I skied Powderface Creek trail to Powderface Pass in the Elbow River valley of Alberta's Kananaskis Country on 30 November 2019.  The route is described in Gillean Daffern's out-of-print guidebook, Kananaskis Country Ski Trails.  Temperatures were quite frosty when we started skiing with our light touring gear from Powderface Creek trailhead (located along Highway 66 about 19 kilometres west of the junction with Highway 22), but we warmed up fairly quickly after the initial climb from the parking lot.  For the first several kilometres, the trail climbs gently alongside Powderface Creek, and views are fairly limited.  A few short hills are somewhat challenging but still manageable with grip wax.  Beyond the junction with Prairie Link trail, the climb becomes steeper and more sustained, and we inevitably resorted to using climbing skins to make more efficient progress.  Snow conditions were generally excellent throughout the trip, but best of all, a trail had been broken all the way to the pass by a mix of skiers, snowshoers and horses (we did not see anyone else on this day except for a few dog walkers near the end of the trip).  Upon reaching the pass, we climbed a little higher up open slopes to the north before stopping on top of a short bluff to take a break in the warm sunshine.

Before skiing back the way we came, Zosia removed her skins while I kept mine on.  The descent from the pass is quite challenging as the trail is steep and narrow in places.  Fortunately, the abundance of fresh powder made for easier skiing, and we managed to get down the steeper sections without any catastrophic spills.  Once we returned to more moderate terrain, I removed my skins to get better glide out of my skis.  Other than one wipeout I had while descending the final hill before the trailhead, the rest of our ski out was straightforward and very enjoyable.
It's a winter wonderland! An abundance of fresh snow adorns the trees along Powderface Creek trail.
Keep an eye out for horse dung around here!

Morning sunlight hits the top of Powder Face Ridge while Powderface Creek valley remains in frosty shadow.
About halfway to the pass. Zosia passes the junction with Prairie Link trail.
It felt downright balmy here! Zosia enjoys the warm sunshine as she climbs higher up the trail.
No wind to speak of today! Zosia arrives at Powderface Pass.
Too bad we didn't have our AT gear with us. We could have done a few laps here! Zosia climbs up an open slope north of Powderface Pass.
Sure, let's go ski on some rocks! Zosia heads for some half-buried rocks on the open slope.
It kinda looks like a summit! Zosia gains the top of an prominent outcropping of rock.  In the distance at right is Prairie Mountain.

Okay, this made the long ski through the trees worthwhile!

Zosia enjoys the unobstructed views of Banded Peak and Mount Glasgow to the south.

 

Two thumbs up! Sonny and Zosia express their opinion of the ski to Powderface Pass.
Might be worth coming back here with AT gear... This is looking south across the pass toward Powder Face Ridge.
With light touring gear, it's not a bad idea to keep your skins on for the descent! The descent from Powderface Pass can be a bit tricky as the trail is both steep and narrow in places.
Now I really wish I had my AT gear! Sonny skis through deep powder in his light touring gear.

Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
There is one more tricky hill near the trailhead. Sonny cruises back to the trailhead on more gentle terrain.

Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
A challenging ski to the pass! Total Distance:  13.3 kilometres
Round-Trip Time:  5 hours 17 minutes
Net Elevation Gain:  ~527 metres

GPX Data