The Bow Hut Farewell: Adrenaline, Deep Powder, and the Reward of an Extreme Adventure in Kicking Horse (And Beyond)

Hello friends and mountain enthusiasts! I'm Ernesto Lozano, Director and Founder of Dare and Explore. After more than 15 years exploring every corner of the majestic Canadian Rockies, and with the experience of guiding my family of six children on the most diverse adventures, I've learned that the end of the journey is just as important as the beginning.

In the previous two blogs, we shared the arduous but rewarding climb to our alpine hut, Bow Hut, and the incredible glacier exploration we undertook on the second day. Today, we close this trilogy with the sweetest chapter: the return home.

After enjoying days in the mountain where the landscapes are painted pure white, where the silence is almost tangible, and where peace invades you, the moment of farewell arrives. And in the backcountry, saying goodbye is also an intense adventure.

The Strategy Before the Farewell: Safety as the Absolute Priority

One of the major differences between skiing at a resort and venturing into the backcountry is that here, 100% of the safety decisions rest with the team.

The day before, after dinner and socializing with the other adventurers sharing the hut, we sat down to meticulously plan the descent. Although the run down is very appealing (what took us hours to climb, we'd descend in minutes!), it is crucial to review the route and the strategy we would follow.

We had to pass through a known avalanche zone. This is a point where the slopes of three mountains converge, forming a valley that, while thrilling to ski, requires extreme caution at the outset.

Thanks to my Avalanche Safety Training (AST) certification and my experience as a ski instructor, the planning was methodical:

• Weather Analysis: We checked the Avalanche Canada reports. Fortunately, the weather had been stable in recent days, and the snow layers were quite solid, meaning the risk of a slide was genuinely low.

• Mitigation Strategy: Even with low risk, we never assume. We planned to move through the valley using the "one-at-a-a-time" strategy. This means only one person would be exposed in the potential hazard zone at any given moment, while the rest of us would wait at a safe point (usually behind a ridge or in a protected area). This way, if something happens, there is only one potential victim, and the rest of the team is in a rescue position.

• Transceiver Protocol: We checked our transceivers (or "beepers") again before sleeping and upon waking. It is a custom we always instill at Dare and Explore: ensuring every device works correctly and that everyone in the group knows how to use them.

With the strategy defined and our minds clear, we went to sleep, ready for the big day.

The Deep Powder Test: Technique and Pure Adrenaline

We woke up early, packed all our belongings, had a calm breakfast, and prepared to leave. We cleaned the dishes and checked the hut to leave it spotless. Finally, we turned on and verified the transceivers one last time.

We started on the trail with our defined formation: Max led the way, followed by Zach and Shawn, and I closed the group.

The route begins with a gentle, low-angle descent, perfect for stretching our legs and warming up the body. But after a couple of kilometers, we reached the start of the real descent: the steeper slope that runs into the valley.

The snow was deep, deep, deep. It was the famous Champagne Powder of the Rockies; dry, light powder that reached above our knees. While skiing, we couldn't see our skis, but boy, could we feel them, floating beneath our feet.

 The Secret to Stance in Virgin Snow

Skiing in deep powder is a totally different experience than gliding on the packed runs of a resort (even if you are seeking an extreme adventure in Kicking Horse, where the feeling is similar, but the piste maintenance is different).

1. On the Resort (Packed Piste): Your body must be balanced and slightly inclined forward to apply pressure to the shin of the boot, allowing you to engage the edge of the ski on the hard snow.

2. In Deep Powder (Backcountry): Here, the weight must be distributed slightly further back. This small detail is not about leaning back (like in the old days), but about lifting the tips of the skis, allowing the wide front section (the shovel) to float on the snow like a boat on water.

3. The Effort Load: This change in stance and the resistance of the virgin snow demand much greater physical and muscular effort. The turns are wider and more pronounced; you feel how you have to "pump" out of the snow to initiate the next turn. The sensation, however, is on another level.

The Descent Through the Avalanche Zone

Before starting this steep section, we agreed we would regroup shortly after the valley floor to avoid being together in the potential hazard area.

Max, our leader for the day, began the descent. The run is very steep; to give you an idea, it is comparable to a double black diamond in alpine skiing standards. We lost sight of him for a few minutes, swallowed by the snow and the gradient.

Soon after, we could see him in the distance, already out of the critical point, zigzagging as he finished the valley. He gave us the agreed-upon signal: everything was clear. It was Zach's turn. He started his run and we lost sight of him, just like Max, but in the same way, we saw him emerge shortly after, clearly enjoying the descent.

On this occasion, we decided not to wait for Zach to exit completely, and it was Shawn's turn (as we had Max completely out of the risk zone), and so on. Once everyone was out of the avalanche zone, it was my turn...

My Moment: Total Immersion

Wow, what an incredible sensation! Skiing with snow that reaches almost up to your waist, where every turn throws a cloud of fine powder that envelops you. It's like being inside the clouds, a total immersion in the white, feeling gravity and control simultaneously.

• The Flow State: Zig... zag, zig... zag. Your mind is connected to every part of your body. Every muscle, every ligament, every movement is felt, savored, and enjoyed. One turn after another, perfectly synchronized.

• The Concentration: You are focused on the path, on reading the small undulations of the snow, anticipating the next move, but at the same time, you are in a state of total euphoria, enjoying the speed and weightlessness.

• The Reward: What took us hours of climbing with skins, we descended in just a few minutes. What a delight! It is the physical, mental, and spiritual reward of the adventure.

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 Terrain Transition: From Valley to the Trees

Once we passed the most dangerous zone, the trail guided us through other equally exciting areas: the open valley, the narrow forest, and the final stretch crossing the lake again to reach the vehicles.

While traversing the wide-open valley, I felt a mix of nervousness and excitement about the forest ahead. Skiing through tight trees (Tree Skiing) is the essence of extreme adventure. It requires split-second decision-making and precision in speed and turn control.

Upon reaching the start of the forest, we resumed our formation: Max, Zach, Shawn, and finally me. We maintained a bit of safe spacing between each adventurer. Max started, soon after Zach, then Shawn, and I let a little more time pass before starting my run. This is crucial in the woods to avoid collisions, ensure no hidden obstacles for the person behind, and allow the snow to "settle" slightly.

Adrenaline and Control Among the Pines

Skiing through the trees demands maximum control in short turns and constant speed management. It is the most adrenaline-fueled part, and personally, I enjoy it immensely!

Turn after turn, controlling the speed to the millimeter, fully enjoying the dance among the pines of the Rockies. We could hear the swishes of all four pairs of skis, and occasionally, shouts of adventure and excitement resonated through the woods. It is a symphony of nature, teamwork, and snow.

We exited the woods full of energy, and only the frozen lake crossing remained. This is where the adrenaline subsided, and reality hit: we put the skins back on our skis for the final flat traverse, and we started sweating again as we shuffled toward the parking lot... It's a humbling reminder that in the backcountry, the mountain demands effort until the very last step.

Finally, we reached the vehicle filled with satisfaction, having enjoyed 3 full days of pure adventure in the mountains. We took off our boots, changed into dry clothes (the best moment of the day!), and were left with a delicious taste in our mouths, eager for the next adventure.

The Adventure Challenge

This Bow Hut adventure is the ultimate proof of the expertise and love for the mountains we embody at Dare and Explore. We don't just know the beauty of the iconic places; we know the backcountry routes, the safety protocols, and, most importantly, we know how to guide you to surpass your own limits.

From a family snowshoeing trip near Nakiska to the detailed planning of an extreme adventure in Kicking Horse or the high alpine backcountry, we are ready to take you on your own epic experience.

I leave you with a question:

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Count on us to experience an adventure you will remember for the rest of your life. We will plan every detail, from the safety equipment to the frosting on the cake you carry in your backpack.

Until next time!

Ernesto Lozano Director and Founder, Dare and Explore

Contactanos.