The Ski Terrain
Limitless Exploring Potential
With over 2100 hectares (5190 acres) of terrain, including 5 main drainages, even strong skiers won’t come close to being able to ski it all in a week. There’s always a new place to explore just a little further around a corner; a hidden bowl, an ancient larch forest, or the perfect line snaking down a steep couloir between towering cliffs.
Peaceful Wilderness
The ski terrain surrounding the lodge is true wilderness. There are no powerlines, roads, or logged areas, no heliskiers overhead, and so far, no snowmobilers in the area. Due to the remoteness it’s very rare that we even see any other skiers in the area. The big, wild, peaceful stillness will only be broken by your happy gang sharing the lodge. 
Weathering it Out
The location and big variety of terrain provide great skiing in all but the mankiest conditions. The lodge is situated at a lofty 2164 metres (7100 ft), and the elevation helps preserve good powder in all but the warmest weather. In the spring when the sun bakes the snowpack the many shaded bowls and massive slopes of Northface lay waiting, often preserving good powder well into May. In stormy weather, tree skiing lies just outside the door above or below the lodge, and the forests of Gash Trees, Wishbone Ridge or Enchanted Forest stretch away enticingly.
Something for Everyone
The terrain in Powder Creek is greatly varied. From gentle, open, rolling terrain and lightly gladed slopes, to steeper slots through lichen-draped evergreens. From easily-accessed sinuous ridgelines leading to craggy peaks, steep and deep chutes, to massive open slopes that drop away gloriously forever - you’ll find it all here. If you’d like more details about each terrain type, read on and check out the accompanying photos.
Gentle Terrain
Most of the easier terrain lies within ½ hr ski of the lodge. The lodge sits at the bottom of the gently-angled open slopes of the Sugarbowl. From Sunrise Ridge above, it’s a quick ski down the gently-rolling terrain back down to Lise Lake and slide across to the lodge. The Sugarbowl and Alberta Knob located half way down also make an excellent place to take a moonlight tour. The Backdoor area to the north of the lodge is also close by, and once you attain this low pass you can ski the open slopes and lightly treed glades of the Home Run Trees. For those who want an even easier day, the deeply frozen snow-covered Lise Lake and nearly level Golf Course are a great place to slide around on snowshoes or x-country gear.
Trees
The lodge’s location situated within treeline isn’t by accident; on the many days when it’s snowing hard and visibility is poor, treed slopes are just a quick slide away. Just outside the front door and below the lodge is an area we call the Breakfast Runs.
On mornings after a fresh snowfall, this lightly treed area with moderate slopes beckons early risers to sneak out and carve first tracks. Further below the slopes steepen and the trees draw closer, parting here and there into perfect slots and glades through the Gash Trees. Mosquito Lake lies in the valley bottom, and is a perfect place to grab a quick lunch and soak up some rays before catching another lap in the trees. Further to the east lies the Wishbone Ridge with a fantastic selection of treed terrain dropping off in 3 directions. To the north lie the enchanted forest, Who Glades, and the gnarly larch and evergreen forests of the Attic valley.
Ridges, Peaks, Chutes
The long, undulating Sunrise Ridge lies just east of the lodge. Draped with huge cornices and small wind-stunted trees plastered in rime crystals, this ridgeline makes for a super scenic tour to some of our best ski slopes.
For those that enjoy getting to the top of the world, there are several peaks that are fairly easy to access in the right conditions. Who Peak to the north of the lodge has an easy bootpack to the top and offers stupendous views of the jagged Leaning Towers to the NE. Mistletoe Peak lies across the valley to the south, with views of the matterhorn of Mt. Loki and even to the distant Kokanee Glacier on clear days. For the more adventurous types, they’ll likely be temped by the many couloirs on the north face of the Dark Ridge that are easily scoped from the lodge.
Alpine
Clearly visible from the lodge, the massive open rolling slopes of the Northface across the valley south of the lodge wink at skiers as soon as they arrive at Powder Creek. Here lies some of the longest alpine terrain of the area, stretching from the crest of Grizzly Shoulder all the way across to the smile-cracking slopes of Happy Valley. Runs on the Northface range from 600 m (2000 ft) to 900 m (3000 ft) in length. Over Grizzly Shoulder lies yet another alpine basin leading down into Little Joe Lakes.
Epic Tours
Only a few times a season when the conditions are just right and the gods are smiling, we get to explore areas a little further afield. The Attic is a spectacular valley located north of the lodge.
It can only be accessed via a steep bootpack up the Trapdoor, but it’s worth every drop of sweat to get there. Long treed and open runs await, snaking through craggy larch and evergreen forests with views of the surrounding towering layered cliffs. The steep Baldr Col and the 1000 m (3000 ft) Balderdash run beckon far from the south sheltered by towering granite cliffs. To the East lies the huge terrain of Campbell Creek. Protected by steep ridges and slabby rock, these massive, lightly treed slopes can only be accessed in a couple places.
