USEFUL INFORMATION - Rogers Pass and 2018 early season conditions

Revision date is November 30, 2018 – www.sharonandlee.net​

This collection of information was written in response to a disturbing incident in early season December 2017 where an un-named group skied a closed area under the Winter Permit system in Rogers Pass. An online conversation cast light on some views that this poach could possibly have resulted from ignorance of the Winter Permit System of Rogers Pass. It has now been updated because as early as Dec 1, 2018 another ski touring party poached the MacDonald West Prohibited Area​

Access to many (but not all touring locations) in Glacier National Park (“GNP”) is through a permit system designed to allow for safe travel for backcountry travellers during times of avalanche control. Frequent visitors will get an Annual Permit; something you can also do online if you want to avoid a lineup and wait at the Discovery Centre.​


Avalanche control in the Pass may result in areas being closed so it is important to check to see what’s open before you go.​

These collection of links and information is one person’s attempt to mitigate such ignorance. It cannot be the end-all be-all. I will search-engine optimize this so the links can be found easily via Google or search engine. Obviously if a person is unwilling or does not do a search about Rogers Pass these links will not be useful. THEREFORE IT IS UP TO YOU TO USE YOUR BRAIN AND A COMPUTER OR THE RESOURCES AT THE VISITOR CENTRE TO EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT SKIING AT ROGERS PASS BEFORE YOU GO.​

I will try to update these links and keep them current.​

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Visitor Centre – Rogers Pass.​

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Parks Canada – Winter Permit system

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Emergency Number 1-877-852-3100​

Glacier National Park visitor centre and Facebook page​



Geotagged PDF format maps – Winter Permit System (use on mobile without data but with location​


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Obtaining data about snow depth​

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Other useful links (from the author and from Geobackcountry’s Rogers Pass guide – thanks to Doug Sproul for permission to reproduce)

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Parks Canada​



Road Conditions (Banff) (403) 762-1450 (Jasper) (780) 852-3311​


Avalanche Canada’s One stop shop for all resources via ARFI (quite possibly duplicated below)​

Road Conditions​


DriveBC Rogers Pass cam​



Macdonald Snowshed East of Revy​


Weather, Snowpack and Avalanche​

Parks Canada Glacier National Park Avalanche Bulletin (250) 837 – MTNS (6867)​



Snow Profiles in GNP area​





Weather stations – GNP area (Glacier tab)​

Other information​

Avalanche Canada – (see Mountain Information Network and Mountain Conditions Report tabs)​

Avalanche Canada (Weather Stations)​



SpotWX – enter Rogers Pass into “Find your spot”​



Windy – enter Rogers Pass into search box​

Environment Canada – Revelstoke – Golden​

Drive BC road and weather conditions 1-800-550-4997 –​

Ski areas​



Maps and Imagery​

Government of BC 1:20,000 geotagged TRIM (navigate to GNP and download what you need)​

Geogratis 1:50,000 maps​

Geogratis map images and data download directory (map imagery)​

Geospatial data extraction (topo information; terrain shading, elevation, aspect, etc)​


NAD 27 to NAD 83 calculation tool​


BC Peaks KMZ – bcMtns peaks and other useful KMZs​

Google Earth (GE) browser​

Government of BC – All layers for watercourses​

Government of BC – Digital Road Atlas for roads​

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Obtaining data about snow quality​

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November 2018 early season conditions



Access is still best through any area with a summer trail. Aldercations can be expected in lower elevations due to lack of snow. Coverage is pretty healthy up high but there’s the small matter of getting there.

Generally speaking Connaught, Asulkan have decent access. Expect to fight for your lower passage on the Illecillewaet and probably Hermit and Bostock.

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Good conditions up high at 2700m+ in the Connaught drainage

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Avalanche Peak sunset

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Adventure bushwhacking down lower for building character