Sunshine (Banff) ski 2006
February 2, 2006

My friend Dow is participating in the first Canadian ski mountaineering race (Sunshine 5000, February 4 2006), and wanted to check out the area where the route will be. I had never been to Sunshine before and wanted to get some skiing in, so I went with him, and we checked out Delirium Dive (where they'll race down 3 times, after skinning up the side of the mountain). Great fun!

At the bottom I've included pictures of the ice climbs Bourgeau Left and Bourgeau Right that look quite impressive, but present a significant avalanche danger from the upper bowls during dangerous times (such as this day that we were skiing, avalanche danger in the backcountry was high and there was 30cm of recent storm snow loading them up). They cannot be seen from below, so at the very least call the info centre and ask for current conditions.

  Delirium Dive after our first descent close-up I'm alive!  

  Dow and me after our first descent nice meadow on the way down (we took far left the first time, there's a 'lazier' way)  

  Goat mountain in the clouds Dow on the ridge before our second run down the ridge in the clouds  

  looking down from the ridge the beginning, fairly steep Bourgeau Left ice climb with the avalanche bowls above  

  close-up of Bourgeau Left with the avalanche bowls above closer Bourgeau Left from the ski-out Bourgeau Right  

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