We knew conditions last week were good on the south side, so up Falls Creek mid-morning Friday. The bottom was melted out, so booting until just below treeline. Then a band of rotten isothermal snow (even before the sun had hit the valley floor) until finally solid crust and skins.

We toured up valley stopping for lunch at the fork where we looked in both directions trying to decide where to go before opting to tour up towards Falls Lake couloir thinking we might not like north and instead choose to ski the south face of South Suicide.

Todd exiting Falls Lake Couloir.

Falls Lake couloir is a beautiful north facing run off the ridge between Indianhouse and South Suicide. It used to be secret until some guidebook author opted to advertise it to the world. Now you’re lucky if you ever get first tracks… but I digress.

To our surprise Falls Lake couloir looked beautiful and untouched. So we banked sharp right and booted up the perfect splitter couloir to the ridge where we sat in the sun and stared at couloirs all around us. We then dropped a perfect straight splitter line in boot deep powder and heavy sluff.

Then feeling lazy we turned and skied down, returning to town by late afternoon passing bear tracks along the way – a sure sign of summer.

A beautiful run… and well worth the walk. Just remember your bear spray.

The French would put a sport route up this ridge so they could climb a clip-up and then descend with skis.

Todd jumping for joy.

Todd getting his game face on.

Game on!

Bear Tracks!