Glade mapping, terrain management, renovation plans and more. 

This past week the team at Weber Powder flew into Battle Abbey Backcountry Lodge for future planning.  While we already discussed many of the changes planned for 2025 in our previous article, Program Changes 2025, this week was focused on solidifying these plans and finding news ways to improve the overall experience.  

The week started with Dogtooth Construction flying into the lodge to review renovation plans for this summer.  During their stay, the team reviewed suggested layout changes and took final measurements for the start of the renovation project next month.

While Nansen and Tessum were busy with the construction team inside the lodge, our guiding team lead by Hamish, took to the outdoors.  The goal for our guiding team at the start of the week was to map out what areas below the lodge would benefit from glading, a process of removing specific brush and small trees to allow for idillic spaced tree skiing. These gladed areas would expand tree skiing options on days where conditions did not allow for high alpine skiing.  Hamish, Kenton, Oli and Tessum were successful in mapping out several 'runs' broken into three phases of glading. The goal is to start on phase 1 this summer with newly gladed terrain open for winter 2025!

While the guiding team was bushwhacking below the lodge mapping areas to glade, they also took the opportunity to scope the terrain for other opportunities.  This process lead them to rappel into what appeared to be a skiable chute.  Their curiosity was rewarded after the short rappel lead them to finding a fun new ski line now named Insanity Chute.  This will be an exciting excursion for guests next winter once some of the trees are thinned!

As the week progressed, the focus shifted from glading below the lodge to ski mountaineering above.  Mid-week, Tessum joined the guides for an exploratory mission on Schooner ridge to see if there was an option to put in a winter via-ferrata route.  With no clear anchor at the top, more exploration during the summer months is required.  On the final day, the guiding team opened a new route to the Typee glacier.  The new route avoids the conditions permitting steepness run instead going around Billy Goat Bowl and up Typee col.  A short rappel lands you directly on the Typee glacier with the option to summit Typee peak or go directly down to valley bottom and climb back up to the lodge.