Pocaterra Ridge Route Map (see link in desciption - or click here - for interactive version).

Leaving the Ptarmigan Cirque parking lot, and following an already well travelled skin track on the west side of the highway.

Two for two for bluebird days?! We never have this kind of luck in winter! Looking back at the skin track as we enter the forest, and start up the trail leading to Pocaterra Cirque.

As we continued through the dense forest, around the base of Highwood Ridge, we encountered a few more "downs" than was ideal...After a few sections of survival skinning/skiing (the dicey and icey state of the skin track added to the fun 😂), we were relieved to emerge to more open terrain!

Our first clear view of our objective for the day! Look at all those ski tracks!

Elpoca Mountain absolutely steals the show, looking down the valley to the north.

Looking out from the shadows. Mount Pocaterra, Pocaterra Ridge, Gap Mountain, Elpoca Mountain, and Rae's western outlier, from left to right.

Continuing up the skin track, as it traverses below Highwood and Grizzly Ridge's northern faces. We aimed for the back of the cirque, where Pocaterra Ridge's south ridge can easily be gained.

Mount Pocaterra's impressive east face rises beyond the innocent Pocaterra Ridge.

Mount Tyrwhitt rises across the cirque, with a blinding sun peaking out just over the Grizzly/Tyrwhitt col.

The pre-broken track made for quick progress, and we found ourselves at the base of the south ridge in no time!

So many different tracks in one picture! A closer look at the upper slopes reveals a skin track, a bootpack track, and multiple ski tracks!

Following the switch-backs up the initially steep slope.

The ridge eased off as we passed the treeline.

I thought this was a cool angle 🙂.

Mount Pocaterra's snowy summit towers almost 500m above us!

While the skin track did continue (switch-backing it's way up the final slope), it traversed over a few too many bare, rocky sections for our liking, and we decided we'd protect our gear. After throwing our skis on our backs, we bootpacked straight up the final 200m to the summit ridge.

Similar to the previous day, the air temperature was pretty chilly, but with the ascent slope once again being south facing, we worked up quite a sweat before we arrived at the false summit.

Looking along the untouched summit ridge. I guess it's our turn to pave the way!

Mount Pocaterra's sheer east face forms a massive wall on the opposite side of the hidden valley to the north!

Carefully traversing the snow-loaded ridge.

Approaching the summit of Pocaterra Ridge! Photo credit: Dad

Looking across the highway, to the significant summits of the Misty Range! From left to right we have: Rae, Arethusa (with Little Arethusa below), Storm, and Mist!

Summit selfie!

A closer look at Storm Mountain and the long connecting ridge to Mist Mountain.

Elpoca Mountain and Tombstone South rise impressively above Elbow Pass.

Yesterday's summit, Little Arethusa, sits below the mountain it's named after.

Storm Mountain really stands out!

Looking down Pocaterra Ridge's long, undulating north ridge. While it makes for a popular summer traverse, I have a feeling it might be a little bit more complicated with snow covering it...

Another look back to Mount Pocaterra, now on the true summit of Pocaterra Ridge!

The highest mountain in the Highwood Pass area, Mount Rae, rises to 3218m across the highway!

Grizzly Ridge and Mount Tyrwhitt rise on the opposite side of Pocaterra Cirque, with Storelk Mountain peeking out over the col.

Highwood Ridge sits in the shadows, with Mist Mountain rising in the distance.

Looking back at our tracks along the summit ridge.

Dramatic lighting on Grizzly Ridge's western slopes.

Unobstructed view of Mount Pocaterra's entire east face!

Dropping in! While we spent some time soaking in the incredible, cloudless summit views, a group of three splitboarders appeared on the false summit, traversed the summit ridge a short distance, and were transitioned to "ride mode" in no time, dropping down the steep chutes on the northwest face! Well...They obviously aren't peakbaggers 😂. Our original plan was to bootpack back along the summit ridge, and all the way down the rocky slope we ascended, before finally getting some turns in on the lower slopes where some more snow had collected...As we watched the boarders cruise down the powder-filled chutes however, our plans quickly grew in magnitude! Since there had only been one big dump of snow, followed by cold temps, there hadn't been a chance for weak layers to form in the snowpack quite yet. While this meant that an avalanche was less likely, it also meant that there was no solid base covering the rocks below! We considered our options, and ultimately ended up choosing fun 😉!

Looking down our chosen chute.

Here we go!!...Now remember what I said about there being no solid base just yet? Well, that means that if you turn too hard in the wrong place, you slice right through the powder to the jagged "snow sharks" lurking just below. And that's exactly what I did 🤦! About halfway down the chute, I make a turn, hear a loud bang, and am sent off my feet, upside down before I can even register what just happened! There's no time to think in situations like this, not that I even had time to, because as quickly as I was upside down, I was skiing again as if nothing happened! Somehow, miraculously, I managed to do one complete summersault, and land right back on my feet, skis still on and poles in hand 😮! Photo credit: Dad

My dad makes his ski descent!

Enjoying the final few powder turns.

Although I may have been able to finish off the run as if nothing happened, my ski made sure to remind me! As we took off our skis to put skins on, my heart sank as I discovered this massive core shot along my base 😭! (Shoutout to Skier's Sportshop for fixing this beautifully when I got home!)

Tracks.

Once descending into this hidden valley, sandwiched between the long northern ridges of Mount Pocaterra and Pocaterra Ridge, there really isn't any easy way out. You either follow the valley out over 5km to the north (leaving you about 7km away from your car...) or you skin up to the Mount Pocaterra/Pocaterra Ridge col (aka Little Highwood Pass), and then easily descend the side you came from. A hard decision, but we ended up choosing the latter 😂.

A solid skin track from the splitboarders made our lives significantly easier, and it wasn't long before we were 150m above, up on Pocaterra Ridge's west ridge.

Looking back across the slope.

Last look to Elpoca and Tombstone South, before starting down to the col.

Having done enough damage to my skis for one day, I was a little bit more cautious where I skied, and we bootpacked a short ways down the ridge (past a couple rocky sections) before skiing down the south side of the pass.

More powder turns!!

Looking back to a sliver of light on Mount Pocaterra and Pocaterra Ridge, as we easily follow the valley down.

Looking ahead.

Tyrwhitt's stunning north face rears up in front of us.

The valley flattened out pretty quickly, but we were still able to keep enough speed going to traverse back over the south ridge and ski some glades on the southeastern slopes. All without having to put skins back on 😉!

Evening light of Rae's western outlier and Mount Arethusa.

Still in ski mode!

We were able to hold off making a transition until we reached Pocaterra Tarn (which is actually non-existent in winter). Even though the sun was rapidly setting, we started up the slopes below Grizzly Ridge's north face, unable to resist a few more turns before we called it a day...Especially when there's already a skin track paving the way 😉!

Absolutely beautiful sunset!

A closer look at some alpenglow of Elpoca Mountain.

Final touch of warm light on Mount Rae.

Even though it took effort to gain the elevation, as well as an extra two transitions, those few final powder turns were so worth it, and it was sad to leave this skier's paradise behind 😢.

Our headlamps illuminated the way for the last couple kilometers, and before we knew it, we were back at the open flats along the highway.

I'm sure glad that I let the "I wanna ski" voice get the best of me, because this trip was an absolute hoot! I never would have thought to ski Pocaterra Ridge until I saw it from across the highway the previous day, but boy am I happy I did, because personally, I think skiing is the best mode of transportation for this one! There are so many options for making fresh turns and the bootpack was a breeze! (Especially when you compare it to something like Chesmill...) It was amazing to pick up where we left off last May (with a snowshoe and ski objective under clear, blue skies), and I really hope we have better luck this year and get a few more days like this, instead of all that whiteout crap 😝!