This is Why Big, Bold and Scary New Ski Runs Are Left to the Pros

Gold Card Couloir M4+ WI4 C0 60° is an 800-metre serac-threatened ski line opened by pro skiers Brette Harrington, Christina Lustenberger and Andrew McNab last winter.

The wild feature drops below a col between the north faces of Mount Burnham and Mount Grady in the Monashee Mountains’ Gold Range. And while Gold Card had been an often talked about objective — one of the most popular traverses in the Gold Range skirts below it — several factors had kept skiers away.

Since McNab first laid eyes on the line 13 years ago, he had skied in several times for a look but conditions had only permitted one “real” attempt. He was most often turned around by burly glacial ice climbing or thinly covered snow bridges. Since his initial forays he has already noticed glacial recession of about two metres, a factor he believes contributes to the overhanging ice Harrington was compelled to climb.

Part of his success last winter was the prudence to wait for ideal snow conditions and joining a well-rounded team with distinct specialities. He and Lustenberger led the technical descent while Harrington’s deep climbing resume allowed the party to move quickly through the dangerous ice.

Despite its label as a ski descent, Harrington believes Gold Card will only succumb to those with proficiencies in alpinism and mixed climbing. “It’s a lot different than hiking to the top of a steep couloir and just skiing it,” she said. Indeed, their grade of 800m, M4+, WI4, C0, 60 degree skiing betrays the true seriousness of this endeavour.

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Gold Card Couloir