Cass Valley Rookie Diaries.
The North Face team get a backcountry education.
Words Ben Barclay & Jessie Violet | Images Camilla Rutherford.
Ben. Take an Australian street snowboarder, a young freeride skier and a dedicated park rat. Release them into a vast wilderness, to navigate their way between three alpine huts, through one of the worst snowpacks in recent memory. Sounds like a great concept, right?
Well, this was the plan as The North Face team set out seeking a backcountry education and experience while gaining our Avalanche level 1 qualification (ASC-1). We were Andy James, Jessie Violet, Roland Morley Brown and me, Ben Barclay. With guides Janina Kuzma & Tom Vialletet providing the knowledge & insights we were hoping to absorb.
Jessie. The overall excitement had been building in me for weeks prior to the start of this trip. This would be my first ever real ski touring mission with multiple long days, and I had no idea what to expect other than the fact I’d be very tired by the end!
In Wanaka I loaded the boys—Ben, Roland & Andy—into Tiffany, my dusty ’96 Hilux surf & set out. I was nervous about the 4×4 conditions in the Cass as I hadn’t done much before. Being tucked in behind Tom’s leading vehicle really helped and Tiffany rolled along just fine.
Ben. The Cass Valley sits just outside the eastern boundary of Aoraki National Park. Upon reaching the end of the dirt road, we set off on foot from Waterfall Hut. The trip kicked off with a good ol’ slog up to the higher-than-normal snow line, with inadequate footwear and poorly packed bags, making our first leg slower than ideal.
Jessie.I sure struggled with the 3 hours of solid ground hiking in ski boots. A very valuable lesson learnt the hard way, where my failed efforts to lighten my pack had seen my shoes left behind. Next time I’ll bring lighter skis and proper hiking boots but I’m always up for a good challenge – if the boys can do it, so can I.
Ben.We crested a ridge at the barely-there snowline, threw our skins on in howling winds and began a 6km plod up to O’Leary Hut. The tour was filled with plenty of laughs as Andy James’ first attempt at split-boarding closely resembled a newborn calf struggling to stand for the first time.
Jessie. The moment we hit snow and started the skin to the first hut I felt all that effort would be worth it. At our now higher altitude we were surrounded by breath-taking mountain views and steep drop offs, and I quickly realised how small I really am out here. With a large ratio of snoring males in the hut, day 2 started off with some much-needed coffee.
Ben. With a crust layer closely resembling a top-notch Crème Brûlée, we stuck to low-angle slopes and studied our way through the mountains, trying to take in the depth of knowledge being bestowed on us. We went over avalanche theory in the hut at night and took this knowledge into the field the next day to apply what we’d learnt.
As our trip progressed, so did our list of mistakes. As pupils, our lack of experience saw us chasing our tails. But that’s why we were here, to make mistakes and to learn from them.
Jessie. As someone with limited backcountry experience, I relished the opportunity to gain as much knowledge as I could. Getting the inside scoop on Janina & Tom’s stories was truly incredible, they have so much experience and wisdom and to pass on to us rookies. One morning, as a test to check we had been listening, our guides put us in charge of the group. Luckily for us, Ben took the lead and set a quality and safe skin track for us all to follow.
Ben. Near the Bad Decisions hut, our ECT (extended column test) result of 6 failed on the bed surface and we grew even more cautious and revised our plans. While these snow conditions meant we were very limited with the skiing we could do, it was such great hands-on learning to move through complex avalanche conditions with well-educated guides. We got reactive snowpack test results, could identify issues around us and had to route find appropriately to mitigate these risks.
Ben. With this plethora of information being instilled in us, we ultimately grew a deeper respect for the area and became more cautious around our endeavors. We soon realised how little we knew and how much we wanted and needed to understand to continue our exploration of the mountains.
Jessie. Staring at the lines we could have skied was a bittersweet moment. All that time and energy we put into reaching the zone, only to find it unsafe to ski, was heart-breaking. However, now there’s a question I ask myself more often – is that powder run worth my life? This day really drove home just how important continual avalanche safety is so I can make the best decisions and get home safely. There will always be another time or place to ski an epic line.
Ben. As we plodded along the riverbed on the final leg home I reflected on our trip. From serene sunrises and sunsets to the critical skills we had begun to develop, there was strong agreement throughout the crew. It was a worthwhile trip and we all wanted to keep developing this new skillset.
It’s inspiring to see brands such as The North Face putting resources towards the education and safety of their athletes. This support enables us to develop the necessary skills to push our respective disciplines while opening doors to other avenues of this sport. As we enter another kiwi winter, I’m excited to continue delving into this remarkable arena of backcountry knowledge.
Jessie. Even the way out was adventurous. The snow wasn’t deep enough to ski and dodging rocks while skinning downhill with a heavy pack was not my strong suit (as the damaged bases of my skis clearly showed).
Time moved very differently in the mountains. Four days felt like four weeks. But I felt fortunate to have had such an amazing experience and I was even more in awe of the power of the mountains. Back in the flat lands normal life felt so mundane. I missed being out in mountainous mother nature, missed being isolated and relying on just yourself and your crew. For me this was a life changing trip. The fire has been lit, and I am eager to continue exploring while furthering my education.
