Sandro Summits

Wedge NW Couloir & Parkhurst Couloir Linkup

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Feb 5-6, 2026

Wedge and it’s glacier viewed from the North

Back to Wedgemount Lake for the second time this season, this time to attempt to link up Wedge NW couloir & Parkhurst Couloir. This links two big and beautiful couloirs, and allows the majority of your 1000m descent back to the lake to be steep couloir skiing!

Everything seemed to be lining up for a really good weather window for Wedge. Clear skies forecasted and green brick avalanche conditions. Ryan, Kynan and I headed up the day before to spend the night by Wedgemount Lake.

Ascending Wedge via the NE Half Arete

We opted to do the Half Arete variation to allow for more skinning and less bootpacking. That said the full NE Arete is a beautiful route in it’s own right and a classic spring mountaineering line. To access the half arete we headed up the centre of Wedge glacier to the rock toe that split’s the two icefalls on the north side of wedge. From here you can head east avoiding the major crevasses to a notch in the arete which makes it easy to gain the ridge crest. Another option would be to stay climbers left on the glacier and gain the half arete via a NW facing couloir pictured below.

Sizing up our way through the icefall under the moonlight. The arete couloir is visible on the left side.
Cool wind scoop feature on Wedge Glacier
Bootpacking up to the Arete with Weart and Wedgemount lake in the back

We gained the Arete shortly after sunrise and enjoyed the stunning golden hour light striking Lesser Wedge and the arete itself. The snow made for easy and secure bootpacking up the ridge. The final section steepens before cresting out on rimed up snow near the summit of Wedge from here a short boot east brings you to the highest point (2,895m) in Garabaldi Park.

Looking back down the very aesthetic arete. The full arete is a mountaineering classic in it’s own right.
Sunrise over Lesser Wedge Mountain

Wedge NW Couloir

Wedge NW Couloir is a coastal steep skiing classic. It descends off the tallest peak in Garabaldi Park, and follows an aesthetic line that can be seen miles away from the highway.

From the summit of Wedge you head directly west to the NW couloir. The entrance isn’t obvious, there are other couloirs dropping off the north face of Wedge to the glacier. Having some saved satellite imagery or a gpx track can help ensure you’re dropping into the right line. There are two entrance options. The upper one which we took is fairly technical and tight. The lower one you can descend the ridge farther and drop in right to the couloir. This skips the tight upper section of couloir, but also has a cornice.

Ryan coming down the upper couloir entrance.

Dropping in, the snow was surprisingly decent. The warm temperatures had left widespread melt freeze and sun crusts throughout the south coast, but this sheltered northerly line had preserved some dry and chalky snow. After some tight hop turns in the entrance we skied the broader section of the couloir in one leg burning pitch down to the apron. The large walls, beautiful views, and grippy snow made a fantastic descent.

Kynan lining up for the meat and potatoes of Wedge Couloir
Most of the couloir is broad with big walls

From the apron of the couloir we traversed right to Wedge-Parkhurst col, with plans to skin up Parkhurst Mountain. This would also be the natural route if you were planning on skiing Wedge Glacier back to Wedgemount Lake.

Parkhurst Couloir

The skin track up Parkhurst from the col is short and low-angle making it very convenient to tag after Wedge NW. The line descends 500m vertical, making it a a formidable line in its own right. It also has a reputation for being technical and steep.

Parkhurst Couloir in the evening light. The couloir proper is just out of view behind the large lookers left wall. (Also there’s some bonus mini steep skiing lines down to the lake!)
Looking at Wedge from the Summit of Parkhurst

The line drops in a short distance NW of the summit of Parkhurst. Take care when poking around for the entrance, a large overhanging cornice forms on skiers left of the line. We had a nice entrance to the skiers right which skirted around the cornice.

Looking down from the top. Bony and steep (these were the only rocks in the whole line). We entered skiers right of this photo, skirting the cornice.
A large cornice overhangs the couloir

The snow in Parkhurst was even better than Wedge and perfect for steep skiing. Dry, chalky, and grippy. It held an edge easily and produced very little sluff. The couloir is beautiful and sustained. The tight walls require a healthy amount of jump turns. It’s tightest section was about a ski and a half wide.

Ryan mid-hop. The tight walls required a healthy amount of jump turns.

The snow quality deteriorated as we hit the apron, and soon our light skis were bouncing over old avalanche debris. We then tagged a little miniature couloir down to Wedgemount Lake for some bonus steep skiing. When the conditions are stable it’s hard to get enough!

After grabbing our stashed overnight gear near the lake we started making our way back down through the trees to our parking. The heavy bags, refrozen tree bombs, and tired legs made for awkward turns below tree line. We survival skied back to Wedge North Mainline without having to resort to hiking. From here we skied most of the FSR back to the car.

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