Bonnington Traverse Packing List

Maybe useful as a guide to someone?

Bonnington Traverse Packing List

General Info / Logistics

The Bonnington Traverse is a 3+ Hut (Huckleberry Hut Optional) Traverse between Castlegar & Nelson.

Based on the hut bookings our rough schedule will be:

Traverse Day -> Ski Tour around hut day -> Traverse Day -> Ski Tour around hut -> Traverse

Ideally, getting on the trailhead for 9am latest on March 5th would be ideal. So start the shuttling process around 8ish. Having done (and bailed) on this traverse in the past, we should aim to be packed up and skinning around 8am on the traverse days.

We need 2 vehicles to shuttle the 5 of us. One parked at the Bombi Summit and one parked at Puerto Rico rd. They’re about a 40-min drive apart so we can drop a vehicle off on the morning of the 5th and squeeze in for the short drive to the other lot.

Food)

  • I would try and bring stuff that’s paper-based or burnable so that we don’t have to carry garbage with us wherever we go
  • Instead of group meals (where you need individual ingredients (Pasta, sauce, beans etc)) I would recommend everyone just getting 5x boil-a-bag dehydrated meals.
    • Advantages: Almost no dishes to cook, requires very little stove fuel, little organizing, and everyone can just get whatever they want to eat.
    • Same goes with Oatmeal Packets & instant coffee, easy as fuck. Just boil water and done
  • On this note. All the cabins come with a propane stove that takes 1lb propane canisters. I think we can get away with bringing 3x 1lbs propane for all of us for 5 days.
    • I also think bringing a backup stove (I’ve got a Jetboil) as part of an emergency kit is a good idea. So 3-people carry propane, 1 carries the Jetboil, 1 carries the fuel for the Jetboil.

Food List

5x Dehydrated Meals10-15x Oatmeal Packets3-5x Ramen Noodle Packets
6x lunch (I’m doing PB&Js)15x Bars / dehydrated mangoTrail Mix / Roni’s / Cheese
5x Instant Coffee / Tea BagsChocolate (Key)Popcorn Kernels / oil
2x Mickeys of GinLime Mio-for Gin + hot water 

Gear

This traverse is pretty straight-forward and doesn’t require anything more than your standard touring kit. I’ll be attempting to pack everything in my 42L Osprey Pack. It has a detachable lid so it can be made into a smaller pack for the hut-day touring rips. If you’re bringing a larger (60+L pack) I’d recommend bringing a smaller daypack that can roll up or fit inside.

I’ll be bringing the list below, but obviously you-do-you!

Gear List

Clothes/HutTouringElectronics/Extra
3x Socks / GitchSunglassesFA kit (1-2 between the group)
1x ToqueBeacon,Probe, ShovelInreach (I can bring)
1x BuffGogglesPhone or navigational tool
1x HatUp Gloves, Down glovesGoPro
1x Down JacketLeather work gloves (key for chopping wood etc)Speaker (I’ve got a small-one)
1x Insulated Mid-Layer/vestMulti-toolHut Booties
1x Ski ShellRepair Kit + Spare hardware for bindings / boardRadios (I’ve got 3x BCA -Kelvin has 2… so we got 5)
1x Soft Shell or light shellLip-BalmHeadlamps
1x Sleeping Bag (-4 – -10)Water BottlePortable Charger
1x Sleeping PadRepair TapeCandles /Tea Lights
2x Base Layers (one to ski with 1 to chill in the hut with)Ski StrapsLighter
Deodorant, toothbrush/pasteSkin WaxToilet Paper/wet wipes/ Hand sani (1 roll each?)
Ear Plugs (might be critical)Tensor wrap/knee sleeves SnowpantsBook / Journal
 scoobs/mushies/xtra curriculars Massage ball for feet?
Newspaper / Fire-starter 1-2x for the group rags for cooking/cleaning
Mug (coffee and tea) w/ a lid for on-the-go is nice Backup Stove (mentioned previously)

** Pack with the thought that we may need to spend a night outside if we can’t find a hut/emergency situation comes up

**All huts will come stocked with a deck of cards, dice, games etc.

** All Huts come stocked with cutlery and plates etc. However, if you bring your own bowl and utensil then we almost have no washing / cleanup to do. Between the dehydrated meal (eat in the bag) if we bring a  bowl, spork, and mug each, then we will be all covered.

Rough Schedule

The days aren’t massive but if there’s a lot of trail breaking and navigation they can take a long time.

Day 1: Revy -> Nelson

  • Leave in the evening after work.

Day 2: Bombi Summit -> Grassy Hut

Distance: 9km               Elevation Gain: 720m                Elevation Loss: 40m

  • Straight forward, follow a logging road most of the way.
  • The Grassy hut tends to be quite cold, some fun lines around it though
  • The earlier we start, the more time for afternoon laps

Day 3: Grassy Hut -> Steed Hut

Distance: 9km               Elevation Gain: 760m                Elevation Loss: 580m

  • Mostly a ridge traverse… can be difficult to find the steed hut, but Kelvin and I have been there before so we should be able to get it right this time.
  • Sweet skiing all around

Day 4: Tour around Steed Hut

  • Just a day of chilling/touring
  • Do some filming, check out some new zones we have a large-group so we can always split for objectives
  • The bail-out option is from the Steed à Snowwater Cat Skiing

Day 5: Steed Hut -> Copper Hut

Distance: 11km             Elevation Gain: 500m                Elevation Loss: 630m

  • Don’t know much about this day, again a ridge traverse and through some cutblocks

Day 6: Tour around Copper Hut

  • Some gnarly lines, some chill lines, whatever ya like
  • Could also Backtrack if we need to Bail out Snowwater

Day 7: Copper Hut -> Puerto Rico Road -> Revelstoke

Distance: 16km             Elevation Gain: 510m                Elevation Loss: 1560m

  • Section features a very exposed ridge system connecting Territory Peak, Colony Peak & Empire Peak, some sweet views but careful footing – seems like a lot of people opt to Bootpack Colony and Empire
    • Requires a stable-ish snowpack … this ridge system is the reason people bail.
  • The distance (16km) includes riding down the logging road
This will give you the idea…

One Comment on “Bonnington Traverse Packing List

  1. What a wonderful trip, thank you Tyler, it was breathtaking. I loved the music, the video and especially the commentary 🥰 Nannie Jay

    Like

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