History in the making: first ski descent of Mount Robson’s south face
By Abigail Popple, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, RMG
Robson Valley residents are familiar with the sight of Mount Robson towering over the parking lot to the Berg Lake Trail. That iconic view is what greeted skiers Christina Lustenberger and Guillaume Pierrel earlier this month before the pair made history as the first people to ski down the mountain’s south face.
The plan to conquer the south face was about 10 years in the making, Lustenberger told The Goat. A world-class skier from B.C. who has many first ascents and descents on her list, Mount Robson appealed to her because of its technical terrain and its iconic status as the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies, she said.
“It’s a line that, visually, everyone can share. Tourists and children, families can see it,” Lustenberger said of the mountain’s south face, which is visible from the parking lot of the Berg Lake Trail. “To me, it was the pinnacle of ski alpinism in Canada.”
She added that the mountain’s challenging terrain pushes athletes to their limits.
“It is an incredibly demanding line, one that is extremely dangerous as well, because it is essentially almost a 3,000-metre ski descent,” Lustenberger said. “It’s engaging mentally and physically not only to climb it, but to stay that attentive to everything for hours, and hours, and hours.”
Lustenberger says a successful expedition requires a reliable, supportive partner – which she found in Pierrel, a French ski guide who met her through their mutual sponsorships with The North Face.
After first meeting Lustenberger in Chamonix, a resort town in the French Alps, Pierrel decided to try skiing in New Zealand with her, where they were mutually impressed with each other’s skills.
“I can’t really underline enough how important it is to have a partner that pushes you and allows you to lead, and to follow, and to communicate, but also to see the same vision,” Lustenberger said. “When you’re doing these things that are at the pinnacle of your sport, there’s very few people that you’re interested in spending that experience with, and you have to really be aligned with what you’re both trying to do.”
Likewise, Pierrel recalls feeling a connection with Lustenberger’s aspirations.
“Her vision and everything was amazing, and matched the way I wanted to be in the mountains,” he said. “When I saw for the first time Mount Robson from the parking lot [years ago], I was really impressed. It put me on fire. I was like, ‘Okay, that’s really something serious, it’s going to be a serious job.’”
While the pair is uniquely suited to the ski-mountaineering skills needed to complete the expedition, it did not come without its challenges. During their first attempt on February 11th through 12th, they climbed within 200 metres of the summit and set up a temporary camp, only to have their hopes dashed by poor visibility and extremely cold temperatures, Lustenberger said.
“We retreated, skied the line, and then came back into Valemount for two days where we recharged our batteries and our bodies and minds,” she said.
By the 16th, Lustenberger and Pierrel were ready to make another attempt – and this time, they were successful in skiing and rappelling down the slope.
“It pushes you and tests you as a skier and a mountain athlete,” Lustenberger said of the south face. “You’re not [only] a climber or a skier – you have to be everything.”
The pair also credits Valemount locals for their support throughout their expedition. Both said they appreciated the encouragement and local knowledge provided by people they met at local businesses such as Peak Physio and Vale Coffee.
“It’s just such a beautiful town,” Lustenberger said. “We felt very lucky to have spent so much time there, going back and forth between [Mount] Robson and Valemount.”
