Golden is located close to Rogers Pass, famous for its incredible ski touring terrain and annual snowfall in excess of 10 meters, which makes Golden the perfect destination for the serious skier.

Rogers Pass is also home to the world's largest mobile avalanche control program. This means that explosive artillery fire is regularly used on mountain slopes in Rogers Pass to protect highway and railway traffic from natural avalanches. The Winter Permit System separates skiers from these explosives and resulting avalanches.

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What is the Winter Permit System?

The Winter Permit System divides Glacier National Park into three areas:

 

Winter Restricted Areas	Winter Prohibited Areas	Winter Unrestricted Areas
These areas are opened or closed daily depending on planned artillery fire. To enter these areas: The area must be open You must have a Winter Permit You must have a national park pass You must carry a valid photo ID	These areas are closed to visitors all winter and illegal to enter. They are not open for skiing at any time.	These areas are open to visitors all winter. To enter these areas: You must have a national park pass You must understand area boundaries to avoid entering winter restricted or prohibited areas

 

Rogers Pass checklist

Before you ski Rogers Pass, you must:

• Get your Winter Permit. 
  • Have a Winter Permit for every member of your group. Digital permits are accepted if you are unable to print a copy.
  • Display a legible printed Winter Parking Permit on the dashboard of the vehicle(s) you will be using.

• Check which areas are open today on the Rogers Pass Backcountry Access interactive map.

•  Get a national park pass for every member of your group. Available by phone at 250-837-7500,  or at the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre.
• Understand the risks of backcountry recreation, how to travel in avalanche terrain, and how to practice self-rescue techniques.
• Have an avalanche transceiver, shovel, and probe for every member of the group.
• Check today's Avalanche Bulletin to determine the current conditions.
• Carefully plan your route using online resources, maps, guidebooks, and information from Parks Canada.
• Know before you go. Check DriveBC.ca for highway conditions and updates.
• Rogers Pass Backcountry Interactive Map

How do I get a Winter Permit?

Annual Winter Permits are strongly encouraged. An Annual Winter Permit allows you to access open Winter Permit System areas without visiting the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre each morning. If you don’t have enough time to acquire an annual Winter Permit, options for skiing at Rogers Pass are:

1. Skiing in an unrestricted area at Rogers Pass, but you must be aware of area boundaries.
2. Visit the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre to acquire a daily winter permit.

You can apply online for your Annual Winter Permit and will receive the permit by email. You will need to have a digital or print copy of the permit with you while you are skiing or snowboarding in Rogers Pass. You will also need a print copy of the corresponding Winter Parking Permit to display on the dashboard of the vehicle(s) parked at the trailhead.

Apply online for your free Annual Winter Permit

If you have any additional questions about the Annual Winter Permit process, please contact Parks Canada by email at pc.mrg.permit.permis@canada.ca or by phone at 250-837-7500.

Learn more about ski touring in Rogers Pass and the winter permit system including 

• How To Apply For An Annual Winter Permit
• Current Winter Restricted Area Status
• Avalanche Bulletin
• Designated Access Routes
• Winter Terrain Atlas
• Avalanche Terrain Maps
• Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale

Dog Restriction Info:

Effective Nov 15, 2024 through May 31, 2025, dogs (and pets) are not permitted in the backcountry of Glacier National Park. Winter backcountry in Glacier National Park is defined as any area beyond parking lots along the Trans-Canada Highway.

Properly identified CARDA and SAR dogs are exempted from this prohibition when involved in training and/or rescue operations.

Most backcountry areas in Glacier National Park are subject to avalanche hazard from late fall through spring. It is difficult to maintain a dog on leash while ski touring or snowboarding. It is not only illegal to have dogs off leash in the park, in avalanche terrain, it can also pose additional risk to the dog and people in the area as the dog could:

• Trigger an avalanche
• Get caught in an avalanche

Please find alternatives for your dogs while using backcountry areas in Glacier National Park from November 15, 2024 to May 31, 2025.