For some mysterious reason, it took me 5 years to get up to Lookout Col. I’ve come close to it on my way to the Illecillewaet Glacier but never climbed its steep moraine until now. Lookout Col is an ultra-scenic day trip away from the well-maintained Illecillewaet parking lot at its trailhead. While skiing the north moraines below the col is a wonderful plan, another option is to descend the south face into Lookout Bowl, linking up with the Ravens. In the end, the route takes you through two of Rogers Pass’ main valleys, the Illecillewaet and the Asulkan Valleys, granting panoramic views of their impressive glaciers. As a bonus, you get to ski the planar western slopes of the Ravens which usually offer high-quality snow.

Starting at the Asulkan Parking Lot, take the Asulkan Trail for a little while. Make sure you don't miss the turn-off for the Great Glacier Trail. Follow the latter up the mega-convoluted Illecillewaet moraines. It's a rather complex and difficult skin up those moraines. Eventually, you'll see in the distance to the south Lookout Col. Climb the steep moraine leading to the col. At the top, you'll get some pretty impressive views of the Illecillewaet Glacier and the Sir Donald Range to the northeast. Ski the south-facing slope of Lookout Bowl (caution for solar warming on clear days). Slap your hides on and climb or contour the forest to your skier's left at the bottom of Lookout Bowl. This will lead you to the Ravens, a vast west-facing slope. Ski down from any point along the Ravens Ridge into the Asulkan Valley. The snow is usually plentiful and of excellent quality in this area! Glide back along the Asulkan Trail to the parking lot. Enjoy a cold beer at the car discussing how great the powder was!