While it's easy to get swept up in the magic of lodge life I probably shouldn't take my backyard for granted. Only having one day to ski the following week I had to make the most it. Aspiring to be a ski guide is relatively new for me and being on my second winter of the journey I have some gaps to fill in order to round out my skill set. I've skied a whole bunch in the backcountry getting rad and shit but ski mountaineering is a big focus this winter. As a kid from Ontario who is scared of heights, I've always tried to avoid this style of skiing. After few years of rock climbing and building up my skill set and mindset, I am feeling pretty comfortable taking on some bigger alpine objectives. This week we ticked off the Southeast face of Ursus Minor. What an awesome route. A pleasant skin to the ridge followed by a straightforward scramble to the summit that offers up incredible views of the north sides of Balu and the ever-popular Video peak. Skiing the Southeast face wasn't exactly a chore either. A steepish face which gives way to a wide couloir and finally into the wide open Dispatchers bowl. A little glade skiing gets you down to the creek and takes the luge track back to the car. A super value day that offers a little bit of everything that makes Glacier National park such an incredible place.