Christina Lustenberger has been scoping the south face of Mount MacDonald in Rogers Pass for eight years. On Monday, she and partner Andrew McNab made the first descent. The line was a serious ski mountaineering feat, requiring three rappels between couloirs and benches. We caught up with Lustenberger, who transitioned her career from an World Cup GS racer to a big mountain skier and mountaineer, this week in between TGR filming sessions to discuss this achievement of an almost decade-long goal.

Photo Credit: Christina Lustenberger

POWDER: How did you and your ski partner Andrew meet?

Christina: We met through mutual friends on a ski day in Rogers Pass maybe nine years ago. He grew up in Revelstoke and knows the area incredibly well. Andrew’s been hanging out and ski touring in those mountains since he was little. He raced for the Revelstoke team and then got into skimo racing and the ACMG ski guiding program. He knows the area better than anyone. Andrew is a super good partner. As soon as you meet someone who’s motivated, smart, and highly trained in the mountains you just click. This was our first attempt on that line together.

What did it look like when it all came together? How did you decide it was go time?

Climbing and skiing the line was just a day’s hit in Rogers Pass. We left the Pass from the road at 8 a.m. and ascended the south face. It was cool to be able to ski it in good style—right off the summit. That was really rare for these kinds of routes. I’d just finished three days of guiding in the Pass and I was fired up the night before. I sent McNab a picture of the route I wanted to climb at 5 p.m. and he thought it was the ski line. He said, “I’m not sure the snow is good enough to ski that…” When I sent him the next photo of the ski line he was game.

Photo Credit: Andrew McNab

How did you assess the snowpack deciding overnight like that?

I had just finished a week of skiing and three days of guiding in the Pass. It was the last day of a four-day high pressure system so I was very familiar with the snowpack. Our only concern was a wind slab, but we could assess that on route. When you’re in the snowpack every day with your hands in it, feeling it out, it’s not as necessary to dig a pit.

What did you do to prepare?

Before booting up we checked the permit system to make sure all areas we were skiing in were open. We then did a gear check booting up and began skinning.

With this line of course you want to wait for good conditions, the middle of the line has three rappels so for a good portion of it you’re very exposed.

Some years the line has looked very scratchy and full of rocks. This season Revelstoke has gotten dumped on! Things looked very filled-in. It was a matter of waiting for a good weather-window, as well as good snow conditions, with consideration of both avalanche danger and the actual skiing conditions.

Photo Credit: Andrew McNab

You said the snow quality was great. Were you skiing powder?

The snow above the rappels was really good. We skied nice fluid turns right up to the first rap anchors. Then there was a hanging shelf couloir that was holding even better, deeper snow. It was so amazing to have that quality snow for the descent.

How was the rock quality for your anchors? Any sketchy blocks or gear?

Super solid. We used pitons and nuts, and even slung a massive, refrigerator-sized horn. The biggest thing was removing the snow and finding good quality cracks, scraping out ice and looking for placements.

Photo Credit: Andrew McNab

How long was the push?

We were skinning just before 8 a.m. and finished back down at the highway at around 4:30 p.m. We hitchhiked back to the truck.

Any high or low points of the ascent/descent?

You have all this anticipation of what could trip you up—a savage bootpack that can suck your time, or not being able to find anchors. Linking together and finishing the rappels was the high point because we were through the crux and could really enjoy the rest of the line.

I was stressed because it was my husband’s birthday and I wanted to make him a nice dinner. The low point was coming home late, but he was stoked when I returned with flowers and balloons.

What about this line makes it a major achievement for you?

The first time I made it to Rogers Pass, I wouldn’t have even looked at this line. But as I acquired all the requisite skills: the route finding, the ski mountaineering ability, it began to feel possible. I’m really proud of the fact that it was a first descent. We dropped into the unknown and dealt with what we found there.

It’s one of those lines that you see from everywhere in Rogers Pass. You can see it from the road, so it’s something I’ll always be able to look at.

A huge part of the reason I live in Revelstoke is because of the wealth of partners who take ski mountaineering and the skill acquisition so seriously. I’m grateful to live where I do.