23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Backcountry Skiing in the Pacific Northwest

The day before this was taken, we had backcountry skied out to the Kees & Claire hut in Garibaldi Provincial Park where we spent the night. We were lucky enough to get fresh snow overnight and headed out for a beautiful morning of ski touring up to Whirlwind Peak. It was a luxury to be all alone making our way up through the untouched snow to the peak. The image is of my partner and my dear friend taken from afar to show the how small we felt in the vast white landscape of the Canadian coast mountains.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 03.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Whistler, Canada
Camera: Canon EOS R6m2
Copyright: © Bianca Jemsten