Skiers conquer Mount Robson's uncharted Great Couloir in death-defying descent
Christina Lustenberger and Guillaume 'Gee' Pierrel have completed a daring ski descent of Mount Robson in Canada's Rocky Mountains. The pair tackled an uncharted route, the Great Couloir, which had never been attempted before. Their expedition followed another first watch earlier this year on Mount Deltaform.
Lustenberger, a former competitive skier, now specialises in exploratory ski alpinism. She and Pierrel spent two days and one night climbing Mount Robson, battling harsh weather along the way. The descent itself covered 3,000 metres down a steep, icy ledge with sheer drops on either side.
Their first attempt on the route was abandoned due to stormy conditions near the summit. Despite the risks—shifting weather, falling ice, and exposed terrain—they pushed forward. Earlier in the year, Lustenberger and her team had also pioneered a new climb and ski line on Mount Deltaform in the Valley of the Ten Peaks.
For Lustenberger, the challenge and success of these expeditions bring both joy and pride. She has since returned her focus to Canada, drawn to its vast wilderness and untouched mountain routes.
The descent of Mount Robson marks one of the few documented first horizons in the Canadian Rockies in recent years. No further attempts on unattempted ski routes in the area have been publicly recorded since February 2025. Lustenberger's work continues to expand the boundaries of ski alpinism in remote and extreme environments.
