The Crown Jewel of the Ten Peaks: Skiing the North Glacier of Mount Deltaform

The Canadian Rockies have long been the testing ground for the world’s grittiest alpinists, but this week, the bar was raised yet again. On February 6, 2026, the powerhouse trio of Christina Lustenberger, Brette Harrington, and Gee Pierrel unlocked one of the most coveted and intimidating lines in Banff National Park: the first ski descent of the North Glacier on Mount Deltaform.

Mount Deltaform (3,424m) towering over the Valley of the Ten Peaks.

Standing at 3,424 meters (11,234 ft), Mount Deltaform is the eighth of the famous "Ten Peaks" near Moraine Lake. It is notorious among summer climbers for its loose, sedimentary rock—often described as "horizontal choss." However, in winter, snow and ice glue the mountain together, opening up lines that are impossible in warmer months.

The North Glacier line has been eyed for years by the local community. It is a complex puzzle requiring high-consequence climbing just to access the skiable terrain, followed by steep, exposed turns above massive cliff bands.

This ascent cements the status of Lustenberger, Harrington, and Pierrel as perhaps the most effective ski-alpinism team currently operating in North America.

• Christina "Lusti" Lustenberger: A former World Cup racer turned big mountain skier, known for her technical precision on "no-fall" terrain.
• Brette Harrington: A world-class alpinist who brings elite rock and ice climbing skills to the ski equation, allowing the team to access lines others can't.
• Gee Pierrel: The Chamonix-transplant who has become a fixture in the Rockies scene, adding speed and endurance to the group's dynamic.

"The Rockies are finicky. You need the right stability, the right partner, and the right headspace. Deltaform has been a question mark for a long time. It feels surreal to finally answer it."
— Quote attributed to team reports.

According to initial reports, the team approached via the arduous valley floor, navigating the complex glaciation. The climb involved technical mixed pitches to reach the summit ridge.

The descent itself was not a simple powder run. It demanded multiple rappels to navigate the rock bands that fracture the North Face. Between the rappels, the team skied steep, hanging snowfields with exposure dropping thousands of feet into the valley below. The snow conditions were reported as variable—typical for the Rockies alpine—ranging from supportive wind-buff to pockets of facetted sugar.

Skiing Deltaform is not just about ticking a peak. It represents the evolution of Ski Alpinism in the Canadian Rockies. It combines the technical rope work of high-end climbing with the commitment of steep skiing.

While the European Alps have seen extensive steep skiing development, the Canadian Rockies remain wilder, with looser rock and a more dangerous snowpack. A First Descent (FD) here requires a mastery of "conditions management" that few teams in the world possess.