Lusti Bags First Descent of Deltaform Mountain’s North Glacier

Christina “Lusti” Lustenberger has added another bold line to her already formidable ski mountaineering résumé, claiming the first ski descent of the North Glacier on Deltaform Mountain alongside Guillaume Pierrel and Brette Harrington.

The 11,234-foot peak rises above Moraine Lake in Banff National Park’s iconic Valley of the Ten Peaks — terrain that once graced the back of Canada’s twenty-dollar bill and still captures the imagination of climbers and skiers worldwide. But beneath the postcard beauty lies a serious alpine testpiece. The North Glacier, a hanging snow ramp broken by ridges of exposed ice and looming seracs, had never been skied.

“It looks gnarly,” Pierrel told Powder Magazine. “It’s not super welcoming.”

The project was spearheaded by Lustenberger, whose track record of technical first descents continues to redefine what’s possible in ski alpinism. The North Glacier was first climbed in 1968, but shifting ice and glacial recession have altered the route enough that it no longer appears in modern guidebooks. Lusti saw possibility where others saw hazard.

Reaching the base required a ten-mile approach hauling toboggans before establishing camp beneath the face. The ascent avoided the most exposed seracs, instead climbing adjacent terrain before rappelling onto the upper glacier to complete the route.

Even for athletes of this calibre, the day demanded constant vigilance. Harrington likened sections of the climb to free soloing — no rope, no margin for error. A slip would have been catastrophic.

“I think that was the biggest challenge for me,” Harrington told Powder. “Maintaining consciousness to every single step throughout the entire day was draining.”

The descent began on a hanging snowfield suspended above exposure. The team built anchors and executed multiple rappels through serac bands before linking turns down the apron below. Technical, methodical, and exposed from top to bottom, the North Glacier demanded total focus.

Lustenberger emphasized efficiency and movement beneath unstable overhead ice. As the trio climbed, they witnessed chunks of ice calve off — a stark reminder that glacial terrain is always in motion.

Despite the seriousness of the line, the partnership thrived on mutual trust. Lustenberger and Pierrel previously teamed up in New Zealand and notched the first ski descent of the Great Couloir on Mount Robson. Lusti and Harrington have also collaborated on ambitious objectives, including Baffin Island’s “Polar Moon.” Their shared style blends technical climbing with high-consequence skiing — intricate, precise, and mentally demanding.

“She’s a leader,” Pierrel said of Lustenberger. “It was a very nice discussion between the three of us, respecting and listening to everyone’s point of view.”

For Lustenberger, the Deltaform descent reinforces her status as one of the world’s most accomplished ski mountaineers — consistently pairing vision with execution. Yet even she admits that the cumulative weight of exposure makes low-stakes mountain days increasingly appealing.

After the expedition, she and Pierrel spent time snowboarding at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort — simply for fun.

“We were both saying how fun it was just to do something that’s fun because it’s not scary or dangerous or might kill you,” she said. “It’s because it’s fun and you’re doing it with your friends.”

That balance — between bold vision and playful curiosity — may be what continues to set Lusti apart. With the first descent of Deltaform’s North Glacier now etched into Canadian ski mountaineering history, her trajectory shows no sign of slowing.

This summary is based on reporting originally published by Powder Magazine. Read the article here.

Photos by Gee Pierrel