Mat Brunton (wearing the BD Cirque 35 fully loaded with glacier gear, rope, and attire for a COLD early winter day) on Thanksgiving 2018 eyeing couloir route options up to the Doug Coombs Memorial on Peak 5802, Central Chugach Mountains, Thompson Pass, AK

There’s not a lot of gear we find worthy of the time for a review on this site, especially given that we have other priorities (snow and avalanche safety, and helping you enjoy your public lands).  We also feel the need to put gear “through the wringer” before a review is warranted, in order that we can thoroughly assess long term performance and durability.  That said, the Black Diamond Cirque series packs are definitely worthy of review, and praise, here.

Mat Brunton (wearing the BD Cirque 35) traversing the ridge back to the couloir entrance after summiting Peak 5802 and visiting the Doug Coombs Memorial (high above Cascade Creek on Thompson Pass, Central Chugach Mountains, AK)

This pack is so impressive that even those with a skimo gear fetish like Brian “Randoman” Harder have converted to this pack as go-to (he even bought one for his girlfriend, too)!  Travis Baldwin (Denali Mountaineering Ranger, Exum Mountain Guide, and friend of the Anchorage Avalanche Center) has also converted to this pack – as have many others.  This is my third season using the pack, and it’s the only one I’ve used since it was released.

Brian “Randoman” Harder (wearing the Cirque 35) blasting down Rook Mountain’s south couloir in the Western Chugach Mountains

Travis Baldwin (wearing the Cirque 35) enjoying some sluffy Chugach perfection in Alaska’s magically pink deep winter alpenglow

I have two versions of the pack: the Cirque 35 (my go-to for hundreds of days that has been used extensively, including all the ski-based trip reports on this site minus the Chisana Glacier expedition) and the Cirque 45 (which I used on the Chisana Glacier expedition).  The Cirque 35 holds everything I need for BIG days in the Last Frontier’s wild and vast Chugach, and other remote and wild Alaskan ranges like the Kenai and Talkeetna Mountains.  You can see what I mean by everything if you check out our “What’s in the Pack” page (***link to be added soon).

The Cirque 35 generally holds everything INSIDE the pack on these big days although a rope, helmet, or layer can easily be secured to the outside of the pack using the top strap (even if you’re using the top strap to carry skis while booting).  I often use the top strap to stow a layer (like a puff) for easy and quick access.  Rarely do I need to actually store anything outside the pack (except ice axe or tools) even when carrying glacier gear, rope, and a full rack for mixed climbing (as when Sam Inouye and I completed the first known daytrip ascent and descent of the Western Chugach’s classic Polar Bear Peak that included climbing the 5th class Charlie’s [Sassara’s] Chimney to the summit).

The Cirque 45 pack is excellent for expeditions, overnighters, and hut trips.  I doubt it’s large enough (with sufficient carrying capacity) for a multi-day trip that requires a tent, days worth of food, and a full camping setup – unless you’re pulling a sled.  But; for hut trips, overnighters, and expeditions with a sled it’s perfect.  It can be shrank down with its straps to perform like a much smaller pack, but also carries weight and performs well when fully loaded (even with gear on the outside like ice tools and snow stakes).  The Cirque packs are also great winter climbing packs; I’m using my Cirque 45 to replace my old and deteriorating BD Speed 40 as it has an excellent ice tool carrying system.

Jess Tran uses the Cirque 30 pack as her go-to for both skiing and climbing.  The big differences with it, beside its smaller size, is that it lacks a side zipper access and has a less structure.  This saves weight, but that side zipper is one of the best features of the pack: I store my gear inside the pack so that I can access things I regularly need quickly and easily through the side zip (water, snacks, ski and boot crampons, layers, gloves, etc.).  Usually, if necessary, I can dig through the side zip to gain access to most anything in the pack except my emergency puff pants and jacket (which I keep in a large stuff sack) and my InReach (which I store in the zipper pouch on the back panel).

Jess Tran (wearing the Cirque 30) at the top of Valdez, Alaska’s Comstock south couloir

Jess Tran (wearing the Cirque 30) contemplates dropping into Python’s Cherry Couloir (climber’s right fork) on Thompson Pass, AK

Jess Tran (wearing the Cirque 30) on the approach to Second Coming (WI4), Hole in the Wall Canyon, Valdez, AK

Another excellent feature of the Cirque series packs is the quick-release ice axe/tool holder.  I’m not a huge fan of Whippets, as I don’t like skiing with an impaling device (although this is moot given that BD has released new versions of the Whippet that allows the self-arrest device to be removed rendering normal, adjustable-length ski poles: kudos, BD!) and Whippets don’t perform as well as a dedicated ice axe or tool.  The quick-release ice tool holder allows you to reach around to your right, pop the buckle, and slide out a tool when needed (quickly and easily without removing the pack).  I’ve found this extremely handy when descending exposed terrain near cruxes, for security when needing to do a no-fall-zone transition, for down-climbing or “dry-skiing” sketchy sections, for burly steep and exposed entrances, and for simply having easy access to a tool when climbing.

There are a few final points worthy of praise.  First, the packs have a comfortable and very functional waist belt with a pouch and climbing harness loop.  The pouch is perfect for holding a phone or camera, snacks, gloves, hat or buff, etc.  The climbing harness loop is a nice bonus when using a light skimo harness, as it allows you to carry (in an easily accessible fashion) more gear than such ultra-light harnesses are capable of carrying.  I also find it useful for clipping the shell of my Helio 3-in-1 gloves to for easy access without having to dig them out of the pack.  Finally, the shoulder straps have a nice loop that is perfect for clipping a carabiner attached to a runner and snow stake (that is secured to the side of the pack with the straps) for quick and easy deployment.

Black Diamond has an amazing lineup of ski-mountaineering gear available in their Helio series (BD gear assessing stability at the base of Comstock’s south couloir, Valdez, AK)BD gear used for Anchorage Avalanche Center/Anchorage Backcountry Center field work in the South Fork Eagle River area, Western Chugach, AK

Check out our post “What’s in the Pack” (under the “Culture” tab) to see more features of the BD Cirque series packs, and what I carry for a day of ski-alpinism in the BIG mountains of the Last Frontier. *** link to be added soon