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        <title><![CDATA[Wapta Traverse]]></title>
        <description>RSS of Wapta Traverse</description>
        <pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2026 04:57:15 -0800</pubDate>
        <link>https://www.backcountryskiingcanada.com</link>
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            <title><![CDATA[Richard &amp;amp; Louise Guy Hut - Becoming a reality]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[The Richard and Louise Guy Hut is fast becoming a reality as construction is slated to commence this summer. Below are some details from the Alpine Club of Canada as well as plans of what this new hut should look like. This hut will open up many new ski touring and hiking options and be a valuable addition to the existing network of huts.

(click images for larger view)

Situated at the midway point between the Bow and Stanley Mitchell Huts, the Richard &amp;amp; Louise Guy Hut will provide the missing link along the world-class Bow-Yoho ski traverse, and will offer visitors an exciting and challenging new hut-to-hut ski experience.
Exterior &amp;ndash; Front of Hut


The drawing above is the front side of the hut, showing the two-story structure. The hut will be built on a concrete foundation, raised above the rocky terrain of the des Poilus shoulder.
The area to the right on this drawing is the outhouse, which will be accessed from the same covered deck as the front door. You&amp;rsquo;ll also notice wind turbines on poles above the hut, a first for an ACC facility.
The hut will include the most advanced building technology of any hut we&amp;rsquo;ve ever built, including structurally insulated panels for the walls, an air-tight design to minimize energy consumption and solar and wind power generation. The idea is to build a hut that minimizes our environmental footprint at every stage &amp;ndash; from the construction to the long term occupancy.
&amp;nbsp;
Interior &amp;ndash; Main Floor

The main floor of the hut will be approximately 950 square feet in size with a kitchen, seating/eating areas, propane heater and stairs to the upper level. The entrance vestibule area will have a dedicated drying closet. The hut will be equipped with similar amenities to our other huts, including propane cooktops, cooking and eating utensils and tables and benches. The south side of the hut (bottom of drawing) will have large windows to let in natural light and take advantage of the spectacular views and passive solar gain.
&amp;nbsp;
Interior &amp;ndash; Upper Floor


The upper floor will provide sleeping for 18 people on four raised sleeping platforms. There is an emergency exit ladder and windows on the south side for natural light.

&amp;nbsp;
Site Plan



The site plan above shows the overall layout of the hut and the area of our license of operation in Yoho Park. The hut is shown, as is the connected outhouse and barrel storage area, the propane storage to the north and the grey water dispersion field.
&amp;nbsp;
Grey Water Dispersion Field
The grey water field was installed last summer, so technically we can say that we&amp;rsquo;ve broken ground on the hut. In addition to getting a head start on the whole project, that digging gave us a lot of information about the terrain into which we&amp;rsquo;ll be planting the hut foundation.
Keep in mind that these are not final blueprints, so there might be some minor changes, but largely, this is what we&amp;rsquo;re building this summer.

]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-05-09 10:37:55</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/richard-louise-guy-hut-becoming-a-reality</link>
            <guid>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/richard-louise-guy-hut-becoming-a-reality</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Current (March 14, 2015) Wapta conditions?]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[
With the crazy warm weather we have been having recently, I&amp;#39;m wondering what the current conditions are for the ski in to Bow Hut, and &amp;nbsp;between Bow and Balfour hut? &amp;nbsp;If you have been in recently and can provide some insight that would be great. &amp;nbsp;

Thanks in advance,
David]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-03-14 11:59:31</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/current-march-14-2015-wapta-conditions</link>
            <guid>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/current-march-14-2015-wapta-conditions</guid>
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                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Wapta Conditions?]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Hi, just curious if anyone has been up on the Wapta recently and can advise of the conditions? I anticipate that things must be pretty thin in terms of snowpack, but any advice would be appreciated.&amp;nbsp;

]]></description>
            <pubDate>2015-01-09 13:01:35</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/wapta-conditions</link>
            <guid>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/wapta-conditions</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Best Time for Wapta Traverse?!]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Hey,
We are looking for a possible traverse/hut trip and we were drooling over the Wapta.&amp;nbsp; We are looking at potentially doing it in&amp;nbsp;January. Any thoughts?

Cheers
nwjunkie]]></description>
            <pubDate>2014-10-31 18:33:40</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/best-time-for-wapta-traverse</link>
            <guid>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/best-time-for-wapta-traverse</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Crevasse Danger increasing but should always be of concern - March 12th Wapta Traverse death]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[It has been a few months now since the death of a skier on the Wapta Traverse and I thought is was important to look at the Accident Report from Parks Canada given that this recent heat wave will soon be re-opening crevasses. Glacier travel is always a risky game that requires a different set of skills that most backcountry skiers don&amp;#39;t typically poses. For the most part, in the interior of BC crevasses get covered over by up to 3 meters of snow each winter and then they rear their ugly head again in the late spring when winter&amp;#39;s snow has melted away. The incident on the Wapta Traverse this March however shows the ever present danger of crevasse falls when backcountry skiing.
Have a read over the Parks Canada report below which includes several good pictures and keep this in mind as the spring ski touring season gets into full swing.
Let us know your thought about this incident either on the forums here or on our Facbook page over here.

Here is the Parks Canada report:
Un-roped crevasse fall, Daly glacier, Wapta Icefields, Yoho National Park, March 12, 2013
A party of three ski tourers were travelling over a number of days from Peyto Lake to Sherbrooke Lake on the popular Wapta traverse. They were using the Alpine Club of Canada hut system along the way. They left Balfour hut around 11:00AM on the morning of Tuesday March 12th, and crossed over the Balfour high col (approx. 3000m) in the early evening in near white-out conditions. The party un-roped at some point after starting to descend the Daly glacier and were skiing down towards the Scott Duncan hut which was 5km away. At approximately 7:30 PM, one member of the party fell into a crevasse. Another member of the party went to the edge on belay with a rope, and yelled into the crevasse with no response. They also received a weak beacon signal showing a beacon at 35M down into the crevasse. A rope was then dangled down 60m but there was no pull on the end. The party on the surface decided there was nothing the two of them could do given the darkness and weather, so they left their skis to mark the crevasse and walked up to a flat area above the crevasse and dug a snow cave. Their location was at approximately 2700m on the Daly glacier between the Balfour high col and the Scott Duncan hut. They activated the SOS on their SPOT satellite beacon at approximately 11:30 PM on March 12th.
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
From March 13th-15th, Visitor Safety (VS) rescue crews from Banff and Lake Louise flying with Alpine helicopters tried repeatedly to reach the area, but were unable to reach the site due to unusually stormy weather. Crews were also unable to access the site by ski-touring as the avalanche hazard at all elevations was rated high and conditions were too touchy given the visibility and terrain.&amp;nbsp;

On March 15th, with the weather marginally better, a VS team was inserted near the crevasse by helicopter and they were able to ski tour up to the accident site. A pair of skis was spotted near the SPOT GPS location. The team investigated the skis and found an open hole in the crevasse. One VS rescue member looked into the crevasse and could see down with no visual clues. An avalanche beacon search did not reveal any signals and there was no response to shouts. As the helicopter was preparing to bring in more equipment for an extensive crevasse rescue, the pilot spotted a party of two on the surface who were a few hundred feet above the VS team. Immediately, the VS team&amp;rsquo;s priorities shifted to the two survivors, and the team skied up to them and escorted them to the nearby helipad. The survivors were evacuated by helicopter in very bad weather and taken to a hospital where they were treated for minor cold injuries. The weather and avalanche conditions were very poor for the next 4 days, until a clearing on Tuesday March 19th, when crews were finally able to access the crevasse site and reach the deceased.&amp;nbsp;


Analysis
This incident occurred on a popular ski touring route that is often undertaken at that time of year. One causal factor for the incident was the party deciding to take off the rope in near whiteout conditions and fading daylight. It is not uncommon for parties to ski downhill un-roped on glaciers but parties should be aware of changing or unfamiliar conditions, snow depths, visibility, etc. when considering this. Another factor was that the party followed a route to the Scott Duncan hut which was different than the route most parties take, and ended up in steeper, crevassed terrain. Given their experience level, darkness, and the stormy conditions, the party thought it would be too dangerous to venture down the crevasse or to continue their way to Scott Duncan hut. This decision was the right one given their circumstance. In these situations, it may be possible to descend the hole to check on the fallen person, but actually getting someone out of a tight crevasse is a very difficult and technical process. It typically requires more rescue resources than parties have available to them.&amp;nbsp;

The party left on the surface were prepared to bivy for numerous days with sleeping bags, a stove and fuel, food, extra clothing, and navigation equipment. They also had a SPOT satellite device which was accurate and enabled them to initiate a rescue. Of note, SPOT devices are only one way communication, so although Visitor Safety knew there was a call for help, they did not know the nature of the incident. There are many different types of devices on the market, from satellite phones to two way satellite messaging devices. If you purchase one, know who to call and how your particular unit works. &amp;nbsp;]]></description>
            <pubDate>2013-05-10 13:52:52</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/crevasse-danger-increasing-but-should-always-be-of-concern-march-12th-wapta-traverse-death</link>
            <guid>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/crevasse-danger-increasing-but-should-always-be-of-concern-march-12th-wapta-traverse-death</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[ACMB (All-star Crushers and Masters of Bad-assery) guitar-lele Wapta traverse]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[

All-Star Crushers and Masters of Bad-assery (ACMB) on the Wapta Traverse. April 20-24, 2013.






video:&amp;nbsp;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....e=youtu.be
 
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2013-04-29 18:55:50</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/acmb-all-star-crushers-and-masters-of-bad-assery-guitar-lele-wapta-traverse</link>
            <guid>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/acmb-all-star-crushers-and-masters-of-bad-assery-guitar-lele-wapta-traverse</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[The cold classic Wapta]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Four friends and I completed the Classic Wapta traverse last week (saturday to tuesday). We did very few side trips unfortunately as it was cold and windy a lot of the time. Check out the pictures and descriptions below for more info.


As we left Lake Louise on Saturday morning it was snowing lightly. Starting across Bow Lake the weather cleared and we had some good views looking towards our destination. The lake was still totally frozen and we had no trouble crossing it.


Due to warmer than expected temperatures and a slightly later than planned start we moved quickly up through the canyon. In this narrower section the sides were covered with old slide debris but there was no new activity while we were in the area.


Continuing up towards the hut we stopped for lunch in the trees, enjoyed the warm weather and&amp;nbsp;gave our feet a chance to dry out in the name of blister prevention before the last climb to the hut. Once we got to the hut we spent a few hours doing crevasse rescue practice, focussing on building strong anchors. The skiing on the tow of the glacier looked like fun, unfortunately we ran out of time before the weather socked back in and the wind picked up.



On day two we woke to -15 and flat light. Although we had made our white out plan the night before we luckily didn&amp;#39;t have to resort to using it.



As we rounded St. Nic and headed towards to Nic/Olive cul the winds were really strong. Probing in this area also showed less than a meter of snow in places so we were happy with our decision to skin with the rope on.



Although the light was much better as we crossed the cul the strong winds and our cold fingers stopped us from climbing Olive. We headed around and took off the rope for an enjoyable ski down to the Balfour hut.


We were able to get a look at the next day&amp;#39;s objective. We were happy to see that someone had put a track in exactly where we were planning on going (the lower route). Looking at the crevasses and ceracs I was definately feeling intimidated and was happy to have two really knowledgable members in our group.



After enjoying a late lunch in the hut we&amp;nbsp;headed over to the Diaberlet glacier. Unfortunately the wind really picked up again and the light was becoming really flat so after a look down into Yoho we headed back to the hut to warm up and rest for our early morning the next day.

&amp;nbsp;

With&amp;nbsp;adequate light and a track to follow (yeah minimal trail breaking) with headed out on day three in -15 with cold winds.


Moving quickly and feeling really small we continued up towards the Balfour cul. We were fortunate to make it through the real crux with good light and with all the ceracs staying in&amp;nbsp;the place. As we headed over the cul&amp;nbsp;the winds were super strong and cold. One party decided to take the rope off while the other pary decided it was too cold to think straight let alone&amp;nbsp;deal with ropes. As we continued across the glacier on the skiiers right we&amp;nbsp;probed over three meters of snow in several spots. Unfortunately the light turned really flat and the unroped party stopped to put their rope back on. We didn&amp;#39;t take any pictures during this part of the day as it was simply too cold. As we did the final short acsent to the hut we took the ropes off to cross the steep slope to the hut. We were happy to escape the wind inside the Scott Duncan hut and joked about setting up a safetly line to belay each other to the outhouse! Being older than the other huts, the Scott Duncan hut is not well sealed and, therefore, not very warm. We made ourselves hot water bottles and spend the rest of the afternoon playing dice games in our sleeping bags.



On the fourth day we didn&amp;#39;t even measure the temperature as we were scared to know. It was definately around -20 before wind. Luckily the wind died down as soon as we got on the glacier and we had a beautiful skin towards Mt. Niles.


We decided to take the lower route from Mt. Niles down to Sherbrooke Lake. As a group we decided that next time it may be better to take the upper route (although none of us have done it so don&amp;#39;t know for sure) as this way is very commiting and if something&amp;nbsp;does&amp;nbsp;go&amp;nbsp;wrong you are struck in a very definate terrain trap. We weren&amp;#39;t worried about natural avalanches but it was still an intimidating place.



As we headed out onto Sherbrooke Lake we were happy to have some warmer temperatures and be out of the wind! We had great views across the valley.



Looking back the way we came! Happy to be warm but sad that the trip was over we made the quick descent down to the Great Divide Lodge and walked up to get our car at the truck pull out (parking is temporarily closed at the Great Divide Lodge). After driving up the parkway to get the second car, we&amp;nbsp;headed into Lake Louise to grab and burger and a beer. We all finished the trip feeling very grateful to have been safe and to live in such an amazing place!


]]></description>
            <pubDate>2013-04-21 13:27:04</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/the-cold-classic-wapta</link>
            <guid>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/the-cold-classic-wapta</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Wapta Traverse rescue]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[A rescue has been unfolding on the Wapta Traverse over the last 7 days just south of the Balfour High Col and north of the Scott Duncan Hut.

On March 12th at around 7:30 pm a party of three encountered a storm and one member of the group fell into a crevasse. The man was in his 50&amp;#39;s and originated from Abbotsford BC, the other two members of the group were a 50 year old male and 30 year old female. The incident took place at an elevation of 2600m and the two members of the group who were uninjured were not rescued until Friday Mar 14th due to bad weather. Initial readings from avalanche transceivers indicated that the man had fallen 35 meters down the crevasse and the other group members were unable to help extricate him. It was not until just yesterday (Tuesday March 19th) that Parks Canada was able to fly in and retrieve the mans body again due to blizzard like conditions for the past several days.

A seven member rescue team landed at the scene and used rope and harnesses to climb into the crevasse after shovelling away several meters of snow. Approximately 15 meters down into the crevasse rescue members had to chip away a snow bridge to gain access to the trapped skier.

I am sure that everyone in the backcountry skiing community wishes to express their sincere condolences to the victim&amp;rsquo;s family, &amp;nbsp;and our thoughts are with the family of the victim.
Photograph by: Parks Canada , Handout.]]></description>
            <pubDate>2013-03-20 09:39:41</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/wapta-traverse-rescue</link>
            <guid>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/wapta-traverse-rescue</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Wapta Traverse - TRIP REPORT/REVIEW]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[This past spring, four of us set out from Nelson, British Columbia for five-days of ski touring along the famous&amp;nbsp;Wapta Ski Traverse. Two of us were Wapta virgins, the other two having done the traverse years before. We had booked the Alpine Club of Canada huts more than six months out to ensure we could secure a place for each of our crew, there was no knowing then whether we were booking a week of bluebird skies or a week of storms. We backed a winner week and had perfect bluebird and stable mountain conditions for the entire time. On top of that the snow pack was one of the best it had been in years so the terrain was not as rocky as usual. March had been really good for snowfall. The base at Lake Louise was at 260cm and we almost got 3 metres when one of our party probed. You will hear many stories of the Wapta Traverse, don&amp;#39;t let our picture-perfect account mislead you, we could easily have been up there in white-out conditions with a sketchy snow-pack the entire time &amp;hellip; but we weren&amp;#39;t and the traverse felt like a breathtaking walk in the park&amp;mdash;this time.

Read the rest of the trip report / review here, get all the details about the huts here and find the complete the Wapta Traverse route details here.&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
            <pubDate>2012-12-15 08:37:20</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/wapta-traverse-trip-reportreview</link>
            <guid>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/wapta-traverse-trip-reportreview</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[The Classic Wapta Traverse  start planning now]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[

Last spring the Backcountry Skiing Canada crew completed the uber-classic Wapta Traverse, located in the heart of the Rockies just outside Lake Louise.
The trip took 6 days to complete (we were super relaxed) but about 3 months to fully organize. If you&amp;#39;re thinking about hitting this Canadian classic and enjoying the four huts along the way (the Peyto Hut, the Bow Hut, the Balfour Hut and the Scott Duncan Hut) then it&amp;#39;s best to start planning now while you&amp;#39;re biding time waiting for the dirt to disappear. And, because of the popularity of this area and the huts, you&amp;#39;ll want to book months in advance.
Check out our report from the trip (including pics and video of the&amp;nbsp;Crowfoot Icefield, the&amp;nbsp;Diableret Glacier,&amp;nbsp;Mt. Rhondda South,&amp;nbsp;Mt. Gordon&amp;nbsp;and&amp;nbsp;Niles Creek) at our Wapta Traverse page.&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
            <pubDate>2012-10-25 14:56:59</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/the-classic-wapta-traverse--start-planning-now</link>
            <guid>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/the-classic-wapta-traverse--start-planning-now</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Wapta Traverse beta]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[A slimmed down version of the BSC Team just returned from six days on the Wapta Traverse (April 5-12) in the Rockies where we were lucky to get 15cm followed by six straight days of sunshine. This rare weather window gave us the opportunity to ski a few glacier routes as well as summit Mount Olive and Mount Balfour.

Stability was good and the snow pack was unusually deep at over 2.5 meters. Near the end of the trip things started to wam up and south aspects we crusty with point releases everywhere.&amp;nbsp;

If you get the chance this is one you should put on your list (if you have the skills for glacier travel and crevasse&amp;nbsp;rescue) as the views are wide and the peaks are big. Here are a few sample shots from the trip, stay tuned as we will have the complete route summary posted for you shortly on a new section called &quot;Wapta Traverse&quot;. We are also working on vids for each of the huts along the way so you can get all the info you need before you plan your trip.


]]></description>
            <pubDate>2012-04-20 14:36:39</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/wapta-traverse-beta</link>
            <guid>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/wapta-traverse-beta</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Wapta Traverse conditions]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[
The Wapta Traverse looks to be getting some snow - read the full trip report below from the Public Mountain Conditions Report:

Finished 6 days on the Wapta with an ACC group
A bit more to add to some of the other recent reports

Up to Peyto on the 10th. Generally good travel conditions, no new activity observed.
The 11th was pretty much windy and whiteout conditions keeping us around the hut doing skills stuff.
Clearing on the 12th, nice day heading to Bow. Noted small size 1 slab on Trappeur Peak&amp;#39;s SE face. Climbed&amp;nbsp; Mt Rhonda in good conditions. Very good coverage on glacier and Rhonda ridge.

Some areas were not affected by wind but the glacier leading to Yoho had significant wind affect. Parties on Gordon reported good snow on North side with no wind affect on April 12th.

The photo&amp;#39;s attached show 2 avalanches both on April 12th. The one natural slide on the Bow access headwall was reported to have come out early morning. A party on Mt Olive purposely cut a piece of cornice off the ridge crest triggering a size 2-2.5 slab on the east face of Mt Olive. The crown was about 90cm.

Travelled to Balfour hut on the 13th in good conditions. Not much wind affect on Vulture glacier.

April 14th brought about 15-20cm of snow to Balfour pass with strong westerly winds all day. Large whales of snow and drifts in the Balfour pass area.
Significant wind transport was noted and the east face of Balfour was certainly getting loaded.

Though we did not note any new avalanche activity, we decided not to traverse to the Scott Duncan hut due to the recent loading and the increased hazard you are subjected to on the route.
I would want a few days to let things settle down. East aspects seem to be of concern in the Wapta area. (Reports earlier last week also mentioned this trend on east aspects in the Wapta)
&amp;nbsp;
Heading back out Bow on the 15th was good with little wind affect on the Vulture glacier. The crown on the April 12th Mt Olive slide was already filling in. The area above Bow hut was wind pressed with the last 800 feet above Bow hut being good skiing. The canyon below Bow Hut had about 10cm of new snow, still dry, sitting on a good but breakable crust. The sun was starting to do it&amp;#39;s thing on the solar aspects by mid day.

The propane stove at Scott Duncan is still not working though the ACC has been trying hard to get some one in there to fix it. Best bring some white gas for the coleman stove until you find out otherwise from the alpine club.

Overall temperatures were below average with lows in the -17 to -8 range most of the week. Day time highs rarely got above freezing.
It is certainly still winter up there with winter avalanche hazards.
Peter Amann
Mountain Guide


]]></description>
            <pubDate>2011-04-16 19:47:23</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/wapta-traverse-conditions-2</link>
            <guid>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/wapta-traverse-conditions-2</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Lake Louise + Wapta Conditions]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[The latest Mountain Conditions Report for &amp;nbsp;April 2 &amp;ndash; 8 Lake Louise + Wapta Conditions:

The ACMG assistant ski guide exam took place in the Rockies April 2-8. Here is what we found.
Groups skied Cirque Peak, Crowfoot Peak, Pope&amp;rsquo;s Peak, and the Wapta (Balfour, Sherbrooke, Peyto and Bow areas).
The week began with unsettled weather, moderate to strong SW winds, unseasonably cool temps between -11 and -5 at treelinewithout significant daytime warming. Snow accumulations were around 30cm west of the Divide. April 5-8th saw generally stable weather, with some convective flurries. Daytime temperatures hovered around 0 degrees at treeline with strong solar radiation, making it feel much warmer. A clear, cold night on April 7th while camped near Peyto Hut saw temperatures drop to -17 overnight, with moderate west winds picking up the following morning. Our ski out from the Wapta on April 8th saw continuing variable mod-strong winds ranging from north towest, transporting snow and creating new windslabs.

The main snowpack concerns throughout the week were as follows. The 40-50cm of snow from earlier in the week hasbeen redistributed by moderate to strong winds forming newwindslabs in the alpine. A series of buried windslabs are present on all aspects. Buried suncrusts and new surface crustswere found on solar aspects. One of the main layers of concern is the March 28th crust/facet layer now buried 30-60cm. Tests on this layer show that it&amp;rsquo;s still within the realm of human triggering. Below this, is a well settled midpack, with the facets/depth hoar still lingering in all areas at the bottom of thesnowpack. A smaller avalanche &amp;lsquo;stepping down&amp;rsquo; to these basal facets, a large trigger (cornice) or triggering it from a thin snowpack area was a big concern, with potential for large destructive avalanches. There is an above average snowpack depth in the Rockies for this time of year, providing good coverage on the glaciers. Snow depths ranged from 50cm in shallow areas to 300cm+ on the glaciers. &amp;nbsp;
Later in the week, daytime warming produced multiple loose snow avalanches on solar aspects. Cornices are looking very large, and we saw a few cornice triggered slab avalanches from earlier in the week. We saw some serac activity, specifically off the north face of Mt.Gordon.
We skied conservatively, limiting our exposure to overhead hazard and steep slopes, but found good powder skiing with the best being on the more sheltered, northerly aspects.&amp;nbsp; Unfortunately, yesterdays winds will make it a bit harder to find non-wind affected snow in the alpine.

Reported by ACMG Assistant Ski Guide exam candidates and assessors.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2011-04-09 20:32:47</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/lake-louise-wapta-conditions</link>
            <guid>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/lake-louise-wapta-conditions</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Wapta Traverse  conditions]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[The latest conditions from the Public Mountain Conditions report:

I guided a fine week of skiing on the Wapta Icefield from Bow Hut, March 20th-25th. Easy travel across Bow Lake and up the Canyon approach to the Hut. Easy travel everywhere we went on the Icefield. Mts Olive, St Nicholas, Gordon, Rhondda and Habel (Rhondda North) were pretty much getting skied up daily. Great boot-top to knee deep skiing on the northeast through northwest aspects that we skied over the week.

We witnessed a size 1 skier triggered surface slab (a party other than ours) off of a steep convex roll on the northeast ridge of St Nic at about 9000 feet on March 21st. There had been significant snow transport from southwest winds over the evening previous.

A fellow guide/avalanche forecaster and I witnessed a size 1.5 &amp;nbsp;surface slab release naturally from the far east end of the glacier that sits above the hut approach from about the 9000 foot level. The avalanche occurred at 10:00 am and had both said forecaster, and myself, scratching our noggins trying to figure out what the trigger was as the sun had yet to touch the slope ... a wee lurch in the glacier? another mountain goat or wolverine lost?

Happy trails,

Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide]]></description>
            <pubDate>2011-03-26 15:56:56</pubDate>
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            <title><![CDATA[Wapta Traverse conditions]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[The latest conditions courtesy of the Mountain Conditions Report:

Spent the last two days on the Wapta Icefield. Day one was around the Bow Hut, day two was a trip around Mt Gordon. Here is a summary of what we saw.

Weather: Calm to light east winds in the alpine, -15 to -22 degrees Celsius, very light snow on Monday and brilliant sunny skies today.

Avalanche Activity: No new avalanches seen in the last 48 hours, if not longer. We did ski-cut some steeper wind-roll features but had no results.

Snowpack: At treeline and below, there was an average of 80-120cm of snow, with a firm, settled mid-pack topped with 35-40cm of facetted snow. This was where the best skiing was as there seemed to be little wind effect down lower.&amp;nbsp; In the alpine, the winds have created a wide-spread soft slab on the surface. It was skiable, but quite grabby on the ski tips. There was a range of depths encountered higher up, from 120cm in wind-scoured areas, to 250cm on the west side of Mt Gordon and the slopes right above Bow Hut.&amp;nbsp; The glaciers have a fairly even coverage on them, and many larger holes are starting to fill in.&amp;nbsp; The ascent up to Balfour High Col looked to have some large open holes close to the nunatak that you commonly ski next to.&amp;nbsp; The Yoho Glacier was uneventful, and the large holes were very evident from a long distance away.

Travel Conditions: Wax your skis better than we did! It felt like we were skiing in sand it was so slow.&amp;nbsp; Ski penetration was 10-15cm, so trail breaking was easy. But you often had to continue in touring mode on the long, low angle descents common to the Wapta.

Chris Gooliaff
ASG/AAG]]></description>
            <pubDate>2011-02-09 00:28:22</pubDate>
            <link>/forum/bcs/category/wapta-traverse/topic/wapta-traverse-conditions</link>
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            <title><![CDATA[Wapta Traverse Details]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[A good overview of the Wapta traverse in the recent Explore web article:
The easily-accessible Wapta traverse is the only hut-to-hut ski trip in North America that rivals the classics of Europe.
Ryan Stuart Featured in our&amp;nbsp;Winter 2010 issue.
The Wapta is the only hut-to-hut ski trip in North America that rivals the classics of Europe. It boasts easy access, multiple ski-mountaineering objectives, big glaciers, excellent snow, lots of potential for great turns and four huts linking it all together. Plus, the 45-kilometre route saunters back and forth across the Continental Divide between Banff and Yoho national parks, in one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world. Eat your heart out, Europe.

The LowdownThe 600-square-kilometre area known as the Wapta is actually made up of two icefields: the Wapta and the Waputik. The standard traverse begins with a climb from the Icefields Parkway to the Peyto Hut. The ascent is gradual, about 1,800 feet over 10 kilometres, in an impressive glaciated valley. The next day, skiing south to Bow Hut, is the easiest, highlighted by an excellent run down to the hut at the end of the day. This is a good day to tag a summit, such as Mount Rhondda South. In the event of bad weather or dangerous avalanche conditions, it&amp;rsquo;s easy to escape from the Bow or Peyto areas, but that changes farther south, so the rest of the trip should only be attempted when the weather is good. The route-finding on the way to the Balfour Hut is more complex, with a must-make col on the south side of Mount Saint Nicholas and crevasses to avoid on the Vulture Glacier. The next day is even more difficult, the crux&amp;nbsp; being the climb from Balfour Hut to the High Col. The terrain is intricate and glaciated with looming icefalls above. But if the conditions are right, this section is spectacular. The last day&amp;mdash;beginning at Scott Duncan Hut and ending at the Trans-Canada Highway&amp;mdash;is almost all downhill, with some nice pitches of skiing in the alpine and in the forested glades.
When to go&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;The full traverse is best left until March and April, when the days are longer, the weather is warmer and the crevasses are filled in. That said, the hardcores will ski it from November until June.
Time needed&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;The entire traverse has been done in a day, but most mortals will want at least five full days, especially if bagging a peak is on the agenda. Some parties will cut time by skipping Bow Hut, pushing from Peyto to Balfour in a day, or will begin the traverse at Bow. For those with time, there are infinite ways to spend more days, such as exploring the Little Yoho Valley.
Accommodation&amp;nbsp;All four huts are operated by the Alpine Club of Canada (from $25 per night; alpineclubofcanada.ca). Beds must be reserved beforehand (403-678-3200) and the huts do fill on weekends during the busy season, February to April. The huts all have shared dorms with sleeping pads on the bunk beds and a kitchen with propane stoves.
Fitness required&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;With the huts no more than 10 kilometres apart, daily elevation gains limited to about 2,000 feet, and relatively light packs, skiers can get away with a lower level of fitness than some other ski-touring adventures. Still, the cold weather, trail-breaking and high elevation&amp;mdash;almost all of the trip takes place above 7,000 feet&amp;mdash;requires decent endurance.
Experience needed&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Don&amp;rsquo;t even contemplate taking on the Wapta without excellent navigation and crevasse-rescue skills. The skiing is not difficult, but you should be able to ski powder and wind crust confidently on intermediate runs at the ski hill.
What to take&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Telemark or alpine-touring bindings mounted on a lightweight pair of versatile skis is the ultimate set-up. Beacon, probe and shovel are musts for avalanche rescue, and a rope, harness and hardware are required for crevasse rescue. Include an ice axe and crampons if you plan to climb some peaks. Everyone should bring a three-season sleeping bag and the group should have a bivy sack and sleeping pad for emergencies. Stuff them, along with warm and windproof clothing and lightweight food, in a 50- to 65-litre pack.
Resources&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;The Wapta sits on the border of four topo maps, so buy Murray Toft&amp;rsquo;s Touring the Wapta Icefields, which combines them all into one 1:50,000 topo map with the huts and peaks marked. Chic Scott&amp;rsquo;s Summits and Icefields ($20; rmbooks.com) has thorough directions and descriptions for getting to and from each hut and the nearby peaks.
Guides&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Yamnuska Mountain Adventures offers two Wapta itineraries: a four-day trip from Bow Hut to the Trans-Canada Highway and a six-day trip from Peyto Hut all the way through. Both include crevasse-rescue training and the chance to climb a mountain or two along the way. (From $329; yamnuska.com)Getting there&amp;nbsp; Ideally, your party will be able to set up a car shuttle. From Lake Louise, drive west on the Trans-Canada Highway just past the B.C. border, to the end of the traverse at West Louise Lodge. Leave a car here and drive back toward Lake Louise. Then take the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93) north. For Bow Hut access, drive 40 kilometres to Bow Lake. For Peyto Hut, continue another 7.5 kilometres until you get to a plowed pull-out.

moinfo.]]></description>
            <pubDate>2010-11-11 13:09:07</pubDate>
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