Wapta Icefields

Mountain Conditions Report

<p>I finished a 7-day Bow-Yoho traverse today. Excellent skiing every day, with wintery weather producing over 40 cm of new storm snow throughout the week.</p> <p>Our primary avalanche concerns were limited to small (1-1.5) storm and wind slabs on the surface. Overall the Wapta is in excellent shape with easy travel and well covered glaciers.</p> <p>The best skiing was on northerly aspects. Two days ago the north side of Isolated Col made for a great break from skiing with heavy packs on the way to Stanley Mitchell, and yesterday we skied the glacier on the East side of the Secretary-Treasurer from the VP/ST col in the am, and President Glacier in the afternoon. We stopped about 200 m from the col out of concerns for the building storm slab, settling of the storm snow with the mild temps (around 0°), and poor visibility. Winds were calm.</p> <p>At around 3:30 pm as we finished pulling our skins a big sluff came rumbling down off the President close enough to our tracks to warrant our retreat.</p> <p>During the night another 20+ cm fell, and winds built to strong S-SW with widespread wind effect in the alpine evident in the morning as we traveled out via the Tak Falls road. It was a fine beautiful spring like day, with excellent travel and a perfect conclusion to our trip. A widespread cycle to size 1.5 out of steep/extreme E terrain could be seen but otherwise little avalanche activity from the storm. This should all settle out quickly over the next two days with good weather.</p> <p>Ski crampons were not used on the trip although conditions could change to warrant them quickly enough. </p> <p>A reminder to avoid the massive ice cliff in the center of the toe of Des Poilus glacier! See photo. I'm also attaching a photo of the Collie Icefall, skiing on the President Glacier, and the east facing Bow Glacier from last Sunday.</p> <p>Regards,<br /> Tom Wolfe<br /> Mountain Guide, ACMG/IFMGA<br /><a href="http://www.sawback.com">www.sawback.com</a><br /><a href="https://m.facebook.com/sawbackalpine">https://m.facebook.com/sawbackalpine</a></p>