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One-day Wapta ski traverse

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Below Mount Balfour's east face, on the Wapta Traverse

Many people take several days to do the popular Wapta Icefields high level ski traverse, staying in any one of the four Alpine Club of Canada huts along the way. Huts must be reserved prior to the trip through the ACC. Some people tent instead. A few parties do the traverse in one long day. Telemarking ski gear is ideal for this. Skinny cross country skis are taboo; alpine touring may be unsuitable (too heavy) due to the sheer distance involved. (About 45 km)

There are 2 main variations to the Wapta Traverse. The complete traverse goes in across Peyto lake to Peyto Hut, then goes south over to Bow Hut to join the rest of the classic traverse. The Peyto section adds a considerable distance (a full day) and is not as popular. We (and most who do or have done a one-day Wapta) do not include the Peyto hut section. That would indeed be wretched excess! The most popular trip starts at Bow Lake on Icefields Parkway.

Wapta Traverse description

Ski across Bow Lake, up to Bow Hut, above Bow Hut, over the Mount Olive-St Nick col, and down to Balfour Hut (895 gain, 395 m loss). From Balfour Hut, ski up over Balfour high col (610 m gain) and down towards Mount Daly, between Mounts Niles and Daly and through trees and a gully to Sherbrooke Lake (1220 m loss). Follow the summer hiking trail from Sherbrooke lake to Wapta Lake and Trans-Canada Highway (275 m loss). Simple, eh?

To do this ski trip in a day requires a high level of fitness and guaranteed good weather. Allow 10 -12 hours. The crux is getting up over Balfour High col and down to Mount Daly. If visibility is poor, or if clouds cause a white-out, this can be impossible. We ended up having to turn back at Balfour col once because of bad weather. Remember that going from Balfour high col back to Bow hut and out to your car is longer than doing the whole traverse.

Hint: Decide to go at the last minute when you can be almost certain of good weather. (i.e. No clouds anywhere on the satellite weather map between Vancouver, B.C. and Saskatchewan!) Wait for March or April when the daylight is long. If you plan way ahead, the weather may not co-operate anyway. This is not a trip for "iffy" conditions...

Details of a one-day Wapta

• Ideally you need 2 cars for this. We drive out the evening before, and leave a car at Wapta Lake, then drive up to Bow Lake and sleep in my van. You could also stay at Mosquito Creek Hostel nearby, or tent.
• We start about 6:30 or 7 a.m. with a day pack (and maybe a light rope and harnesses for the glacier travel), 2 liters of liquid, snacks, lunch, map, skins, extra clothing, headlamp etc.
• You should reach Bow Hut in less than 3 hours. If it takes you longer than this, you're moving slowly and may well be in for an epic.
• Have a quick snack and drink at Bow Hut, then head up over Mt. Olive-St Nick col. As you ski from the col down towards Balfour Hut, take a good look at the glacier leading up to Balfour high col from the hut. That section has the most crevasses and the route should stay over to the right, near the seracs of Balfour's east face to avoid crevasses.
• It should be about lunch time once you reach Balfour Hut. If there are not tracks leading you to the hut, you may need to consult Chic Scott's Summits and Icefields guidebook, or Murray Toft's Touring the Wapta Icefields map. The hardest grind comes after lunch!
• From Balfour Hut, grind up the steep Waputik Icefield below the east side of Balfour to the high col, about 2.5 hours. Many people rope up on this part due to crevasses.
• Take a break at the col, from where you have (and need!) a clear view to Mount Daly and Scott Duncan Hut. Coast towards them, taking a curving line to your left to avoid the sunken area of glacier that lies in between.
• Pass Mt. Daly on its right, going between a small hump and Niles which is yet further right. This bit is largely flat, then just past Niles, after following a bit of bench, turn right and steeply descend sun-affected southwest-facing slopes towards Niles meadow. This is often heavy skiing here by afternoon. (Mounts Niles and Daly are summer scrambles. See Scrambles Book on guidebook page.)
• From Niles meadow, crash your way south through timber down a drainage to Sherbrooke Lake. This is the bad part. It is even worse with a big, heavy pack.
• Ski the length of Sherbrooke Lake, and near the far end, find a trail which rises up from the left shore and leads down to a gas bar and parking lot. This narrow hiking trail is usually icy and fast, making a somewhat scary ending to a long day.
• Drive back to Bow Lake ( about 40 km) and retrieve your other car. You'll be in need of supper after this. Try Bill Peyto's cafe in the Canadian Alpine Centre in Lake Louise. Pastas, stirfries, burgers, beer...Yum Yum!

Warning: This ski tour is a long, serious trip, whether as a multi-day or a day trip. It crosses large glaciers and involves dangers of crevasses, avalanches and whiteouts caused by bad weather. If you're fit, capable and experienced, the advantage of a day trip is that it is much easier to find a single day of good weather than it is 2 or more. Skiing with a lighter pack is a treat too!

Warm-up trips

Good warm-up ski trips  to prepare for a one day Wapta traverse  include: Dolomite Loop (5 hrs), French-Haig Robertson traverse (7 hrs), Burstall-Smuts traverse (6 hrs), Healy Creek-Redearth Creek loop (7-8 hrs), and Opabin-Wenkchemna Passes traverse (10-12 hrs). Most of these are described in Chic Scott's ski guidebooks.

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