Just finished a four day Wapta traverse, exiting Shebrooke Lake yesterday. We saw evidence of a wide spread avy cycle from Sat. with many slabs to size 2.5 off Mt. Niles and Paget, cornice releases off Ogden, and 25-30 wet loose to size 1.5 off Paget. We skied over and around debris down the Traditional Exit and were glad to be through there early in the day with a good overnight freeze.
We found a sneak route on the left side of the crevasses close to the nunatak, en route to the Balfour High Col. This avoids a long end-run out right that forces you under the serac fall where previous track were. I've never seen an easy passage like this so close to the rock before. We were then able to climb on top of the nunatak right away and severely limit our exposure to the upper mountain where I have seen icefall hit uptracks in the past. Please spread the word to use this much safer option.
We were also quite put off by the number of pee spots littering the outside of the Balfour and Scott Duncan huts. It was like a mine field walking around outside. Please encourage others to focus on a single pee spot and keep the psych high with clean huts!
On The Map
These observations and opinions are those of the person who submitted them. The ACMG and its members take no responsibility for errors, omissions, or lapses in continuity. Conditions differ greatly over time and space due to the variable nature of mountain weather and terrain. Application of this information provides no guarantee of increased safety. Do not use the Mountain Conditions Report as the sole factor in planning trips or making decisions in the field.