Hello all
Some observations and pictures from the Wapta Icefields.

As the seasons change and the first snow begins to erase the results of this very hot/dry summer, the call of an early season ski mission to the Wapta might be a thought. Yet it’s best to wait and please heed a warning that there are numerous large and unpredictable gapping crevasses and mill wells (perfectly round very deep holes about the size of a skier) in a number of compressed zones you might not expect to find them.

The snowfall from last weekend left up to 40cm at higher elevation that fell with very little wind. There was a thin wind slab at 2800m that was enough to hide crevasses. Continuous Probing and lots of people on a rope was essential to safe passage. Places of note are from the toe of the Bow Glacier on the steep break over and right above the onion skin all the way to directly below the Olive/St. Nicolas col. This area is blocked by impassable broken glacier.

This theme persists on Mt. Gordon (see photo) and many other zones we did not directly observe.

As soon as the sun came out it still felt like summer and lower elevation snow melted rapidly.

Hoping these pictures pass along important information for the fall/winter ahead.

Happy travels, enjoy the final days of summer.

Merrie-Beth Board
ACMG Mountain Guide