Quick note on Wapta classic traverse conditions.
Mar 1st (Sun): Into bow hut. Good travel across lake with no skins made it
a quick x-country ski. Well packed trail all the way to bow hut.
Mar 2nd (Mon): Bow hut to Balfour hut. 220cm avg height of snow on glacier.
A couple of spots at the glacier tongue were in 150cm range but quickly
jumped into 2m range. Challenging ski quality down balfour side with
breakable surface crust for the top half. Generally light winds at the col
and well beaten path up Mt Olive.
Mar 3rd (Tues): Balfour hut to Scott Duncan. The route next to the black
cliff (climbers L option) ramp is well filled in with average 260cm height
of snow. Test pit on flats before the cliff, N aspect, 2700m, was a
moderate 19 compression test resistant planar down 40cm at storm snow
interface. At top of ramp/cliff, a sizeable crevasse nearly runs the entire
left to right distance. Several small and highly suspect bridges cross this
gap. Ended up taking the fattest looking one to climbers right, next to an
ice chunk the size of a camper trailer (obviously icefall from above).
Winds were light Easterly on Balfour hut side then switched to light
Southerly on Scott Duncan side. Scott Duncan side was good ski quality as
winds had not affected it yet. Height on snow was average 3m on this side.
Mar 4th (Wed): Scott Duncan out Sherbrook lake (skiers right of witches hat
route). 4cm ski penetration across the flats to the witches hat with light
South winds. Became crusty below 2200m below treeline. Track out is fast
and icy at the bottom.
Temps remained in the -4 to -10 range the entire time with a light dusting
of new snow. No new natural avalanche activity was noted over the trip and
couple times visibility was excellent.
Icefields area received 17cm Wednesday night with Moderate winds so not
sure if this made it to the Wapta area. Was bit of an upslope storm.
Hope this helps the next crew going in.
cheers
Garth Lemke
Public Safety Specialist
ACMG Assistant Ski Guide
Spécialiste, Sécurité publique
Guide de ski auxiliaire, Association des guides de montagne canadiens
Jasper National Park of Canada | Parc national du Canada Jasper
Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
P.O. Box 10, Jasper AB T0E 1E0 | C.P. 10, Jasper (Alberta) T0E 1E0
Garth.Lemke@xxxxxxxx
Telephone | Téléphone 780-852-6158
Facsimile | Télécopieur 780-852-6135
Cellular Phone | Téléphone cellulaire 780-852-8811
Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada
www.pc.gc.ca/jasper
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_______________________________________________
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.
Please check out http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.
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