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Back to the flattish Wapta this week, seems to be the place to be. Did a Bow-Bow-Peyto trip this time.
Still winter up there, lots of wind, poor visibility and temps in the -10 range in the mornings. A few cm's of snow to add to the storm load of last week.
Another group reported an avalanche off the E face of Olive on Friday, sounded like a size 2.
Other avalanches we saw that had occurred in the week since I had been in the area:
- several large ones off steep east faces and below cornices in the Bow Lake area on the drive up - big one off the E Face of the Onionskin, cornice fall - small one at the end of the Bow canyon (not on the regular access route), probable remote skier triggered - big one off the south face of Peyto Peak on a cross loaded roll with part of the fracture approaching 2m in depth but most of it thinner - big one off the summer access to Caldron Lake that ran into the trees below the waterfalls
And on our exit today we saw a big cornice fall off the S face of Peyto, with minimal weather inputs to trigger it. Must have been some solar warming through the mist and clouds.
Experienced folk still doing the Wapta Reverse (Bow-Balfour-Bow) whenever there is a new weather input and/or poor visibility.
Good skiing on low angled terrain up there. Mark Klassen Mountain Guide www.alpinism.com
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