[MCR] Wapta Icefields - Peyto Exit

Just out from a mini Wapta Traverse (Bow to Peyto) for the UofC with fellow ACMG member Phil Wilhelm.

 

We had quite the tempest that rolled in on the night of the 20th with lashing winds and heavy rain that continued all night.  Not sure if that may have caused these cornice triggered avalanches that went quite large on Mt. Baker:

 

  

 

On the 21st we had excellent travel conditions on very well consolidated snow with no visible weaknesses.  On the 22nd after a solid overnight freeze with clear skies we donned crampons to descend the Peyto glacier.  Widespread sun cups on the snow surface made for attentive walking.

 

 

Cauldron creek was raging pretty good by noon.  No way I would want to cross that by walking on the stream bed.  Fellow guide Fridjon Thorleifsson did a great job building a log bridge that we cairned on both sides.

 

 

I'm guessing the water levels have increased since Geoff Ruttan's July 5 post as we were forced to side hill well past the treed constriction in the photo below before we could drop down to the gravel flats.  There are now good deep steps cut into the bank for the northern half of the traverse (we traveled in the forest for the first half but were forced back down towards the river by deadfall half way across).  The short rock climbing step is no longer required (or possible at these water levels I believe).

 

 

We crossed multiple braids in the river delta with hut sandals to reach the trail on the east side.  We made the mistake of exiting the gravel flats at the first large slide path but this requires a 150m bush whack through tight nasty alders to regain the trail so we waded back out to the gravel flats and finally exited at the slide path that empties right into Peyto Lake (the one that the trail switchbacks inside of).  If you were hiking in to the hut I would recommend crossing here as well since these lower braids have to be crossed at some point anyway.  

 

Water levels have made for a lot of messing around on this route now - start early to give yourself lots of time to deal with constantly changing conditions.

 

The mosquitoes were fairly aggressive in the forest starting and finishing the traverse. 

 

Cheers,

Shaun King  ACMG Mountain Guide

www.facebook.com/mountainsense

 

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