[MCR] Rockies: Wapta - Bow Lake to Peyto Lake June 15-17, 2015

I guided four clients of www.ontopmountaineering.com/  on a 3 day glacier adventure on the Wapta Icefield in Banff National Park, June 15-17, 2015.  We started at Bow Lake, and stayed at Bow Hut the night of June 15^th.  A big thanks to the Alpine Club of Canada for the clean-up and interior painting at Bow Hut.  The hut is in good condition for the upcoming mountaineering season. 

 

We traversed on the glacier to Peyto Hut on June 16^th.  There was a good overnight freeze and roped travel conditions that day were very good on firm snow and less than ankle deep steps all the way to Peyto Hut.  We didn’t need crampons that day, the glacier was totally snow covered. 

 

We left Peyto Hut on the morning of June 17^th, with a light freeze.  We had a few punchy areas of snow on the descent of the Peyto Glacier, but around 2300m the snow thinned to bare ice and we had good travel with crampons down to the edge of the glacier.  The bridge is still out for the creek crossing at the valley bottom, so we walked along the north bank of the creek looking for a spot to cross.  We found a log across the creek, which appears to be one of the stringers from the bridge that washed out.  I set up a hand line and we were able to cross the creek easily, with dry feet!  We then walked across the gravel flats to meet up with the trail on the south side of the creek, and out to the Bow Summit parking lot.  I am not sure if that log will survive the spring runoff, but it would be nice if it did. 

 

Please see a photo with arrows in my FaceBook album showing the location of the log and the trail, along with photos of the log across the creek.  There are also photos showing the snow line on the glacier and the snow coverage where we travelled.  Let me know if you have any questions. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.746910752087016.1073741849.371381489639946&type=3

 

Regards,

 

Jordy Shepherd

ACMG / IFMGA Mountain Guide

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JordyCanmore

Twitter: @JordyCanmore

 

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