[MCR] Rockies: Bow-Yoho Traverse

We recently completed the traverse from Bow Lake to Emerald Lake. 

With probing there was 2.5 m - 3.5+ m of firm snow on the glaciers. On glaciers the snowpack seems strong and uniform but with recent wind loading in some areas. 

In non-glaciated terrain from Bow to the Little Yoho Valley there is extremely variable snowpack depths with generally weak basal layers and with a couple of whumpfs in thin spots on moraines. As a result we decided not to go over Isolated Col as we didn’t have the high degree of certainty required to expose the group to that steep slope with no safe spots. We went over the Whaleback instead.

On solar aspects there are breakable suncrusts to ridgetop. We were glad that it stayed cool enough that the crusts stayed intact on the south facing descent off the Whaleback. There has been some small loose wet avalanches and snowballing here.

On the Iceline exit there was a more uniform snowpack of 3 m in the morainal features.

We saw evidence of an avalanche cycle that probably occurred March 25 during a solar warming event. There were numerous cornice falls in the Des Poilus area, size 2 - 2.5. We also saw a huge avalanche off the west face of Mt Ogden, which also probably happened March 25. It was 1.1 km wide and 1.4 km long, size 3.5, it ran to the second bench at 1850 m. Picture attached.

Just my opinion - but I have a low level of confidence in the Rockies snowpack right now, especially cornices, south and west aspects in the alpine, and morainal features. 

Mark Klassen

ACMG-IFMGA Mountain Guide

Banff-Lake Louise, Canada

Alpinism | » Lake Louise Ski Mountaineering Weekend

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