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Yamnuska Mountain Adventures

Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Ice Climbing, Backcountry Skiing

  • Avalanche
    • Avalanche Skills Training 1 – Canmore/Calgary
    • AST 1 (Classroom Webinar/Rockies Field Day)
    • Avalanche Skills Training 1 for Ice Climbers
    • Avalanche Skills Training 1 Refresher
    • Advanced Companion Rescue Course
    • Avalanche Skills Training 2 – Canadian Rockies
    • Avalanche Skills Training 2 – Rogers Pass
    • Avalanche Skills Training 2 – Purcell Lodge
  • Mountaineering
    • Beginner Programs
      • Scrambling Skills and Safety
      • Snow and Ice Long Weekend
      • Intro to Mountaineering
      • Women’s Intro to Mountaineering
      • Youth Mountaineering Course
      • Wapta Ice Hike
    • Intermediate and Advanced Programs
      • Yoho Peaks
      • Intro to Alpine Rock in the Bugaboos
      • Intro to Alpine Ice at the Columbia Icefields
      • Lake Louise Classics
      • Moraine Lake Alpine Classics
      • Rogers Pass Alpinist Camp
      • Bugaboos Granite
      • Tonquin Valley Alpine Climbing
    • Canadian Rockies 11,000ers
      • Mount Temple
      • Mount Willingdon
      • Mount Cline
      • Mt Woolley & Diadem
      • Mount Hector
      • Mount Athabasca
      • Mount Andromeda
      • Mt Joffre Expedition
      • Mount Victoria
      • Mt Edith Cavell
      • Mount Forbes
      • Mount Assiniboine
      • Mount Robson
    • Fast and Light Series
      • Castle Mountain
      • Mt Louis Kain Route
      • Bugaboo Spire – North East Ridge
      • Mt Sir Donald – Northwest Ridge
      • Mt Aberdeen
      • Mt Stanley
      • Mt Fay – West Ridge
      • Mt Temple – East Ridge
    • One-Day Crevasse Rescue for the Alpinist
    • Navigation 1 (Back to Basics with Map & Compass)
    • Navigation 2 (Digital Trip Planning & Electronic Navigation)
    • One Month Summer Mountaineering Program
    • Private Mountaineering and Guiding
      • Climb Mount Athabasca
      • Bugaboos Climbing Guides
      • Climb Mount Assiniboine
      • Climb Mount Robson
  • Skiing
    • Instructional Backcountry Skiing & Boarding
      • Intro to Backcountry Skiing & Splitboarding
      • Splitboarding Intro
      • Backcountry Freerider
      • Ultimate Steep & Deep Clinic
    • Guided Steep & Deep Programs
      • Rogers Pass Powder Skiing
      • Signature Series Splitboarding Camp with Justin Lamoureux
      • Kootenays Powder Adventure
      • Backcountry Powder Pass
    • Ski Mountaineering & Classic Traverses
      • Intro to Ski Mountaineering
      • Crevasse Rescue for Skiers & Splitboarders
      • The Wapta Traverse
      • Bow to Yoho Advanced Ski Week
      • Remote Ski Camp – Freshfields
      • Bugaboos to Rogers Pass Ski Traverse
    • 11’000ers Ski Programs
      • Mt Hector
      • The Lyells & Mons Ski Descents
      • Mt Columbia Ski Expedition
    • International Ski Trips
      • Troll Peninsula, Iceland Ski Safari
      • Rishiri Island Skiing in Japan
    • Navigation 1 (Back to Basics with Map & Compass)
    • Navigation 2 (Digital Trip Planning & Electronic Navigation)
    • One Month Backcountry Ski Program
    • Private Ski Guiding & Splitboarding
  • Rock Climbing
    • Rock Climbing Level 1 – Outdoor Rock Intro
    • Rock Climbing Level 2 – Learn to Lead
    • Rock Climbing Level 3 – Multi-Pitch Climbing Course
    • Rock Climbing Level 4 – Trad Rock Leader
    • Rock Climbing Level 5 – Rock Rescue
      • Foundational Rock Rescue
      • Advanced Rock Rescue
    • Signature Series Rock Leader with Sean Isaac
    • Hot Rock
    • Ghost Rock
    • El Potrero Chico Rock Road Trip
    • Beginner Experiential Rock Climbing
    • Multipitch & Instructional Rock Climbing
  • Ice Climbing
    • Ice Climbing Level 1 – Basic Ice
    • Ice Climbing Level 2 – Top Rope Management
    • Ice Climbing Level 1 & 2 – Ice Evolution
    • Ice Climbing Level 3 – Ice Leader
    • Ice Climbing Level 4 – Multi-Pitch Ice Leader
    • Steep Ice and Mixed Climbing Clinic
    • Drytooling Clinic
    • Rampart Creek Ice Camp
    • Ghost Ice Climbing Camp
    • ‘Hot’ Ice Climbing
    • Signature Series Ice Climbing with Sean Isaac
      • Early Season Ice Camp with Sean Isaac
      • Ice Leader Camp with Sean Isaac
      • Mixed Master Camp
      • Steep Ice Clinic with Sean Isaac
      • Mixed Climbing Clinic with Sean Isaac
      • Ice Lead Clinic with Sean Isaac
      • Multi-pitch Systems Clinic with Sean Isaac
    • Southern Ontario Ice Climbing
      • Southern Ontario – One-day Ice Climbing Essentials
      • Southern Ontario Ice Leader
    • Avalanche Skills for Ice Climbers
    • Beginner Experiential Ice Climbing
    • Private Multipitch & Instructional Ice Climbing
  • Mountain Semesters
    • 3-Month Mountain Skills Semester
    • 1-Month Summer Mountaineering Semester
    • 1-Month Ski & Splitboard Semester

Peyto to Yoho Ski Traverse with Patagonia Ambassador Jenn Shelton

Synonymous with ultra marathons, running fast in bikinis and dehydration, Jenn Shelton is a force to be reckoned with.  Having conquered the trails and bagged the peaks, Jenn has turned her sights on the only possibly more niche sport than ultra running – skimo racing.  Spending the last few winters training, racing and breaking legs in the Dolomites – Jenn is coming to the Canadian Rockies and the iconic Wapta Icefields for a 6-day Peyto to Yoho Advanced Ski Traverse.

Want to experience alpine touring, glacier travel, untracked slopes, powder turns, and hut life? Visions of wide open landscapes and Shelton in spandex keep you awake at night? Yearning for that quintessential Canadian Rockies mountain adventure? Then join us for the most fun you can have on two planks!

Canadian Rockies ski touring legend Chic Scott describes this area as “the quintessential Canadian Rockies skiing experience”. With seemingly limitless options for summits and long powder runs we would have to agree. Join Jenn and ACMG ski traverse guide Darcy Chilton as we traverse from Peyto Lake to the Little Yoho Valley through the classic peaks and long powder slopes of the area. This will be a challenging backcountry tour with a great reward of powder skiing at the historic Stanley Mitchell Hut in Yoho National Park.

Please note that while we are aware that skimo is generally ‘fast and light’, due to the duration, variable terrain and remote location, there will be a minimum pack size (60L).

Click HERE for a pdf of the trip.

  • Itinerary
  • Logistics
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The Peyto to Yoho Traverse is a challenging but very fun and rewarding itinerary.

April 20:  Meet us at our office in Canmore at 5:00pm (MST) for introductions, trip review, equipment check and to pack and sort gear and food.

April 21:  Departure is set for 7:30am for the 1.5 hour drive north to Peyto Lake, our start point. After an avalanche safety session, we commence our traverse by descending through the forest to Peyto Lake. After crossing the Lake we travel up the outwash valley from the Peyto Glacier to the base of the lateral moraine which we climb, carrying skis for a short section. From here we travel a further 3km up the Glacier to reach the Peyto Hut which is perched on a rocky shoulder overlooking Peyto Glacier. Peyto Hut is completely surrounded by glaciers and peaks and is arguably the most spectacular location of any of the Wapta huts. We travel 9km and climb 2200ft / 670m.

April 22: We will leave the comforts of the Peyto hut behind and gain the Wapta Icefields Neve. We will continue traversing across the icefield under the beautiful Mt Rhonda and Mt Collie before descending to the new Louise and Richard Guy Hut.  The Guy Hut is a truly beautiful spot which overlooks Mount des Poilus and the des Poilus glacier. This will be our home for the night. Expect a full day with 11 km traveled and 760m gained.

April 23: Today is our chance to explore the ski runs and summits in the area. If conditions permit, we will set our sites on the 10387 foot Mount des Poilus. This is not only the highest peak in the area but offers an amazing 500m ski decent! We will sleep a second night at the Louise and Richard Guy Hut. Expect a full day of skiing covering 9 km and 800m gained as a minimum for the day, more if we decide on a second run.

April 24: Crossing Isolated col is our objective today and is one of the cruxes of the trip. You have a good view of the col from the hut and a short ski will put us under the steep 300m accent. Once we arrive at the col we will be treated to an amazing view into the Little Yoho Valley which is commanded by the President and Vice President peaks. An excellent ski descent will bring us to the historic Stanley Mitchell hut. We will likely have the chance to explore the area surrounding the hut if time and energy permits. Minimum travel will be 7.5 km and 350m of elevation gain.

April 25: Our reward for the previous days of hard work will be to explore and enjoy the rarely visited Little Yoho Valley. In “Summits and Icefields”, Chic Scott continues his description by saying: “The Little Yoho Valley in Yoho National Park offers some of the best backcountry skiing in the Canadian Rockies. The terrain is excellent – there are long and uniform descents and some excellent glade skiing below treeline if conditions dictate. Situated along the great divide in what is called the Yoho Snow Belt, the valley gets deep and consistent snowfalls. Finally, the presence of the beautiful Stanley Mitchell Hut makes for a perfect combination.”  The Presidents will be top on the tick list but many other options exist depending on conditions. Light packs, enjoying a beautiful area and looking for amazing powder turns are the goals of this day.

April 26: We will be starting early in order to travel out to Field, BC and the end of a great trip. Expect a full day as we slide out the 25 km to the road and descend 760m past the famous Takakkaw Falls and the slopes of Mt Field.

Instructors and Group Size

Your lead guide, Darcy Chilton, is a Ski Guide certified by the internationally recognized Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and also licensed by Parks Canada. There will be a maximum of 6 participants per guide. There will be a maximum of 12 guests, minimum 4.

Darcy has been an ACMG ski guide since 2000 and feels fortunate to have guided throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Europe, and Japan meeting wonderful people and skiing great snow. Darcy works all the ski and avalanche programs through the winter and in the summer, is Yamnuska’s Program Director at the Rocky Mountain Cadet Summer Training Centre.  Darcy is an ACMG Ski Guide and holds Level 2 certification with the Canadian Avalanche Association.

Program Logistics

We will meet the group at 5:00PM on the first day here at our office in Canmore (Map).  Please come prepared with all of your personal gear and clothing, but leave enough room in your pack for some additional group gear and food as well.

Transportation

Participants are responsible for their own transport to Canmore which is a 1 hour (100km) drive west from Calgary.

We will supply transportation from Canmore to reach the program trailheads.

Frequent shuttles connect Calgary International Airport and Canmore.

Accommodation and Meals

During the trip we will be staying and the Alpine Club of Canada’s Peyto, Guy and Stanley Mitchell huts. Sleeping areas in the huts are communal and facilities are basic. Cooking in the huts is done on propane stoves and all dishes are provided.

All meals, snacks and drinks are supplied from lunch on April 21 to lunch on April 26. Meals are prepared by our in-house chef from fresh, nutritious ingredients and then dehydrated to make them suitable for backcountry travel. For guests with dietary restrictions, we are able to modify the program food pack to meet your individual needs.  As food pricing and preparation for these diets is more costly, we have implemented the following surcharges.  For vegan, gluten free, lactose free, soy free, nut free or any similar type of single restriction menu requests there will be a $16/day surcharge. For a diet requiring any 2 restrictions a $25/day surcharge will apply.  For any 3 restrictions a $30/day surcharge will apply.  Vegetarian meals will not be surcharged.  For more complex diets our kitchen staff will assess the restrictions to inform you if the diet can be accommodated and what surcharge would apply.

Accommodation in Canmore is not included. A variety of accommodation options exist in both Canmore and Banff.  We recommend that you book your own pre and post-trip accommodations well in advance as all levels of accommodations in the Bow Valley fill quickly.

Weather and Conditions Note

This is a challenging program in complex terrain and as with any trip into the mountains neither weather or avalanche conditions can be guaranteed. Poor visibility or avalanche conditions may require a change to the itinerary. This may involve an extra night at the Peyto hut or the inability to reach the Stanley Mitchell hut due to avalanche danger. Regardless expect the trip to be a great adventure in a beautiful area.

Equipment and Clothing

You will need to bring your own clothing, skis, poles, climbing skins, avalanche gear, backpack, sleeping bag and sleeping pad. We have many of these items available to rent and can pre-arrange them for you. We supply group items (ropes, harnesses, crevasse rescue gear, tents, stoves, etc).

You will be able to leave excess gear in Canmore while on the trip.

The equipment and clothing you bring will have a big impact on the quality of your experience. Please be sure to bring all items listed. If unsure about anything please don’t hesitate to call and ask us!

Skis

There are two ski systems you can use: System 1: Alpine Touring skis are essentially downhill skis with a special touring binding which allows the heel to lift when going uphill or across the flats and then locks down to become a regular downhill safety binding. We recommend this system to anyone with a background of downhill skiing. System 2: Telemark skis. These should only be used for this program if you are at least an advanced-intermediate telemark skier with some backcountry experience. This system is more difficult and less forgiving than the other.

Which should you use? If you are a downhill skier then you should use Alpine Touring gear. Only if you are already an advanced Telemark skier should you bring Telemark gear.

Snowboards can be used on this program however, due to the number of flat areas you are better off on skis. If ‘boarding’ you need to be an advanced backcountry boarder and you need to be on a splitboard.

Skis, boots, poles, and boards can be rented in Calgary and Canmore prior to the trip.

Equipment List

You need to bring:

  • Skis. We recommend a short (160 – 185cm) wide ski designed for powder. Please see note under rental information if you are renting ski equipment.
  • Climbing skins ‘Stick-on type’
  • Ski Poles
  • Ski Boots
  • Ski Crampons
  • Climbing harness (light weight if possible) loaners available
  • Locking biners (2), non-locking biners (2) loaners available
  • Prussick cord (1) loaners available
  • 120cm sewn sling (1) loaners available
  • Avalanche Transceiver – digital transceiver with a triple antennae rentals available
  • Collapsible Avalanche Probe rentals available
  • Avalanche Shovel (lightweight snow shovel designed for companion rescue) rentals available
  • Backpack (at least 65L, large enough for sleeping bag, spare clothes, and your share of group food & equipment) rentals available
  • Sunglasses and ski goggles
  • Water bottle (at least 1 liter capacity), a Thermos for Hot Drinks is optional
  • Sun block and lip cream
  • Pocket knife
  • Sleeping Bag. We recommend a three season bag rated between -7 to -9 °C. Expect hut temperatures to be cool overnight. Make sure you bring a stuff sac that will reduce your bag to its minimum size (i.e. one with compression straps) so you don’t use up all the room in your pack. Rentals available.
  • Headlamp with fresh batteries
  • Small Blister and personal First-Aid Kit
  • Camera
  • Personal Toilet Items (keep to a bare minimum)
  • Ear Plugs for dorm sleeping (optional but recommended)
  • Insulated Booties or Sandals

Clothing List

We suggest layers of light, easily carried clothing that allow for fast and easy adjustment to best suit fast changing temperature conditions. Cotton clothing is not appropriate as it causes rapid heat loss when wet. Feel free to call us if you have any questions about what to bring.

  • Long underwear top and bottoms (light weight synthetic or wool)
  • Extra warm shirt (synthetic or wool)
  • Medium weight fleece sweater
  • Soft shell or fleece jacket
  • Soft shell pants
  • Insulated jacket (down preferred)
  • Insulated pants (fleece or other synthetic) (optional)
  • Waterproof jacket with hood (Gore-Tex or equivalent)
  • Waterproof pants (Gore-Tex or equivalent, with side zippers)
  • Socks (wool or synthetic) – 2 to 3 pairs
  • Wool or fleece hat
  • Waterproof ski mountaineering gloves or mitts
  • Light weight ski gloves
  • Neck tube or balaclava
  • Sun hat

Rental Information

Skis, Boots, Boards, Skins & Poles can be rented from:

  • Calgary: Mountain Equipment Co-op. – 830-10 Ave. S.W. Calgary (Tel: 403 269-2420)
  • Canmore: Gear Up – 1302 Bow Valley Trail (403 678-1636)

*Please note that your ‘DIN’ or ‘Release Value’ settings on your ski bindings are critical to your safety while skiing.  Our expectation is that everyone arrives on programs with their ski binding’s release value correctly set. We have noted that some ski rental shops will not set release values on touring bindings. We advise you to rent from a shop that will set release values on your ski touring bindings unless you are proficient and comfortable setting your own DIN / release value. Failure to have Release Values correctly set could result in a serious injury.

Yamnuska has equipment as noted above for rent should you require. Please advise as early as possible.

Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. We require a 35% deposit on booking.

It is wise to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident while here. Obtain extra coverage if necessary. There is no charge for rescue so long as you have a valid National Park Entry Pass which you can obtain on entry to Banff National Park.

We ask that you familiarize yourself with our detailed booking instructions and conditions.

Please note that you will be required to sign our waiver before commencing the program. Please view our sample waiver copy.

There are two basic types of insurance that most travelers need to consider: Medical and Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance. We offer our guests coverage for both and highly recommend you purchase it.

Emergency Medical Expenses Insurance:

It is wise to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident during your trip. Obtain extra coverage if necessary. There is no charge for rescue in the national and provincial parks, however costs such as air or ground transportation, long term care and other services are not covered.

Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance:

We recognize that our guests’ schedules may change for many reasons; business, family, flight delays, injuries and other unplanned events. For these eventualities the Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance is a great way to protect your investment.

For all your travel insurance requirements we recommend the Simpson Group. This agency offers a wide range of travel insurance options including Trip Cancellation/Interruption, Travel Medical and Personal Effect Loss for Canadian Travelers. We highly recommend purchasing this insurance.

Please note that this coverage is for Canadian residents only. For guests who are not from Canada and who are interested in the ‘Visitors to Canada’ insurance package please contact the Simpson Group directly at JSimpson@simpson-group.com and reference your Yamnuska Mountain Adventure’s trip.

Dates:

PRICE:

$2850 CDN includes certified guide, local transfers, meals from lunch on April 21 to lunch on April 26, hut accommodations, porters to resupply at Stanley Mitchell Hut, technical glacier travel gear (harness, biners, cord, etc.), avalanche safety gear, park entry and wilderness passes. You will need to bring adequate clothing and equipment for a backcountry ski traverse.

Not included: Air and/or ground transportation to arrive/depart Canmore, accommodation in Canmore, ski touring equipment, goods & services Tax (GST), gratuities.

Trip Cancellation Insurance is available through the Simpson Group.

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Is it for you?

Guests on this trip should be advanced backcountry skiers in all conditions on either alpine touring, telemark or splitboard equipment. There are a variety of descents on this trip that require skiing blue/black type runs wearing a 45-50lb pack. Participants don’t need to be experts, however you must be able to safely descend these slopes. The most difficult ascents with a heavy pack will be on the second and third days with up to 760m of elevation gained and 11 km travelled.

Training

Understanding the prerequisites should help with your training throughout the winter. Winter ski tours and walks with a 45-50lb pack is recommended as the best training, however other activities such as cross country skiing and hiking can also be good training. Please read the itinerary and difficulty sections and be both physically and mentally prepared for the trip. If you are uncertain about your experience level, please call us.

PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO CONTACT US IF YOU NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM!

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