Wapta Traverse – 3 Day

Day 1: Bow Lake to Balfour Hut 

We will meet you at our classroom in Canmore at 6 am on the first day of the program.

The trip begins at Bow Lake, a familiar starting point along the Icefields Parkway. After crossing the lake, you ascend gradually through the canyon and up toward the Wapta Icefield. While many parties detour to the Bow Hut, we will bypass it heading directly towards the Balfour Hut.  

Once on the Icefield the views begin to open as we ascend to the Olive St. Nic Col. After crossing the col, you descend and traverse toward the Balfour Hut, tucked beneath the massive east face of Mt. Balfour.  This route skips the crowds often found around Bow Hut and gets you deeper into the traverse on your first day, setting you up well for what’s to come. 

Distance 15.7 km and 933m gain and 398m loss

Day 2: Over the High Col to Scott Duncan 

Today’s objective is crossing the Balfour High Col, which is the highest point on the traverse and one of its most scenic. After an early start, you follow a gentle climb behind the hut, roping up as you reach the glacier. The ascent is steady rather than steep, and the route winds between impressive peaks and icefalls. Reaching the col itself offers expansive views across both Alberta and British Columbia, with rugged peaks rising in every direction. 

From the top, you begin a long, gradual descent across the Daly Glacier, enjoying the rolling terrain and the sense of space. The Scott Duncan Hut comes into view at the far end of the glacier, perched on a bench of rock overlooking the Yoho Valley.  Named for one of the early chroniclers of Rockies mountaineering, the hut has welcomed skiers and climbers since the 1980s. 

Distance 9.7 km and 608 m gain and 327 m loss

Day 3: Out via Sherbrooke Lake 

The final day starts with a gentle descent from the hut, winding down the glacier beneath Mt. Niles. The terrain gradually transitions from wide-open glaciers to subalpine bowls and eventually to forested moraines.  Eventually, you arrive at Sherbrooke Lake, a broad and often sunlit crossing heading back towards civilization. From there, a well-used ski track leads to the Trans-Canada Highway, marking the end of the traverse.  

Distance 13.9 km and 25 m gain and 1,066m loss

Guides & Group Size

Your guides are certified by the internationally-recognized Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and also licensed by Parks Canada. They are true mountain professionals who hold extensive first aid and professional level avalanche training. There will be a maximum of 7 participants per guide. The minimum group size is 4.

Logistics

We will meet you at our classroom in Canmore at 6 am on the first day of the program.

Transportation

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

We rely on guests’ personal vehicles to reach program locations. We will assist with the vehicle shuttle at the end of the traverse. If renting a vehicle, we recommend requesting one equipped for winter driving conditions, including winter tires.

Frequent shuttles connect Calgary International Airport and Canmore. Banff Airporter is the best way to get between Calgary Airport and Canmore/Banff. When you book with Yamnuska Mountain Adventures you will receive a 15% discount on Banff Airporter Scheduled Services.

Park Passes

Please note that program venues may be within National Parks and/or Kananaskis Country. For programs where transportation is not provided by Yamnuska/Canadian Rockies Hiking by Yamnuska, guests will be required to purchase their own pass.

National Park passes are available both online at https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel/admission and in-person at National park gates and some information centres.

Kananaskis Country conservation passes are available online at https://www.alberta.ca/kananaskis-conservation-pass.aspx

Accommodation

During the trip, we stay in alpine huts operated by the Alpine Club of Canada. Sleeping areas are communal and facilities basic. We cook on propane stoves and melt snow to get water for drinking, cooking, and washing.

Balfour, and Scott Duncan Huts are not heated but are well insulated and remain relatively warm once the group has moved in for the night. There are sleeping pads in all of the huts as well as eating utensils and cooking gear.

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.

All meals are inlcuded from lunch on Day 1 to lunch on Day 3. 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 surcharge. For a diet requiring any 2  or more restrictions, an additional surcharge will apply. 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.

Weather Note

The Wapta Icefields can be prone to whiteout in storm conditions. If the weather or avalanche conditions are too severe we may not be able to cross the Balfour High Col. We may be able to wait a day for conditions to clear but there is a chance we may not complete the Wapta Traverse as described and we will have to ski back out via Bow Hut. There is no way of eliminating this risk. Even if this happens the trip is still an excellent ski mountaineering experience whether or not we make it over the Balfour High Col. Success varies widely by season and is solely dependent on weather and avalanche conditions.

Equipment & Clothing

You will need to bring your own clothing, ski touring gear, avalanche gear, backpack, and sleeping bag. We have some of these items available to rent and we can arrange them for you with prior notice. Yamnuska supply’s all glacier travel gear (ropes, harnesses, crevasse rescue gear, etc). Feel free to bring your own items if you have them.

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

Skis

Alpine Touring skis are essentially downhill skis with a special ski touring binding that 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 in downhill skiing.

Skis, boots, poles, and boards can be rented in Calgary or 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 the note under rental information if you are renting ski equipment.
• Climbing skins ‘Stick-on type’
• Ski Poles
• Ski Boots (Alpine Touring Boots with a walk mode)
• Ski Helmet (optional)
• Avalanche Transceiver (digital only with a triple antenna) rentals are available
• Avalanche Probe rentals are available
• Avalanche Shovel (metal blades only designed for companion rescue) rentals are available
• Backpack (at least 65L, large enough for a sleeping bag, spare clothes, and your share of group food & equipment) rentals available
• Ice Axe (Optional – Yamnuska will provide if you do not have your own)
• Climbing Harness (lightweight if possible) (we will supply if you do not have one)
• Prusik cord, slings, and carabiners (we will supply if you do not have any)
• Sunglasses and ski goggles
• Water bottle (at least 1-litre capacity), a thermos type bottle for Hot Drinks is optional
• Sunblock and lip cream
• Repair kit multi tool
• Sleeping Bag must be warm as some huts are unheated. We recommend at least a ‘3-season’ bag. Expect hut temperatures to below freezing 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
• Small repair kit for bindings, skis, or splitboard (this may include straps, nuts, bolts, and small leatherman)
• Camera (optional)
• Personal toiletries including hand sanitizer (keep to a bare minimum)
• Ear Plugs for dorm sleeping (optional)
• Insulated Booties or Hut Slippers

Additional gear info:

• Skis/splitboard:  There are two viable backcountry systems, Alpine Touring and Splitboard.
• Alpine Touring:  Essentially downhill skis with a special touring binding which allows the heel to lift when going uphill and then locks down to become an alpine binding for the downhill.
• Splitboard: If you are a snowboarder, the backcountry touring equivalent is a splitboard—a snowboard that separates into two ski-like halves for uphill travel and then reassembles for the descent. Like touring skis, splitboards use climbing skins for ascending, while the bindings switch between touring and riding modes. Because splitboarding involves changing your equipment setup throughout the day, it is important to practice your transitions before your course. Becoming efficient at switching between touring and riding modes will make your day smoother, faster, and more enjoyable. In terms of footwear, most splitboarders can use regular snowboard boots. However, splitboard-specific boots offer greater comfort while touring, as well as improved support when traversing or sidehilling.
• Boots:  Backcountry boots are different from regular alpine ski boots. In the backcountry, boots need to have an uphill mode that allows a free range of motion in the upper part of the boot. You should not use your regular ski boots for touring and walking uphill.
• Climbing skins:  The glue on the base of the skin should be in good condition and the skins need to be properly fitted. Try the skins on your skis/splitboard to make sure they are the right length and width before you arrive.
• Ski poles:  Backcountry poles need powder baskets on the tips.
• Avalanche Transceiver:  A three antennae transceiver is required.
• Probe:  A minimum of 240 cm in length.
• Shovel:  A metal blade shovel is required.

Clothing List:

We suggest layers of light, easily carried clothing that allows 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 (lightweight synthetic or wool)
• Medium weight fleece sweater
• Fleece Jacket
• Jacket (soft shell or equivalent)
• Waterproof/breathable jacket (Gore-Tex type)
• Pants (Gore-Tex type shell or soft shell type which needs to fit over your ski boot)
• Socks – ski socks (wool or synthetic), several sets
• Wool or fleece hat
• Gloves and/or mitts (2 pairs)
• Brimmed hat for sunny days
• Down or Synthetic Parka

• Alpha SV Jacket (Men’s & Women’s)
• Rush Jacket (Men’s & Women’s)
• Rush Bib Pant (Men’s & Women’s)
• Atom Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)
• Atom SL Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)
• Cerium Down Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)
• Nuclei Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)

Rental Information

Skis, Boots, Skins & poles can be rented from:

• Canmore: Gear Up – (403 678-1636)
• Lake Louise: Wilson Mountain Sports  – (1-866-929-3636)

*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 sleeping bags, avalanche safety gear, and backpacks for rent. Rental Gear

Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment.

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

Risk is an inherent part of all mountain activities. We strive to manage and reduce it however, it is impossible to totally eliminate. Learn more about our safety and risk management approach here.  Please note that you will be required to sign our waiver before commencing the program. Please view our sample waiver copy.

The Simpson Group offers a wide range of travel insurance options including Trip Cancellation/Interruption, Travel Medical, and Personal Effect Loss for both Canadian and International Travelers. Other providers offer similar services and we encourage you to select an appropriate level of coverage. We highly recommend purchasing this insurance to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. The two basic types of insurance that most travellers need to consider are Medical and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance.

Insurance Risk 
One of the ways to mitigate risk is by purchasing appropriate insurance. Simpson Group Insurance Services who are travel & health risk specialists, work with technical and high-risk insurance solutions both in medical and non-medical spheres.  We highly recommend that you review your insurance needs to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. It is wise to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident during your trip. Simpson Group have a team standing by to answer any of your questions.

Emergency Medical Evacuation
While there is typically no charge for search & rescue in the National and Provincial Parks for active pass holders, costs such as air & ground ambulance after the rescue are not covered by your park pass. The chance of a large bill associated with this risk is a real possibility.

For Canadians
A common myth is that healthcare across provinces is fully covered. There are many things which do not carry interprovincial agreements. Ambulance services, medical evacuation, and some services which one province charges more than another you’d be responsible to pay the difference.

For Internationals
A common myth is that healthcare in Canada is free. Although it is less expensive than US healthcare, charges for non-residents can still be very high. Proper medical health insurance is essential if you were to get injured. Most coverages exclude rock climbing, mountaineering, ice climbing, backcountry skiing and the like. Simpson Group can make sure all those risks are well covered.

Trip Cancellation/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, Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance is a great way to protect your investment. We can assure you that circumstances do arise that prevent guests from participating in trips or courses and trip cancellation & interruption insurance is a relatively easy way to manage your level of risk of unforeseen events.

For all your travel insurance requirements we recommend Simpson Group Insurance Services.  For more information and to purchase a plan, visit Simpson Group’s website.