The Canadian Rockies boast some of the world’s finest hut-to-hut ski touring routes, with the Wapta Traverse standing as the ultimate example. This iconic traverse has earned its reputation as ski touring heaven—and this 7-day tour will prove it to be true. The well-maintained hut system provides cozy, high-class accommodations, and the dry powder and settled snowpack, especially in the spring, create ideal conditions. Ski mountaineering objectives are abundant and easily accessible from the huts. The experience is further elevated by the striking beauty of Peyto Lake, the dramatic Waputik Icefield, and the vibrant Sherbrooke Creek. The Wapta Traverse has earned its legendary status—and once you start carving turns here, you’ll see why!
Make your way to Canada’s magnificent icefields for 7 days of unforgettable ski touring! Test your skills on the classic Wapta Traverse, with high-quality huts, phenomenal dry powder and breathtaking vistas. Your experienced local guide will make sure that your touring goes by safely and without a hitch.
The price of the tour is for ACC members only. Note that the exact dates for this trip are subject to huts availability—once the guide books the huts, you will be notified about the exact dates, which may change by a day or two.
At 6:30 pm, we’ll gather for introductions over dinner in Field, BC, at the renowned “Truffle Pigs Bistro” (dinner is included in your trip fees). If you haven’t heard of it, this is one of the finest restaurants in the Canadian Rockies! After enjoying our meal, we’ll head back to our rooms, where our guide will stop by for a brief visit to conduct an equipment check and distribute group gear and food.
At 7 am, we’ll have breakfast at the Truffle Pigs Cafe, with bagged lunches provided by Kicking Horse Lodge. Be sure to have your backpacks and ski gear packed and ready to go! At 8 am, we’ll drive to the trailhead at Peyto Lake, with shuttle drivers bringing our vehicles back to the trail’s end—how’s that for service? By 10 am, we’ll start skiing, and by 5 pm, we’ll arrive at Peyto Hut where our food will be waiting for us, courtesy of our energetic portering staff. The ski from Peyto Lake to Peyto Hut takes anywhere from 5 to 8 hours depending on conditions and group speed.
The mountains around Peyto Hut provide excellent ski touring objectives. We will stay at the Peyto Hut for two days to enjoy the area!
The ski over to Balfour Hut is spectacular and typically brings us up and over the Olive-St. Nicholas Col. A relaxing hot lunch stop at Balfour Hut is followed by an afternoon ski objective like laps on the Diableret Glacier.
The trip over the Balfour High Col is usually the highlight and crux of the trip. We’ll ascend over heavily crevassed terrain adjacent to the stunning serac-fringed east face of Mt. Balfour. After attaining the col, if conditions permit, an ascent of one of the nearby peaks like Lilliput or even Balfour’s South Face is possible.
All good things must come to an end. After a short run down from the Scott Duncan Hut, it takes about 30 minutes of gentle climbing to come to the Shark’s Fin. From there it’s mostly downhill to get to the intersection of Niles and Sherbrooke Creeks where gurgling of spring snowmelt, birdsong, and the smell of spruce trees presents a sharp contrast with the alpine world we settled into during the trip. About five hours of travel in total brings us back to the cars which will be waiting for us, courtesy of our shuttle staff! Expect to be back in Field for a late lunch, by 2 pm or so.
An awesome trip with a great, conscientious and professional guide. Definitely felt that Tom listened to the whole crew and took our collective objectives, safety, weather, snow conditions and skill sets to get the maximum we could have out of our Bow-Yoho traverse over new years 2018. Super fun trip and lots of hilarious and educational stories and experiences Tom shared with us. And Eric was great to in lending a hand where needed and carrying a ton of weight too. Would definitely recommend both Tom and Eric for any high adventure trips and for any furthering of backcountry education. Not only do they really know their craft, they present their knowledge in a smooth and easy way for all to understand and learn from. Great guides, great guys. All five stars for sure!
Tom is a top notch guide! In addition to delivering a great ski touring trip, he is a fun person to hang out with back at the lodge. I feel safe touring with Tom.
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To enjoy this Wapta Traverse, you need to be in great physical shape. Previous backcountry skiing experience and ski mountaineering experience is also a requirement.
You will be on your feet for 5-7 hours a day for 5 full days, covering 6-10 miles (10-15 km) or more of terrain every day. Hut elevations are approximately 7,200 ft (2,200 m), with 2,300 ft (700 m) vertical, and you will be doing your hut-to-hut traverse carrying up to 45lbs (20kg) of equipment. You will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on challenging blue or black-level resort runs and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain.
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To participate in this tour, you need to have previous powder skiing and ski mountaineering experience. You will be skiing, touring, and summiting on glaciated terrain for 5-7 hours every day. Your guide will take care of the planning, oversee your technique, and teach you how to better manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training necessary to keep you safe.
Liability waivers are a standard part of all guided outdoor adventures. Recently, the requirements have become a bit more rigorous for ACMG guides—meaning that you’ll need to agree to the signing of the waiver at the time of booking.
Prior to booking, we ask you to review the waiver. During the checkout process, you’ll have to acknowledge the risks and agree to the signing of the waiver. You are required to bring a printed copy on the trip.
Please note that signing and agreeing to the terms of the waiver is required in order to join this adventure. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us prior to booking.
You need to bring all of the following personal equipment. Please don’t bring extra equipment. If you have any questions at all about gear please do not hesitate to contact us.
Ski crampons are a must for spring ski touring, and they can make a big difference even on a powder skiing week at times. If you have any difficulty obtaining these please let me know. We have some spares and can likely set you up with a pair. If you have telemark bindings, G3 crampons have an attachment system that works well for most tele bindings.
Clothing:
Snow safety equipment:
Snow touring equipment:
Personal equipment:
Personal belongings
All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. In Canmore or Banff, you can rent:
If you plan on using alternate touring systems such as telemark skis, frame-style AT bindings, or splitboards, please contact us in advance.
Ski rental locations are in Canmore or Banff, and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.
Group sizes:
Ski touring in the Wapta Traverse can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has ski tourers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to the Wapta Traverse adventure, most people fly into Calgary International Airport (YYC) 2 hours away by car.
The starting point is Field, BC, on Day 1 of the tour. You’ll meet your guide sometime in the afternoon at the Truffle Pigs Bistro & Lodge in Field, BC, have dinner, a briefing, and you’ll start the traverse on Day 2.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both medical and travel protection. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!
For set dates, a 50% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. Once your guide confirms your booking, your trip departure is guaranteed. Final payments are due 120 days before your trip starts.
If you need to cancel a reservation, please do so in writing (best by e-mail). Once your booking is confirmed, you and your Guides enter into financial obligations and they cannot refund payments or release you from your contractual obligations. Therefore, it is highly recommended buying cancellation insurance to cover your losses for the case that you can’t participate or have to interrupt your trip “for any reason”.
Your Guides do reserve the right to change guides, particular lodging or the itinerary or venue should unforeseen circumstances (guide sickness, hut or route closing etc.) force them to do so or should the physical condition of the participants, weather or mountain conditions make a continuation as planned too risky. Your Guides will not be deemed to be in default for any delay or failure to perform their obligations under this agreement resulting from acts of God, the elements, war, acts of government, civil or military authorities, natural calamities, catastrophe, fire, flood, accidents, epidemics, shortage of transportation, or any other like events beyond our reasonable control.
I was out on trips with Tom Wolfe of Sawback Alpine Adventures twice during the ski season of winter 2018. Both trips were great. The Bow / Yoho Wapta Traverse was particularly spectacular traveling between Alpine Club of Canada huts. Tom really knows this area well.