[MCR] Rockies: Wapta, again

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Back to the flattish Wapta this week, seems to be the place to be.  
Did a Bow-Bow-Peyto trip this time.

Still winter up there, lots of wind, poor visibility and temps in the  
-10 range in the mornings. A few cm's of snow to add to the storm  
load of last week.

Another group reported an avalanche off the E face of Olive on  
Friday, sounded like a size 2.

Other avalanches we saw that had occurred in the week since I had  
been in the area:

- several large ones off steep east faces and below cornices in the  
Bow Lake area on the drive up
- big one off the E Face of the Onionskin, cornice fall
- small one at the end of the Bow canyon (not on the regular access  
route), probable remote skier triggered
- big one off the south face of Peyto Peak on a cross loaded roll  
with part of the fracture approaching 2m in depth but most of it thinner
- big one off the summer access to Caldron Lake that ran into the  
trees below the waterfalls

And on our exit today we saw a big cornice fall off the S face of  
Peyto, with minimal weather inputs to trigger it. Must have been some  
solar warming through the mist and clouds.

Experienced folk still doing the Wapta Reverse (Bow-Balfour-Bow)  
whenever there is a new weather input and/or poor visibility.

Good skiing on low angled terrain up there.

Mark Klassen
Mountain Guide
www.alpinism.com



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