Wailin' on the Wapta

It's been 2 weeks now since our Wapta Glacier trip and the tan has finally faded. One week after the trip the 6 of us got together to share photos and vids and generally reminisce. While together, 5 of us realized that we shared the pain of sunburned lips. You think you’re putting adequate sunscreen on, but in late April/early May the sun burns pretty bright in the hi altitude reflective snow. Our lips had cracked and opened up to reveal a painful sore.

But ultimately the pain is always worth it!! Such great memories. The ski in was stellar with hardened snow and cold conditions that made the avi conditions real safe. We elected in this trip to stay at the Bow hut and do day missions as oppossed to traversing the glacier, which is what I’d always done before. This way you could really enjoy the ski without that heavy pack on your back and the pressure to make it over the heavily crevassed high col.

With the extra freedom this method allowed, we bagged a couple peaks. Gordon and Olive. The latter we came back to our last day bootpacking up with our skis this time so we could ski the seldom shushed slope just off the peak. After waiting out the whiteout we were rewarded with some fab pow turns.

I find it amazing that even at the beginning of May you’re basically skiing in mid winter powder conditions. I love living up here! My MN friends put their skis away 2.5 months earlier. Actually, this trip was supposed to unite some of my flatlander midwest pals and open them up to the wonders of the Canadian Rockies and skimo. This was year #2 where they didn’t make it up. Oh well, thanks Ben, Kylee, Ian, Dave and Arnfinn! It was a spectacular trip!!