The Icefall Traverse is one of the only hut to hut traverses in Canada. It starts via helicopter out of Donald, BC and finishes at the Rostrum cabin or Icefall Brook with a helicopter pick up. Icefall Lodge is running this as a seven day six night trip and five nights at different huts.Attachment 431956
Attachment 431957The Mons HutThe backcountry ski traverse travels through some rowdy glaciated terrain with options to ski off of some big peaks of conditions align. However if they don’t, you’ll be faced with big, glaciated alpine terrain in whiteout conditions. Attachment 431958
Nearing the summit of Mons Peak.I did two rounds of the Icefall Traverse this spring and the weather gods weren’t totally aligned with my traverse plans. On both occasions, elevated freezing levels, precipitation and moderate winds (Aka high avalanche hazard) kept my group from being able to move through the high col on the Lyell Peaks and descend the Wild West Glacier to the Alexandra cabin.Attachment 431961
The Mons Ice Cave has grown significantly in the past 11 years. In 2011, it was just a small opening on the side of the icefield. Glacial recession is happening quickly in the Canadian Rockies.Attachment 431959Attachment 431960
Above, the Lyell Icefield and Lyell hut after the storm passed.
The Lyell hut on the shoulder of the Lyell Peaks. This is looking west towards the Crampon Col, the route we took to Icefall lodge
.Attachment 431964Attachment 431965After the storm passed, Crampon Col was our safest option to get to Icefall lodge. It still meant putting a wallowing bootpack in 70cm of fresh storm snow up a steep slope. Careful group management was exercised and we travelled safely through the terrain. Managing avalanche hazard on belay in Crampon Col was the move of choice, as the new snow sitting on the buried crust was touchy.
Attachment 431966 Heading to the summit of Mt. Kemmel.
A break in the weather made for nice day on the summit of Mt. Kemmel.Attachment 431967 Looking down the run off Mt. Kemmel towards the Rostrum cabin.
Attachment 431969 Touring through the séracs on the Diamond Glacier. Attachment 431970 The ride down.
Attachment 431971 Another lap on the Diamond Glacier.
We we’re able to sample some of the sport skiing around Icefall Lodge on the second round of the Icefall Traverse, here’s one of the rappel accessed Espresso Shots and some of the other lines into Lyell Creek.Attachment 431975Attachment 431976Attachment 431977
The second lap on the traverse was during the first week of May, which is generally prime time for the Canadian Rockies. We skied out from Icefall Lodge and down Lyell Creek where a staff member from Icefall lodge met us on a logging road. Some trips finish with a heli pick up in Icefall Brook, but skiing out a massively remote valley deep in the Rockies felt like a more fitting way to end a traverse. We were out the door by six am to make use of a good overnight freeze and to minimize the exposure to the overhead hazard on our way out. The scale of the Rockies is always sobering and demands respect.
Attachment 431979Attachment 431981Attachment 431982
Spring Traverses and basecamps are two of my favourite ways to enjoy the mountains in the spring.
