Wapta conditions - Bow glacier area

Conditions report

ACMG Guide · Jul 3, 2022 · West Side 93N

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Conditions report

Location
Wapta - Bow to Peyto

I spent the last 3 days on a Wapta trip from Bow to Peyto area. As noted from previous reports there are still a fair amount of snow. That being said, we noticed the snowpack starting to shift toward a more homogenous form and resembling more and more like what one would find in the summer time. Despite a higher freezing level than our location, we encountered good snow travel throughout the day. The main summits around Bow hut are being frequently climbed and most parties report easy travel on the glacier.
Around the Peyto area, the main peaks seem to have significantly more snow. We witnessed several loose wet avalanches (South-South East aspect) but nothing bigger than a size 1 and only in the much steeper terrain.
The highlight of the trip was coming off Peyto glacier onto the moraine. The glacier has receded dramatically and options are now limited. Other parties have used a patch of snow on the skiers left side of the glacier that seem to offer a safe alternative at the moment, but this snow is melting very fast and could compromise that option. Otherwise, we opted to traverse a bit lower on the glacier but this option is also temporary as the cave/tunnel underneath is threatening this exit point.