Dist: 24km. Elevation gain: 1280m. Elevation loss: 1280m. Max elevation 3203m.
We were quite happy with the fact we managed our backwards traverse of the Wapta. But as we drove home again, we realised the one thing that bothered us was that we never managed to get to the top of any mountains. So one week on, the original Wapta Icefields Reverse Traverse team re-assembled once more to make an ascent of Mount Gordon.
As we were getting things together in the carpark we were astounded at how many other people were tumbling out of cars and skiing out across Bow Lake. There were hoards! It wasn’t even the weekend!
We were chatting to the group parked next to us when our suspicions began to be raised. It was Amy who asked them.
“Would you be the Gay Christian Telemark Association by any chance?”
And they were! We had met the Gay Christian Telemark Association! They were heading up to Peyto Hut for their annual pilgrimage (and they let us know that they weren’t gay or christians, “You’re not are you?” they inquired).
So we fought our way through the hoards and started the ascent to Bow Hut, which was all fairly straightforward. Once we reached the hut we stopped for a snack, and then headed on up. We were realising how lucky we’d been with the weather on our traverse. Today there was a horribly cold wind, the view was largely obscured by drifting clouds and mistiness, and as we got out onto the glacier we were being constantly attacked by the gritty wind. So we slogged on and on and up.
We finally curved around the enormous rock and up to the summit of Mount Gordon. The wind continued to be cold and throw snow at us, and the drifting whiteness let us catch only glimpses of what we could tell should have been an awesome view. Oh well.
So we skiied down and down on the horribly wind-affected snow. Then down onto slushier snow, and a high speed zoom through the packed snow in the canyon, and a final skate out across Bow Lake.
And then there was hot chocolate – ridiculously delicious hot chocolate – from the Num Ti Jah Lodge, as we rested on chairs made out of antlers.
One reply on “wapta icefields: the return to mount gordon”
what incredibly bold and adventurous explorers you are.reminds one of winter holiday.