Icefall Traverse

A 6 day alpine traverse in the remote wilderness of the Canadian Rockies. This hiking tour does a grand high level traverse above Icefall Brook, crossing several glaciers on the way. The scenery is dramatic and varied; everything from tumbling glaciers and vast ice fields, to wildflowers, old growth forests and clear rushing streams. This tour is designed for hikers with no previous mountaineering experience. A local guide will provide the knowledge and experience necessary to safely traverse the glaciers.

Dates: June- September

Price: $1200 , plus 5% GST

Meeting Place: Golden, BC

Included:

  • Guiding
  • Dinner and breakfast
  • Lodge accommodation (4 nights)
  • Group camping equipment; tent, stove(1 night)
  • Technical equipment; ice axe, harness, crampons

Not Included:

  • Transportation
  • Personal camping equipment; sleeping bag, sleeping pad
  • Trip or rescue insurance
  • Lunches and snacks

    Requirements:

    Reasonable physical fitness, no mountaineering or climbing experience required. This trip is designed for hikers wishing to experience glacier travel without getting involved in exposed, technical climbing. Previous hiking experience is helpful. Some sections involve walking on rough rocky ground above tree line. You will be carrying a pack that will weigh as much as 20 kg (45 pounds) on traverse days.

    Itenerary:

    Day 1: Meet in Golden, go over equipment and drive to Icefall Brook. Bear, moose, deer and elk are often viewed on the drive in. From the parking area, you will catch glimpses of Icefall Canyon with its many waterfalls. Hike 4 km to camp in Rostrum Valley; 1860m (6100ft), with 700m (2300ft) elevation gain. This camp has a backdrop of tumbling glaciers, it will be base camp for 2 nights.

    Day 2: This will be a traverse day, traveling over Ice Pass to Icefall Lodge. Your guide will show you basic technique for traveling on the glacier and ice axe use. From the glacier covered summit of Ice Pass (2550m, 8350ft) you be treated to a view of Kemmel Valley, base for the next 2 days. The glacier is relatively flat with few crevasses, but still requires a rope. Descend to Icefall Lodge and be treated to the sauna and showers. 6 km with 680m(2250ft) elevation gain.

    Day 3: Day trip based from the lodge. There are many options for this day depending on the interest and energy of the group. Possible objectives include the long scenic Espresso Ridge, or the Portal, which gives glimpses of the huge steep north face of Mount Kemmel. Closer to the lodge are alpine meadows with wildflowers.

    Day 4: Another traverse day to the Lyell Hut. Sitting at 2900m (9400'), this is one of the highest huts in Canada and offers superb sunset views of Mt Forbes right out the front window. This is a big day which involves crossing the massive Lyell Glacier. An early start will be required in order to cross the glacier before the snow becomes too soft. From the lodge, the trail climbs past the toe of La Clytte Glacier to the high point of Tivoli Shoulder (2650m, 8700ft). This high point gives a panorama of Mons Peak, Mount Forbes and the 5 Lyell Peaks. From here the small Tivoli Glacier is traversed, and then the much larger Lyell Glacier. This involves over 2 km of glacier travel. Although it is relatively flat, you will pass by large crevasses. The Lyell Glacier covers over 30 square km, you will be traversing this vast seas of ice. 9 km with 900m(3000ft) elevation gain.

    Day 5: This day you will be able to high up the gently glacier to the Continantal Divide. This is the border between BC and Alberta and also the border to Banff National Park. There are several gentel summits over 300m (10,000') that offer great panoramas. For the more ambitious, it is possible to ascend Christian Peak, the 5th Lyell Peak. At 3,398m (11,150'), it is on of the highest peaks in the Canadian Rockies.

  • Day 6: Hike out to the road. From the Lyell Hut, you descend the glacier and traverse above Icefall Canyon, which features dozens of glacier fed waterfall cascading over the cliffs, up to 450m (1500ft) high. Some people consider this the most spectacular day of the traverse. If time and energy permits, you can hike up the bottom of Icefall Canyon. Feel the thunder and mist at the base of the many waterfalls.

  • Note: Shorter variations of this traverse can be arranged for groups. Please enquire.