 Location: The Waputik Icefield is the south end of the popular Wapta Icefield traverse. Both are part of the Waputik Mountains. The Waputik occupies just under 40 square kms and straddles the continental divide between Balfour Pass and Kicking Horse Pass about 20 km NW of Lake Louise. The boundary between it and the larger Wapta icefield is Balfour Pass. Meltwaters from the Waputik feed two river systems: the Bow on the Atlantic slope, and the Yoho/Kicking Horse on the Pacific slope. The eastern slope of the icefield is entirely within Banff National Park; the western slope is entirely within Yoho National Park. Mt. Balfour (3272 m), on the continental divide, 3.5 km S of Balfour Pass, is the highest point. The icefield is centered just south of Lilliput Mountain. The principal outlet glaciers and the watercourses that they feed are: Balfour Glacier (Balfour Creek, Hector Lake, and Bow River); Diableret Glacier (Waves Creek and Yoho River); Trolltinder Glacier (Yoho River); Fairy Glacier (Yoho River); Daly Glacier (Takakkaw Falls and Yoho River); Niles Glacier (Niles Creek, Sherbrooke Creek, Sherbrooke Lake, and Kicking Horse River); Bath Glacier (Bath Creek and Bow River); and Waputik Glacier (Bath Creek and Bow River).
KeyPasses: Balfour Pass, Kicking Horse Pass,
Terrain: The Waputik Icefield offers some fine day outings: Mt. Daly and Mt. Niles. But the big prize is Mt. Balfour, which is usually at least a three-day effort. The icefield is best known as a leg of a popular ski traverse which includes the adjoining Wapta Icefield, beginning at either Bow Lake or Peyto Lake. The most difficult ascent is that of Trolltinder Mountain. Most of the peaks on the icefield can be readily ascended in winter and spring, more so than in summer when crevasses and a receding accumulation zone complicate travel. Crevasse danger abounds in all seasons. Ski and plod in roped parties. The Waputik Icefield is decidedly less travelled than the Wapta Icefield. Most of the travel that does take place is associated with the two huts operated by the Alpine Club of Canada: Balfour Hut (UTM 374157, 51:51:35.5-116:27.3), and Scott Duncan Hut (UTM 416084, 51:31.7-116:24.1). These huts are open on an honesty policy, with the expectation that you book and pay for your use in advance. Although the huts attract people, helicopter traffic, and large guided groups, they do allow for creature comforts during prolonged sessions of the requisite whiteout-sitting. The hut system on the Wapta and Waputik icefields was expanded between 1988 and 1991, with the replacement of Bow Hut and Balfour Hut with much larger structures, and the addition of the Scott Duncan Hut. The rationale for the expansion (an increase in beds of over fifty percent) was not driven by any real need and...more
History: The quest for Mt. Balfour was pivotal in shifting early mountaineering interest north from Lake Louise. J.N. Collie was captivated by a view of the peak from the summit of Mt. Victoria, during its first ascent in August 1897. Most of Collie’s companions on the earlier first ascent of Mt. Lefroy, including Charles Fay of the Appalachian Mountain Club, then joined him on a trip north in the Bow Valley. They camped at Bow Lake and ascended Bow Glacier onto the Wapta Icefield, setting out for a peak that they thought was Mt. Balfour. It turned out to be what is now known as Mt. Gordon. The summit view showed them a possible route to Mt. Balfour. Three from that party, including Collie, made the first ascent of Mt. Jimmy Simpson on that outing. In 1898, there were two more attempts to reach Mt. Balfour. Charles Fay was back, this time approaching from Sherbrooke Lake. His party of three made the first steps on the Waputik Icefield, but were defeated on Mt. Balfour by inexperience, deteriorating weather, and the sheer distance of the attempt. As consolation prizes, they made the first ascents of Mt. Niles and of the unnamed peak southeast of Mt. Daly. C.L. Noyes, C.S. Thompson, and G.M. Weed of the Appalachian Mountain Club made the first ascent of Mt. Balfour on August 18, 1898. Their approach route was unlikely – along the Pipestone Valley to the Siffleur Valley; then across Dolomite Pass to the Bow Valley near Bow Lake; then south to camp at Hector Lake. The horse guide...more
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