The Icefall Traverse
Location - Icefall Traverse
The Icefall Traverse is on the West slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Canada, centered around Icefall Lodge. It is known for it's big peaks, wild glaciers and long runs.
Prerequisites - Icefall Traverse
- Strong ski/snowboard skills to manage navigating crevasses and 40° slopes in all conditions including breakable or melt freeze crusts.
- Good fitness to skin up to 1500m/day (required from the Alexandra Cabin to Icefall Lodge)
- Can do kick-turns while skinning up and skiing down (or hop turns on a snowboard).
Guides - Icefall Traverse
Alex Geary and/or Madeleine Martin-Preney
Itinerary - Icefall Traverse
Note: This is a sample itinerary below that will probably change based on conditions and group ability/desires.
Day 1: Meet in the morning in Donald, BC (near Golden), pack lunches for the first 4 days, fly to the Mons Hut, avalanche rescue practice, then ski Mons Peak back to the Mons Hut.
Day 2: Climb Division Peak, ski to the rim of the Icefall Canyon, then skin up the Lyell Icefield to the Lyell Hut.
Day 3: Climb Christian Peak, ski through Probe Pass, climb to Ernest Peak, then ski 2300m vertical down the Wild West Glacier to the Alexandra Cabin.
Day 4: Ski down Lyell Creek, climb up to The Portal, then ski down to Icefall Lodge.
Day 5: Day tour from Icefall Lodge such as Vitamin P or La Clytte Mountain.
Day 6: Climb Mt Kemmel and ski to the Rostrum Cabin.
Day 7: With two guides and suitable conditions, we can attempt to climb Icefall Peak, then ski 2100m vertical down to Icefall Brook to get picked up by the helicopter and fly back to Donald.
Icefall Traverse Dates
Group bookings on request (April only)
6 nights with 8 guests and 2 guides (4:1)
Usually needs to be booked 1-2 years in advance
Please make sure you have read through the booking conditions before making a payment. This includes completing the Waiver and Registration Form.
E-Transfer to gearysguiding@gmail.com is the preferred method of payment. Please contact us for alternate payment methods.
Included
- Accomodation and food for 6 nights
- Return Helicopter flight from Donald, BC
- 4:1 guiding ratio with ACMG Ski/Mountain Guides
Excluded
- Travel to Donald from Revelstoke/Golden, BC
- Front Country Accommodation (eg. Revelstoke/Golden)
- Extra expenses that may be incurred due to dietary requirements
- Heli bumps during the traverse
Equipment - Icefall Traverse
- Shovel
- Probe
- Transceiver (3-antenna)
- Ski Touring Skis or Splitboard with hard boots
- Skins
- Personal repair kit specific to your equipment
- Ski touring boots or hard boots for snowboarding
- Ski poles
- Headlamp
- Goggles
- Sunglasses
- Personal first aid supplies (eg. blisters)
- Toque
- Minimum 1L water bottle or Thermos
- Gore-tex (or equivalent) jacket
- Gore-tex (or equivalent) pants
- Puffy jacket
- Warm layers for upper and lower body adequate for below freezing temperatures and wind
- Thick gloves
- Spare gloves
- Lightweight harness
- 2 locking carabiners
- 40L backpack
- Ski crampons
- Lightweight boot crampons
- Ice axe
- Skin wax
- Sleeping Sheet (silk is lightest)
- Lunch bag
