After doing a short car shuttle to give us the option to ski out via Bow hut on day 3 we headed down to Peyto lake following an old track. The track went rolling up and down so we all ended up with skins on. We had to take our skis off to cross the Peyto glacier outlet creek.



Yes we took our skis off to cross the creek!

We stopped for lunch just below the moraine climb which did involve a short boot pack.



Boot packing section on the moraine approach to Peyto hut

On Peyto glacier I could not hit ice with my 2.5m probe - we did rope up though. At Peyto hut there was just a group of 4 young men starting the Wapta traverse so plenty of room in the hut. The evening sky cleared giving some good views.



Mount Habel (left) and Mount Baker (right)

Peyto peak

The following morning we had a leisurely start about 9:45 am and headed for Mount Habel.  As we approached the summit ridge we noted the large cornices on the ridge.



Ascending to summit ridge Mount Habel - note cornices!

We left our skis shortly after gaining the summit ridge and boot packed along the ridge to the "skier's summit" of Mount Habel.



Summit ridge Mount Habel peak just above person nearest the camera is the "skier's peak".

The more difficult summit further along the ridge we did not do. Dave M had done the more difficult summit on an earlier trip but felt there was much more rock to work with when he did it than what we saw.



Final summit of Mount Habel

None of us fancied the steep soft snow on this more difficult peak so back tracked down the ridge to a flatter spot for lunch. Though there was some cloud we could make out some peaks to the west: Collie, Ayesha etc. and it was warm and windless on the summit ridge. 



Lunch spot just below "skiers peak" of Mount Habel. L to R John, Barbara, David and Dave

I enjoyed the 700m ski down off the summit ridge though the snow had got heavier since the morning.



Deskinning on the Habel summit ridge for a nice long run back to the hut

The hut had two groups of two in addition to us for the second night so still plenty of room. A second game of Quiddler (sort of a Scrabble game with cards) - kindly packed in by Barb - was enjoyed by all the group. I learned a new word "vug"!

Friday morning we awoke to a bunch of "white" around the hut which would not make for great views on the Wapta if we went via Bow hut. After breakfast though it had cleared a bit so consensus was we should try the Bow hut exit. So compass and GPS in hand we headed out again around 9:45 am. We were able to follow a track made by two girls who had left the hut earlier than us heading to Balfour hut. Once we got to the Wapta névé the sky started to clear and navigation was no longer a concern. Great views across the Wapta!



From left to right: Saint Nicholas, Olive, Vulture and Gordon

Often the ski down to Bow hut can be very good - not too bad / not too great this day - the heavy snow made turns hard work especially for the tele skier in the group. After a leisurely lunch at Bow hut we headed down. The immediate steep descent just below Bow hut was challenging skiing in the heavy snow for all of us except Dave B. Dave made the turns look easy (semi jump turns with an overnight pack- elegant!!). Lower down on the descent the snow improved and we could side slip which had not been possible on the steep bit below the hut. I think the first of the group were back at the car just after 4:00 pm.

Though the weather was a bit in and out over the 3 days it was a great group that joined me in making the "skiers peak" of Mount Habel. Thanks to the group who made a great decision to ski out via Bow hut even though we were pretty "white" at Peyto.

Thanks very much to participants: David,Barbara, Dave and Ulli for joining me from John.