The stunning Bow-Yoho traverse, running from Bow Lake to the Yoho Valley, has lived in the shadow of its neighbor—the famous Wapta Traverse—for years. However, it has recently started catching up to the competition, thanks in great part to the addition of the Richard and Louise Guy Hut, by far the most deluxe hut in the area. Some of British Columbia’s most scenic peaks—which were previously reachable only through days of walking or high camping—are now more accessible than ever before! The Yoho and des Poilus glaciers abound with ski traversal and powder hunting opportunities, and the cozy huts add a level of sophistication and comfiness to the rough Canadian backcountry. You even get the opportunity to ski in a storm—what’s not to love!
An awesome trip with a great, conscientious, and professional guide. Definitely felt that Tom listened to the whole crew and took our collective objectives, safety, weather, snow conditions, and skillsets to get the maximum we could have out of our Bow-Yoho traverse over New Year 2018. Super fun trip and lots of hilarious and educational stories and experiences Tom shared with us. And Eric was great in lending a hand where needed and carrying a ton of weight too. Would definitely recommend both Tom and Eric for any high adventure trips and any furthering of backcountry education. Not only do they really know their craft, but they also present their knowledge in a smooth and easy way for all to understand and learn from. Great guides, great guys. All five stars for sure!
Tom Wolfe guided our group across the Bow-Yoho Traverse, and I can confidently say he is the best guide for the job. Despite the inclement weather and touchy terrain in our tour, I knew Tom was constantly assessing and minimizing risk for our group, and that our safety was at the forefront. He’s also a great person and our group enjoyed sharing stories and blasting through plenty of untouched powder on our tour. Overall 10/10 for Tom and the crew at Sawback Alpine Adventures, I’d highly recommend him to my friends, family, or anyone looking for a fantastic guide.
We had two amazing ski trips with Tom Wolfe of Sawback Alpine Adventures last winter – one on the Bow-Yoho Traverse where we spent a week crossing the ice fields and exploring the nearby glaciers and peaks and a second at Valhalla Mountain Touring where we skied epic powder every day for a week. I would highly recommend Sawback Alpine Adventures and am looking forward to next year’s ski trip with Tom!
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in the Canadian Rockies, please refer to British Columbia’s Travel and COVID-19 website.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
What you get in this adventure:
What’s not included:
To enjoy this backcountry adventure, you need to be in excellent physical shape. You will be on your feet for 5-7 hours a day for 6 full days, covering 6-10 miles (10-15km) of terrain every day. Hut elevations are approximately 7,200ft (2,200m), with 2,300ft (700m) vertical, and you will be doing your hut-to-hut traverse carrying up to 45lbs (20kg) of equipment. You will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on challenging blue or black-level resort runs and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain.
To participate in this tour, you need to have previous powder skiing and ski mountaineering experience. You will be skiing, touring, and summiting on glaciated terrain for 5-7 hours every day. Your guide will take care of the planning, oversee your technique, and teach you how to better manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training necessary to keep you safe.
For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:
If you plan on using alternate touring systems such as telemark skis, frame-style AT bindings, or splitboards, please contact your guide in advance.
Ski rental locations are in Field, Lake Louise, and Banff and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.
Group sizes:
Ski touring in the Bow-Yoho Traverse can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has ski tourers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to Field, BC, the starting point of your tour, most people fly into Calgary International Airport 2,5 hours away. From there, you can take a bus straight to Field, take a bus to Lake Louise and a shuttle to Field, or rent a car and drive there.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, whether that’s at the Truffle Pigs Bistro & Lodge in Field, BC, or a predetermined location. From there, you’ll head to your tour. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ski ability of the group.
Cancel within 48 hours of booking your trip for free, no questions asked. If you need to change your plans up to 31 days ahead of your scheduled adventure, we offer a full refund on most trips. Within 31 days we offer free date changes or the option to convert your booking to credit to use on any 57hours adventure at a later date.
An awesome trip with a great, conscientious, and professional guide. Definitely felt that Tom listened to the whole crew and took our collective objectives, safety, weather, snow conditions, and skillsets to get the maximum we could have out of our Bow-Yoho traverse over New Year 2018. Super fun trip and lots of hilarious and educational stories and experiences Tom shared with us. And Eric was great in lending a hand where needed and carrying a ton of weight too. Would definitely recommend both Tom and Eric for any high adventure trips and any furthering of backcountry education. Not only do they really know their craft, but they also present their knowledge in a smooth and easy way for all to understand and learn from. Great guides, great guys. All five stars for sure!