Canadian Rockies // The Wapta Traverse

Starting at Bow Pass and working it’s way down to Peyto Lake then to the Peyto Glacier and onto the Wapta Icefield. The Wapta Traverse winds its way through the Waputik Mountains, onto and across several glaciers such as Vulture, Balfour and Niles. All together the travers covers 30 miles of Canadian scenic beauty with about 8000ft of climbing. We considered doing it in a day but I was unaware of the Canadian’s propensity for generosity and was worried we wouldn’t be able to hitch a ride back to our car in the dark. So we spent a very uncomfortable night at the Duncan hut with nothing but our hopes and dreams to keep us warm. When we did reach the road we were instantly picked up and quickly got 2 rides back to our car. Canada is awesome.

[@rodneyanderson8741]

SPECTACULAR, in my opinion, "thee" best documented adventure in all the years that I have enjoyed watching Mediocre Amateur

[@JamieMiles_southmainmuse]

I thought the same.

[@itwasanewdayyesterday2586]

@@JamieMiles_southmainmuse was here to say the same, one of the best

[@bushtruck]

Stay outta Canada ya bums! We like our mountains quiet, not overrun like yours! And quit promoting unprepared traverses! Other than that great video, love ya guys!

[@stanhumphreys9282]

With all the garbage there is on YT these days, why don't these guys have a million subscribers? It's a crime.

[@nathanjthompson]

I was thinking the same thing. Great work guys!

[@Ramneek22]

Best channel on KZbin as always

[@risajackson564]

This video feels so realistic to me right now because the furnace in my house is broken and it is fifteen degrees outside.

[@spelunkerd]

I did the Wapta traverse almost 40 years ago. Interestingly there was very little standing water, no river crossings at the beginning, and I don't remember the ice cave, either. The mountain peaks were distinctive and memorable. Heavy snow covered everything and we stayed in a quick snow cave one night. The most concerning part was the telemark descent through the trees at the end, where fatigue and tricky snow made us all worry about falling. Thanks for the memories!

[@ContentsMayDiffer]

Zero visibility on a glacier is nothing compared to the sheer terror of the conversations you might have to endure if you end up in the wrong person's truck.

[@MikeWindsor]

Just catching up on some of your videos that I’ve missed and wow. The adventures you guys go on and the quality of your videos are unreal. Seriously my favorite channel on KZbin, and way better than anything on network tv. Thank you for sharing and for the continued inspiration. Keep on crushing it.

[@sashanorman7975]

You guys do not understand how lucky you were with the weather I know some who have been up 4-5 times for multi day trips and never saw any blue, well done

[@bFow]

Great video, and an awesome adventure. Very fun to see some of the traverse with better vis than when I did it. A note please though is the huts are unheated - other than Bow - and are meant to be wild sheltered and only as warm as the number of people in them warming them up. Using the propane is intended for cooking only - it is flown up to the hut. Also the propane will crank up the moisture in the hut. Please don't lead people astray with that description of warming the hut as much as you can with the cook stove.

[@cooperpayne]

Why? Who built them?

[@bFow]

@@cooperpayne built by volunteers with fundraised money by the Alpine Club of Canada. They have to fly with a helicopter that fuel up there to use with the cooking stoves. Propane isn't constantly resupplied. Also when you burn propane you get a molecule of H2O for every molecule of propane burnt, really gets the hut humid and gear will not dry well.

[@jimbauer10]

Love the new editing flair and the new music. As always the content itself is wonderful as well. Keep up the good work.

[@alex_prizzi]

Changing your mindset from intimidated to awe and appreciation is a powerful tool. Another great vid. I always love seeing what you guys are doing and adding it to my own list. Currently training for my own R2R2R bid. Hopefully I only puke half as much as Danny did.

[@joshf-o6696]

I know rim to rim is not uncommon, but I thought only masochistic Mediocre Amateurs do R2R2R (out and back). Hope it goes well. I'll be floating by Phantom Ranch in October and will have to stop in to get my lemonade and mail post cards.

[@AlexanderHalaszyn]

God, that was so hard to watch. The way he powered through that heat exhaustion was unreal. And kinda unsettling. Always inspiriting though.

[@lindsaynewell6319]

@@joshf-o6696 on the FB R2R2R group, there are multiple people doing it every week (maybe less in mid summer). I’ve been working up the courage - still feel undertrained but know that there will never be a perfect time so just have to pull the trigger and go do it, maybe in October/November.

[@alex_prizzi]

For me, it was about going with the right person. We're going to try to beat the heat by going in April. The main down side being that the north rim will still be closed. I'll try to film as much as I can after the wheels come off. Lol

[@alex_prizzi]

Just finished my video. We had pretty much perfect conditions on April 10. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aanNaKpsba6tgs0

[@nikorolfness1327]

keep up the awesome content you guys keep me hyped up to keep going out in the mountains and doing bigger and cooler things. Also, It's always great to sit down and watch one of your guys videos.

[@JamieMiles_southmainmuse]

I’m later to comment- but after watching a lot of mediocrity, this has to be your breakthrough video. Seriously, this was amazing and I know nothing of sking or navigating life-threatening cold. That was some of the most beautiful landscape, I’ve ever seen. When you are old - even older than myself-- you can look at this with your grandkids and say, “I was one crazy MotherF’er.” 😂

[@woweezowee334]

7:36 is such an incredible shot

[@KarlDeckerPresents]

Totally awesome! Great footage. . . but OMG be careful, it may not always work out. . . I narrowly escaped a "bad ending" recently and only foolhardy luck and rock climbing skill got me out alive. I'm backing off a bit. It did look like you guys were in control on this one but darkness in a white out doing glacier travel in new terrain, yikes. . . incredible job!

[@lindsaynewell6319]

This was definitely one of your most ‘on brand’ adventures and one of the most awesome. Great camera work and editing.💪🙏

[@Winsto25]

2:48 "we're gonna have to do some dangerous skiing through the trees" Thats like 90% of what the east coast backcountry looks like

[@christinerolle3876]

Wifey is very much happy now that you both are very much safe and alive. Thanks sharing this epic and spectacular video.1🥰😍🤩💯❤

[@alexadventures5620]

God bless the day that I came across this channel

[@abscooley4365]

Coming from a guy who is native to northeast Afghanistan which has tremendous Hindu Kush mountains, the entire Ice Fields Parkway drive is as good as it gets. From Mount Temple and Morraine Lake to Lake Louise and Bow Lake or the Athabasca Glacier, this is an amazing place, winter or summer.

[@sigean100]

Absolutely one of the best ever MA videos. Incredible scenery and videography. Wow.

[@michaelwilson5344]

Amazed ... at how little snow and ice are left up there ? Amazed - that you were so lucky with the weather. But it was snowing while you left Duncan hut ? Amazed at how little gear and food you guys carried. You pulled it off OK, by going very fast with light packs... But did you ever wish you could have stayed up there to enjoy the high scenery for a few more days ? Yrs ago, I was a grad student at U Calgary - I did part of that trip, using Norwegian wood skis, Swix ski wax, wool pants, Norwegian leather boots. That was before the era of plastic boots and climbing skins. We visited the old Bow Hut, Peyto Hut and Balfour Hut. There was so much more ice and snow... and lots of trail breaking. A snowstorm arrived, so we did Peyto to Bow Hut in a snow storm, by compass bearings. On a different route, J fell into a crevasse up to his armpits. Very scary. He was roped, and so I held him OK with my ice axe - but then what ? I only had a few ice screws, Gibbs ascenders and Prussics... On another route, Y almost fell through a snow bridge. the bridge collapse under the heels of his skis, while K and I fell down on the other side and dug our elbows into the snow. Very scary. My goggles were all frosted, couldn't see... K had packed a little pup tent - so we sat inside the tent, cooled down, calmed down, ate chocolate bars and waited for a lull in the blizzard. Crazy G had taken a CAC course on crevasse rescue ? He told us about being lowered down into a dripping wet crevasse and hanging there, swinging in his harness. waiting for hours, getting soaked by the drips, while the team figured out how to haul him up again. It helps to have lots of people and some pulleys and snow stakes ? I think you guys were very lucky.... But you took great risks... especially by not bringing enough food or sleeping bags to wait out a storm inside a hut or inside a snow cave ? \ Did you bring shovels and snow saws to make a cave or igloo ? You should watch Mountain Rescue Season One episode One for views of a deep crevasse near Mont Blanc.

[@spicee1000]

Now that you have completed the Wapta Traverse...have you learned what the name means?. Official Counter: Mediocre Amateur videos since Danny's last puke: 22! But there is hope on the horizon...spring running is coming. Now we just need the other Mediocrs to push Danny too hard...and maybe add in some cheap food to add to the equation.

[@admiralcapn]

Love those super-wide shots of your friend in the distance. Really gives a better scope of the topography when there's a human in the shot.

[@AndrewJonathanHill]

Hope you guys sent the Alpine Club some extra funds to cover all the gas you used because you weren’t properly equipped. Otherwise, this was up there with the best videos you’ve made.

[@arminm8186]

The mountaineers equivalent of cardboards - LOL, I love it 😜

[@seanclimb]

"I wonder what made those mounds!"... as he is standing in a glacial moraine...

[@zinger2967]

That ice cave was amazing! Hopefully you guys were able to go to Columbia Icefields during your time in the Rockies. It is the largest ice field in the Canadian Rockies and makes the Wapta seem small!

[@scottmccullough8030]

I remember going up that col in a whiteout. At least now I know what it looked like!

[@feelinghealingfrequences7179]

kinda bummed that there was no footage of the hitchhiking, missed out on stories with the drivers

[@jwhoward182]

My jaw hit the floor exiting the hut, in the dark, in a snowstorm, on a glacier. 19:19 - I'm thinking the camera lighting made it appear darker than it really was? Stay safe out here and be more than mediocre on safety. We need you, your families need you.

[@GotMountains]

You come to my home stomping grounds again and don't even say hi? Funny enough, I just posted a few videos from the Bow-Yoho Traverse that crosses the Wapta from east to west.

[@nathanrodriguez7080]

This was amazing! So inspiring and honestly thank you!!! It's just a joy to watch these adventures. Can't say thank you enough!

[@zarifmahfuz96]

Is it just me or does Danny lowkey give off Brad Pitt vibes?

[@nothankyou90]

Definitely one of the best adventures so far. Would be awesome to see you guys tackle something difficult in the northeast like Mount Katahdin in winter. Thanks for all the inspiration material!

[@granterickson7588]

Huge balls doing that without the gear to get you out of trouble if that happened.

[@roymeetsworld1]

WOW!!!! That ice-cave was incredible !!

[@russschwartz2046]

I wondered if anyone was going to comment on the misuse of the hut propane. Otherwise, nicely done.

[@pei-huayen-roy1047]

Thank you for this AMAZING adventure. The views are spectacular!! I will never be able to do anything like what you do, but it makes me happy to watch your videos.

[@ItaiGanor]

I love your videos!! amazing, the editing is great. and I got hyped every second in the video for the views and the remote place in the mountains, great job!!

[@johnshellenberg1383]

Done this traverse four times plus the Bow-Yoho plus shorter trips based out of the Bow Hut, and I have to say, your snow was "interesting" - lol.

[@ConquerYou]

Would you mind sharing what kind of baseball caps those are??

[@markjones3425]

Very nice to see the traverse and experience it again from newby's eyes..great video and ENERGY from you fellows, ....definitely your best mediocrity so far! Impressive effort ! Cheers!

[@solog116]

Even though this is only a few hours from my house (Edmonton) as I watch this...its a world away.

[@beautifulportland9592]

One of the Best Remote Wilderness Discovery Adventures on youtube . . . you really outdid yourself on this one . . . " A TRUE WILDERNESS CLASSIC" . . . .

[@robbie8825]

Dude this was absolutely rad! Well done and mad respect! I couldn’t even fathom what it must’ve been like to be there!

[@KevinSmith-wr1sy]

All your videos are unreal

[@joshgonzalez2885]

Best edited video by far. Some shots looked like out of interstellar

[@mountainssea9642]

I absolutely love this channel. Started with Kraig Adams. Found my way here. You guys are phenomenal.

[@adamk3591]

Always appreciate the commentary regarding risk assessment. Really helps fellow MAs

[@duncanbell315]

Glad you enjoyed my hut.

[@jddallager1699]

Hey Mediocre Amateurs! Terrific! One of your best! As a newbie to your kind of adventure, I couldn't help but wonder what your gear/clothing list for such a traverse was. Looks like lots of sweat potential and then freezing cold potential. Can you share your equipment/clothing lineup for this one please?

[@stihlnz]

New Zealand Mountain huts all have blankets ... sure you don't know what smelly climbers been wrapped in them but they are very welcome for fast and light people. (I'm neither now). Ski touring by proxy. Well done guy's

[@rickblodgett9133]

Hey Mediocre’s keep up The great adventures You inspired my cousin ‘s next Vacation This summer in Switzerland.

[@williampacey9194]

Beautiful area, a 77 year old man can only watch a great video. Damn beautiful!

[@AleksandarGospic]

Wow, fantastic adventure in mesmerizing scenery of Canadian Rockies! 😍😍Awesome video guys, that last sentence was perfect ending!

[@Naafun]

You guys smashed it. Great Vid! Love the Rockies!

[@manfredseidler1531]

I'm very optimistic but if I was with you guys, about halfway through your expedition, you would have to abandon me so you could save yourselves and I would just hope the end would come quickly.

[@kathrynmcewen2583]

thirty years of living and playing in the rockies. Not a joke being ill prepared. Ego will not help you.

[@bhe317]

Absolutely beautiful, one of my favorites from you guys! Excellent job on the production!

[@MarcLacasse]

Great job guys! Amazing scenery and vlog skills!

[@moose.caboose]

How are you carrying your bottles on your backpack shoulder strap @21:08 ? Is that something you made or bought?

[@amyfawkes6153]

I just saw your van at the end of the video. You didn't happen to be skiing to the Saskatchewan Glacier this past Sunday?

[@fiarandompenaltygeneratorm5044]

Great adventuring and filmmaking. A Mediocre Amateur Certified Classic.

[@whisperinthewoods5008]

Did you guys do any avalanche training for these types Of treks?

[@christianthompson7155]

These last two are definitely your best in the last year!

[@jessejb]

My other comment got deleted? How did you guys book a hut for one night? The ACC site only has packages.

[@davidfantle6721]

Spectacular and inspiring. Being in such environments and conditions is what I live for, but am able to do so far too rarely. Thanks for taking us along.

[@erikstevenson1690]

Really enjoyed your video. Are the caves at the start of peyto glacier? Just planning a touring ski trip this weekend to see if I can find them.

[@ski4life9]

That’s some mellow terrain to be calling it pretty dangerous 😂 the glacial travel is far more dangerous than the shitty tree skiing lol

[@ChrisMillerLite]

This was pretty badass being in the middle of nature at it's greatest

[@panksdmz]

Thanks for sharing your wonderful adventures and motivating the rest of us to push our limits! 👏👏👏🙏✌️

[@traviss8354]

Hats off to those friendly Canadians for giving you rides so quickly. The only time I've had to hitchhike back to my car was after doing a few days backpacking in the backcountry in Yellowstone. I took almost an hour and a half to get a ride and I was only going 15 miles.

[@farbeyonddriven8173]

Gonna need a ride in the Beartooths this summer. Hope for better luck!

[@TheVirtualSherpa]

I always laugh at these videos when I recognize the music from my own browsing of Epidemic. Great work as always guys

[@paxundpeace9970]

For those watching something like that the first time those are very experienced climbers that are used to travell very fast and with not plenty of gear.

[@turnnburn9008]

Truly truly amazing! nothing Mediocre bout this

[@skydetherfangirl]

what’s this about an avalanche? such a gloriously glamorous word for sure. Be careful! I love you danny💕

[@steelmacecontinuum8696]

Amazing video! Can you say something about gear you use to film?

[@gygantor360]

Danny what do you use for a GPS device? AP? This video rocked!

[@DrewNorthup]

Y'all are mildly nuts, but then again I crawl in holes in the ground for entertainment.

[@ConquerYou]

U guys are amazing.

[@manfredseidler1531]

Whatever you guys have is absolutely wonderful but at the same time there is no cure for it either... stay safe.

[@45coopaloop]

You guys are great! Keep coming up to Canada and doing these kinda adventures :)

[@alan4sure]

The secret to hitchhiking to your car? Leave all the stuff with one guy, the other guy walks some distance away from the guy with the stuff and hitches. Cars are more likely to pickup a person with no baggage. Then drive back to your buddy. Done it many times.

[@IdRatherBeHiking]

lol legend

[@sharktooth64]

Multiwaptauniverse...it's awesome..thanks.

[@2009buzybee]

Nice, thanks for sharing. I’m adding this to my list.

[@Zoomdak]

Incredible film! My friend an I took an unplanned trip to Canada last August but it was not nearly as epic or wild as this!

[@ludvigyttergren4928]

NOTHING mediocre about that!

[@tyoung9012]

Isn't it insanely dangerous to cross an icefield in the winter? I thought the snow hides crevasses

[@brandonmacmullin]

Wapta is awesome but it has nothing on Rogers Pass. Awesome video.

[@ChewieTomatoes1]

My Dad Bod needed this

[@degrootklyde6895]

Hilarious. NO SLIPPERS ?!!

[@ruggedland]

These guys know how to live. Epic adventure and views

[@adventureswithfrodo2721]

Nice, have fond memories of simular experiance.

[@devonbailiff]

So good - keep up the good work guys!

[@georgewade9748]

second vid I have seen of y'all.....I wanna go one time !

[@abrahambergen4256]

Are those rotefella xplore boots&bindings?

[@paralogregt]

Ski out to sherbrook lake on old leather teleboots and a large pack was scary.

[@christorealov9050]

9:52 left toe locked, right toe unlocked - intentional?

[@retobaumann5604]

Nice! What map software did you use at the start of the video?

[@adibblefilms]

What camera are you guys using for your videos?

[@gabbyvaladezz]

Hey! Love your stuff! What camera do you use?