Bow Hut Expedition Part 1: Going Beyond Skiing in Lake Louise with a Guide

¡Hello everyone! I am Ernesto Lozano, Director and Founder of Dare and Explore.

If you’ve read my previous posts, you know I am a family man—a husband and father of 6 children—and a passionate outdoorsman. I have spent over 15 years traversing every corner of the Canadian Rockies. I hold certifications such as Avalanche Safety Training, Wilderness First Aid, Ski Instructor, and Lead Climber. My days off are usually spent rock climbing, mountain biking, or hiking. But there is one activity that holds a very special place in my heart: Backcountry Skiing (Ski Touring).

At Dare and Explore, our company based in Calgary, Alberta, we dedicate ourselves to creating custom-made experiences. We love taking our clients to visit iconic spots, planning adventures ranging from 4 to 17 days, and looking after every single detail. However, there is a select group of adventurers who ask us for something more. Adventurers who, after enjoying a traditional day of skiing in Lake Louise with a guide, look at us and ask: "Ernesto, what lies behind those peaks?"

Today, I want to start a three-part series to tell you about one of our most cherished annual traditions: The Bow Hut Expedition.

This is not your average tourist outing. It is a total immersion into the infinite white, where civilization fades away, leaving only us, the mountain, and our skis.

What is a "Hut" and Why Do We Travel There?

To understand the magnitude of this adventure, we must first talk about alpine refuges, known here simply as Huts.

The Canadian Rockies are dotted with these remote cabins, mostly operated by the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC). They are not hotels. They are mountain sanctuaries located in places so inaccessible that there are no roads, no power lines, and no cell phone signal. To reach them, you have to earn it: by hiking, skiing, horseback riding, or, in very specific and expensive cases, by helicopter.

Visiting a Hut means disconnecting from the world to reconnect with the essential. It means trading the noise of the city for the whistling of the wind and the crunch of snow beneath your boots.

The Jewel of the Wapta Icefield: The Bow Hut

The Bow Hut is perhaps the most strategic refuge for accessing the Wapta Icefield, one of the largest and most studied icefields in the Rockies.

• Location: It is situated on the eastern edge of the icefield, just above Bow Lake, at an altitude of 2,350 meters (7,710 feet) above sea level.

• The Refuge: Unlike the rustic wooden cabins of old, the current Bow Hut is a modern structure, rebuilt some years ago. It is constructed with prefabricated panels designed to withstand hurricane-force winds and intense heavy snowfall in the high alpine.

The Hut is divided into three key zones that become our home:

1. The Common Area (Kitchen and Dining): This is the heart of the refuge. It features huge windows offering spectacular views of the surrounding glaciers and peaks. It is equipped with propane stoves for cooking, basic sinks for washing dishes (using melted snow water), and hanging racks to dry our damp clothes. In the center, a wood-burning stove keeps the place warm and cozy.

2. The Dormitories: These can accommodate about 30 guests in communal bunks with foam mattresses. There is also a wood stove here, very efficient, but it has a slight "flaw": the wood burns out in the middle of the night. This means the temperature drops drastically by early morning. That’s why a high-quality sleeping bag is not a luxury; it is a vital necessity.

3. The Bathroom (The Outhouse): Located outside the main structure. It has no heating. Going to the bathroom at midnight, with temperatures at -20°C and the wind blowing, is an adventure in itself that requires courage and speed.

The Preparation: The Key to Success in the Backcountry

We undertake this adventure religiously every January. It is deep winter; the days are short, and the cold is intense. Unlike a ski resort day where you can duck into the cafeteria if you get cold, here we depend 100% on what we carry on our backs.

Planning begins weeks in advance. Booking a spot at the Bow Hut is an odyssey; it is so popular that it fills up months ahead. Once the spots are secured, we move on to gear logistics.

What’s in the Pack?

The backpack must be at least 50 liters. We carry our lives inside it. Since we don't need a tent or portable stove for this trip (because the Hut provides them), we can afford to carry a bit more rich food ("luxury weight"), but even so, every gram counts.

1. Sleeping System: A down sleeping bag, specific for backcountry use. It must be able to compress to the size of a football but expand to withstand comfort temperatures of -9°C to -15°C.

2. Technical Clothing and Layers: The golden rule in the mountains: "Cotton kills." We use merino wool or synthetics. We bring several changes because, inevitably, we will sweat on the way up and get wet from the snow. Having dry clothes to wear inside the hut (and comfortable shoes like Crocs or down booties) is pure bliss upon arrival.

3. Hygiene: The basics. Toothbrush, toothpaste (travel size), biodegradable soap, and toilet paper (never assume there will be any at the refuge).

4. Strategic Nutrition:

   • Day 1 Lunch: Hearty sandwiches with cold cuts (ham, salami) and cheese. Something quick to eat with gloves on.

   • Dinners and Breakfasts: Dehydrated food (Mountain House or similar) is the norm because it is light. But as I mentioned, sometimes we treat ourselves by hauling up real eggs, bacon, or steaks for the first night. Nothing tastes better than a good cut of meat at 2,300 meters.

   • Trail Snacks: Granola bars, chocolate, energy gels, and nuts. We need constant calories.

The Ski Gear (Our Transport)

We don't use regular skis. We use Touring or Backcountry gear:

• Skis and Bindings: The bindings allow us to free the heel for walking (like cross-country skiing) and lock it down for descending (like alpine skiing).

• The Skins: This is the magic element. These are strips of synthetic fabric (formerly seal skin, hence the name) that stick to the base of the skis. They have directional hairs that allow the ski to glide forward but "grip" the snow to prevent sliding backward. Without them, climbing would be impossible.

• Safety: Beacon (Avalanche Transceiver), Shovel, and Probe. These are mandatory, and we must all know how to use them.

The Expedition Team: Friends and Experts

At Dare and Explore, we believe the company makes the journey. On this occasion, the team was made up of incredible people:

• Max: A fundamental part of the Dare and Explore staff. At just 21 years old, he studies psychology at the University of Calgary. He is a ski, rock climbing, and MTB instructor. His youth brings inexhaustible energy, and his background in psychology makes him a natural leader, always attentive to the group's mood.

• Zack: A fellow student of Max, a future engineer. Zack is a passionate rock climber with whom I have shared many vertical walls. Although he is new to the world of backcountry, his engineering mindset and adventurous spirit make him a solid and calculating companion.

• Shawn: A veteran of a thousand battles. We have shared countless adventures in mountain biking, climbing, and skiing. Shawn has that quiet endurance of someone who knows that, step by step, you can get anywhere.

The Journey: 8 Kilometers to the Sky

We leave Calgary very early, under the dark cloak of the winter morning. The drive takes about 2 hours along the Icefields Parkway, considered one of the most beautiful highways in the world.

We arrive at the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge parking lot at Bow Lake. Stepping out of the car, the cold air hits our faces: -15°C. It’s that dry cold that wakes you up immediately. In the distance, imposing, we see the mountains awaiting us: "The Onion" and "St. Nicholas Peak."

The Start: Crossing Bow Lake

We finish adjusting backpacks, stick the skins to the skis, and check the avalanche transceivers. The first stretch is flat. We cross the frozen, snow-covered Bow Lake. It is a moment of meditation. The rhythmic sound of skis gliding (swish, swish) is hypnotic. This is where you start to adjust body temperature: we unzip the vents on our jackets and pants. The rookie mistake is to dress too warmly at the start and sweat; sweat is your enemy in the cold.

The Canyon and the Forest

After a few kilometers, we leave the lake and enter the canyon of the creek that feeds the lake. Here, the technique changes. Walking with skis on over a semi-frozen creek requires attention. The terrain steepens. We enter the forest. The path becomes narrow, winding between snow-laden pines. Here, my guide's mind is always thinking about the return: "This section will be fast and technical on the way down," I think, visualizing how we will control speed between the trees with heavy packs in a couple of days.

An important tip we learned the hard way: In summer, we use Camelbaks (water bladders with a hose). In winter, never. At -15°C, the water in the hose freezes in minutes, leaving you without hydration. On these expeditions, we carry wide-mouth bottles (like Nalgene) stored inside the backpack, sometimes wrapped in a wool sock for insulation.

The Physical Challenge and Nightfall

We pass midday. The forest is left behind, and we enter the alpine zone, a white desert of rocks and snow. In the distance, we spot the refuge, a tiny dot in the vastness. It looks close, but in the mountains, distances are deceiving.

We stop for lunch. We eat quickly so as not to get cold. The body demands calories.

We arrive at the base of the last great ascent: the "Headwall." It is a steep slope separating the valley from the plateau where the refuge sits. Climbing it in a straight line is impossible. Here we apply the "Zig-Zag" technique and the famous "Kick turns". Imagine having to turn 180 degrees on a steep slope, with long skis on your feet and a 15-kilo backpack on your back, without losing your balance. It is a movement that requires practice and patience. If a ski pops off (a common occurrence), retrieving it and putting it back on consumes valuable energy and a lot of time.

And speaking of time... in winter, the sun is a fleeting visitor. It rises at 8:30 AM and sets at 4:30 PM. Darkness catches us halfway up the final climb. We turn on the headlamps. The world is reduced to the beam of light in front of your skis. Breathing sounds loud. The cold bites. It is a moment of mental struggle: "Just 500 meters more. One step at a time."

The Reward: The Warmth of Home at Altitude

Finally, the dark silhouette of the Bow Hut looms large. We have arrived. The feeling of taking off the heavy backpack and, above all, removing rigid ski boots to put on soft footwear, is indescribable. It is pure happiness.

Upon entering, we are greeted by the heat of the wood stove and the smell of coffee from other adventurers who arrived earlier. The atmosphere in the Huts is unique. No matter where you come from, we all share the same achievement of having made it here. There is instant camaraderie.

We hang all our clothes, skins, and gloves above the stove so they are dry for tomorrow. We prepare dinner—that night we dined like kings—and sit with a cup of hot coffee in our hands to chat. We review the day, laugh about the falls, analyze the map for tomorrow's route, and listen to the stories of the other guests.

The wind howls outside, battering the windows, but inside we are safe and warm. We go to the dormitories, crawl into our sleeping bags, and close our eyes. Tomorrow, the glacier awaits. Tomorrow, we climb where only eagles dare.

But that... that is a story for the next blog.

Dare to Explore?

At Dare and Explore, we understand that not everyone seeks to sleep in a remote cabin, and that is fine. If your dream is to have the best skiing in Lake Louise with a guide, discover the family-friendly slopes of Nakiska, search for the perfect snow at Sunshine Village, or feel the extreme adrenaline at Kicking Horse, we make it happen with the same level of detail, safety, and passion.

But if reading this gave you butterflies in your stomach and you want to try the backcountry, contact us. We have the experience and the gear to guide you every step of the way.

Don't miss Part 2 of this series, where I will tell you what it's like to ski on an ancient glacier and reach the summit of "The Onion."

See you on the mountain!

Ernesto Lozano Director, Dare and Explore

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