Braving the Storm: Conquering "The Onion" and the Magic of the Backcountry at Bow Hut (Part 2)

By Ernesto Lozano Director & Founder, Dare and Explore

Hello again, friends and adventurers! It’s Ernesto Lozano here. If you read the first part of this blog series, you’ll remember I left you at a critical moment: absolute exhaustion. The approach to Bow Hut is no joke, and hauling our gear up there left us completely drained of energy.

For those just joining this story, let me give you a quick intro. I have been passionate about these mountains for over 15 years, living here in the beautiful Canadian Rockies with my wife and my 6 children (yes, six—there is never a dull moment in our house!). At Dare and Explore, our Calgary-based company, this is what we do: we take you by the hand and lead you to experience the "real Canada," whether that’s a peaceful hike by a turquoise lake or, like in this story, chasing the perfect line in untouched snow.

Today, I want to tell you about Day 2 of our annual trip to Bow Hut. A day that dawned with the weather against us, but our spirits high.

Waking Up at Altitude: Between the Wood Stove and the Glacial Chill

Sleeping in an alpine hut is a fascinating sociological experience. As I mentioned in the first blog, the Bow Hut dormitory sleeps about 30 people, and that night we were almost at capacity. It’s a curious mix of forced intimacy and mutual respect.

When we went to sleep, the wood stove was roaring. At first, I was actually too hot; however, in the high alpine, thermal insulation is a constant battle. As the early morning approached and the fire died down, the cold from the glaciers began to seep through the walls. I woke up, burrowed deeper into my sleeping bag, and tried to ignore the symphony of snores and shifting gear from the other 25 mountaineers.

Despite the exhaustion from the previous day and the usual noise of a full hut, I didn't sleep in too late. My biological clock (and perhaps the habit of waking up early to organize 6 kids or prep tours for clients) had my eyes open at 7:00 AM.

I lay there for a while, listening to the wind howling outside. That sound is unmistakable; it tells you everything you need to know about the day without even looking out the window. Finally, the desire for hot coffee was stronger than the comfort of the sleeping bag. I got up quietly, trying not to wake Max and Zach, and headed to the common area.

The Morning Ritual and the Plan

Shawn didn't take long to join me. There is nothing like that first coffee of the morning in the middle of nowhere, holding a steaming mug while watching through frosted glass as the snow piles up outside.

"Ernesto, the weather doesn't look great," Shawn said, looking out into the infinite whiteness.

He was right. The forecast for day two was overcast, with temperatures hovering around -18°C and constant snowfall. For a resort skier, this might be a day to stay at the hotel drinking hot chocolate. But in the backcountry, if safety conditions allow, these are the days that gift you the best snow.

After us, three more groups arrived at the hut. We were at maximum capacity. Bow Hut is strategic because it serves as the base for the famous Wapta Traverse, a legendary 4 to 5-day journey crossing icefields and glaciers. Many of the people eating breakfast with us were packing their bags to continue that long trek.

We, however, had a different plan. We decided to take it a bit easier. Max and Zach woke up a little later, and amidst laughter and the smell of mountain breakfast, we defined our goal: to summit "The Onion."

The Technical Decision: Why "The Onion" and Not the Glacier?

This is where the experience and certifications I always tell my clients about come into play. I hold certifications in Avalanche Safety Training and Wilderness First Aid, and if I've learned one thing in these 15 years, it's that you must respect the mountain.

Bow Hut is situated right on the edge of the glaciers. It is majestic terrain, but treacherous. Glaciers have crevasses that, on a day like this with fresh snow and poor visibility, can be covered by very fragile snow bridges. To the naked eye, it looks like a harmless white field, but a wrong step can be fatal.

To enter that terrain safely, we would need harnesses, ropes, and crevasse rescue gear, plus decent visibility to navigate. On this trip, we were traveling light and didn't carry the full glacier kit.

That’s why we chose "The Onion." It is the mountain closest to the hut, and its ascent route, while steep and challenging, allowed us to avoid the complex crevasse zones of the main glacier. Sometimes, the best adventure isn't the furthest one, but the one you take with smart decisions.

It’s very similar to when clients ask me for an extreme adventure in Kicking Horse. Kicking Horse is famous for its vertical and aggressive terrain, and I always tell them: "It's incredible, but it requires the right preparation." Well, here at Bow Hut, "right preparation" meant recognizing our gear limits that day and opting for a safe but spectacular route. Just as we suggest the best runs for an extreme adventure in Kicking Horse, here we suggest technical prudence to enjoy the experience to the max without unnecessary risks.

Facing the Whiteout: The Ascent at -20°C

We left the hut a bit later than usual, taking advantage of our relatively short route. When we opened the door, the cold hit our faces like a slap. It was -20°C, but the wind chill made it feel much, much colder.

The landscape was a completely white canvas. Snow was falling hard and mixing with the fog. in mountain slang, we call this being inside a "ping-pong ball." You can't distinguish where the ground ends and the sky begins.

We started the ascent, putting the "skins" on our skis. The rhythmic sound of skis gliding over fresh snow was the only thing to be heard, apart from our own breathing.

Visibility was reduced, making the landscape less "panoramic" in a tourist sense, but incredibly mystical. We couldn't see the distant peaks, but we felt the vastness of the mountain. The wind sharpened the cold on any patch of exposed skin, reminding us how small we are in the face of nature.

Three Meters Deep

We reached the summit of "The Onion" after a couple of hours of constant effort. Despite the cold, the body warms up with the climb. Up there, curiosity got the better of us.

"How much snow do you think we have down there?" Zach asked.

I took out my probe, which is a fundamental piece of safety equipment we always carry to search for someone in case of an avalanche. It's a long, collapsible rod. I assembled it and drove it into the snow.

One meter... two meters... three meters... and the probe kept going down without hitting the rock bottom.

"More than three meters!" I shouted to be heard over the wind.

We looked at each other with that knowing smile that only skiers understand. A three-meter base means one thing: safety to ski aggressively and unmatched softness.

The Descent: Navigating the Clouds

Here comes the reward. All the sweat, the morning chill, the exhaustion from the day before... it all vanishes the moment you rip the skins off your skis, lock your bindings, and point downhill.

We started the descent. It was a true delight. I want you to try and imagine it: skiing in fresh snow, "champagne powder" (as we call it here because of how light and dry it is), where absolutely no one has skied before you.

There are no groomed runs, no crowds, no noise of mechanical lifts. It's just you carving your own path. The sensation is weightlessness, as if you were floating. Despite the low visibility, the quality of the snow allowed us to trust our movements. Every turn kicked up a white cloud that covered us completely (the famous face shots).

It is an indescribable experience. We enjoyed it to the fullest, shouting with joy like kids, forgetting that we are adults with responsibilities, mortgages, or businesses. In that moment, we were just skiers in communion with the mountain.

We carefully avoided the glacier zone based on our ascent route and returned safe and sound to the hut, with burning legs but full hearts.

Evening at the Hut: Camaraderie and Plans to Return

Entering the warmth of the Bow Hut again, the sense of accomplishment was palpable. We took off our boots, hung our gloves to dry near the stove, and prepared for the "breakfast of champions": dehydrated food.

It might sound unappetizing if you're used to luxury restaurants, but believe me, after skiing at -20°C, a packet of dehydrated pasta or rice tastes like heaven. It's the standard for backcountry travel due to its light weight and ease of preparation.

The rest of the evening was genuine bonding time. We chatted with the other groups. There were people from all over, some nervous about starting the Wapta Traverse the next day, others relaxed like us. We swapped stories, reviewed maps, and shared tips on snow conditions.

That night, while the wind continued to blow outside, we were already planning the trip home. But that... that is a story I will tell you in the third and final blog of this series. The return trip always has its own challenges and surprises.

Final Reflection: Why Do We Do It?

Many people ask me why, having such comfortable options available, we choose to carry heavy packs and sleep in wooden bunks. The answer lies in those turns in the virgin snow of "The Onion." It lies in the total disconnection from the digital world and the deep connection with your friends and yourself.

At Dare and Explore, that is what we seek to offer you. You don't necessarily have to go to Bow Hut if that's not your thing; we can design a trip tailored to you, exploring frozen waterfalls, hiking in secret forests, or skiing at top resorts like Lake Louise or Sunshine Village. We like to take care of every detail so that your trip is pleasant, planning the journey with each client so they enjoy it to the maximum, whether it's a 4-day getaway or a 17-day expedition.

Because at the end of the day, whether it's an extreme adventure in Kicking Horse or a family hike in Nakiska, the important thing is to get out there, dare, and explore.

And you, what adventure have you had that is truly unforgettable? Would you dare to experience the backcountry with us? Leave me your comments, I'd love to read them.

See you in the next blog for the conclusion of this adventure!

Ernesto.

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