Just spent 5 days at Wheeler Hut/Asulkan Cabin with an ACC group, Aug
17-21. I climbed:
Terminal North, SW Face: good snow coverage on the face, no major
schrund issues
Uto SW Ridge: dry (with Gerta, 68 years old)
Uto, again
Abbot Traverse to Asulkan Cabin (again with Gerta!): normal summer
conditions, not recommended to go to Asulkan Cabin as it is a very long
day, Sapphire Col is better
Jupiter Traverse: normal summer conditions
Asulkan Glacier: Firn line at about 2150 m (mid Cleaver). I descended
from Sapphire Col twice. I tried the centre line beneath Jupiter but
late day soft snow conditions, two tired people on board and a digital
photo taken from Uto the day before that didn't show the saggy bridge
over the one crevasse that spanned the entire small bowl you go through
foiled that attempt. It might work in cold temps and a fresh crew. So
we went down on bare ice and boulders close to the Cleaver. Awkward
here, as usual. The next day I went down the normal ski line to the
descender's right of the Cleaver. Lots of weaving on ice around exposed
crevasses, some balancing across narrow ice bridges, one spooky snow
bridge that I belayed across with an ice screw anchor. Lower down
crevasses force you underneath the serac (which has been active) for a
little while. Overall I found the route close to the Cleaver to be a
safer option although rockfall could be an issue.
The ford across the stream to regain the Asulkan trail at the bottom of
the moraine was as bad as I've seen it, worse than when I crossed it
during the heatwave of 2003. We had to go down almost to the junction
with the stream coming from the Pterodactyl. I got my feet wet but
worse could happen in this place.
Couch time!
Mark
Mark Klassen
Mountain Guide
mark@xxxxxxxxxxxx
www.alpinism.com
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