[MCR] illecilliwaet/asulkan

Subject: [MCR] illecilliwaet/asulkan
Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 18:37:35 -0600
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