The last few days Erica and I did some recreational ice climbing.
Johnson's Canyon is workable with some open water around the climbing
area. Not much is in other than the easier stuff, we top-roped one
Grade 5-ish pillar which had just touched down. The rest hasn't really
come in.
Today (the 5th) we did Finishing Hammer Gully above Waterfowl Lakes.
This is a really nice little Grade 3 and recommended. Nary a speck of
snow in the area, which made for a low-stress day where there was about
10cm of new snow on the road over Bow Summit and howling winds all day
across the valley on Howse and Chepren. A bunch of rolling Grade 2 ice
leads to 2 short Grade 3 pitches. There were some fresh abalakovs left
over from a previous ascent, which we used for several 30 m raps before
taking to the steep frozen gravel and bushes beside the gully.
We were less thankful for the frozen turd at about the only flat spot
at the base of the route, where we roped up. I was standing right in it
for several minutes before realizing the grim reality. Poor form,
whoever did that!
We heard a couple of rumbles from across the valley; could have been
avalanches or icefall I suppose.
Mark Klassen
Mountain Guide
mark@xxxxxxxxxxxx
www.alpinism.com
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