Just back from 7 days on the Wapta icefields. Up Peyto on April 2,
cool and good conditions on moraine. Still good coverage and could
skin most of the way up moraines where you usually have to walk.
Noted big slide on Baker as mentioned in other MCR!
A mixed bag over the next 5 days. Over to Balfour on April 5th, again
good travelling, no signs of any new activity. April 6th, very warm
overcast and snowing lightly. Up Diaberlet glacier in foggy
conditions, snowing lightly, +6 at 9400ft top of glacier. Lots of
activity off of Balfour east side to size 2 that day but no new
icefall. Approximately 3-4cm of new snow during day and early evening.
Clearing night of 6th, down to -5. Dawned clear and we went over to
Scott Duncan in excellent conditions. Quiet day on east side of Balfour.
I used what I call the combo route ( see pic ) which I have used for
a number of years. This avoids steep lower slope.Go up the north ramp
to top of moraines then a gradual traverse slightly down onto the low
route. Following a bench just below the crevasses that split "the"
ramps, a clean line led to the bottom of the ramp near the rock
feature. No visible slots here. Stayed close to rocks all the way
passing the crevasse close to rock, again well filled in. No signs
of recent icefall activity in this area.
There was about 3-5cm of new snow on top of a melt freeze crust.
Below this the snow was still dry. Did have a few whumphs near the
high col in the flats. Good travel on Daly Glacier.
Out Niles on the 8th, cloudy and frozen very hard. Signs of loose
avalanches on face of Niles and gullies lower down above where you
cut back into trees. Lots of activity on both aspects above Sherbrooke lake!
The trail out below lake has lots of windfall! Tedious and slow
becoming isothermal lower down by 1100am
Driving home to Jasper noted that there is certainly less activity
the further north you go.
Peter Amann
Peter Amann
Mountain Guiding
Box 1495, Jasper AB, T0E 1E0
www.incentre.net/pamann
pamann@xxxxxxxxxxxx
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