Climbed the NW face of Andromeda (mixed and ice features up
to M5) via the Upper Athabasca Glacier.
-1C at 0430 at 2000m
The Athabasca glacier has little coverage (max 10cm of
settled snow) to it’s apex with the slots mostly open and visible. On the
face we witnessed a good melt-freeze cycle in full effect. Below ~2500m the
water ice that had formed in the past week was on its way out while the upper
face was frozen solid and intact late into the afternoon.
The snow on the upper Skyladder and summit ridge was 10-30cm
deep and well settled with the wind and sun effect. Down the
Andromeda-Athabasca Col. No slab formation on any part of the route and little
to no snow available for transport. About 30cm’s of settled snow on the
AA glacier.
No tracks leading up Athabasca via the AA glacier but our
track will get you to where the route steepens.
The North face routes on Andromeda (A-strain, Shooting
Gallery, North Bowl) look snowy and icy. No cornice formation has begun above
the Andromeda Strain.
Rob Owens
Alpine Guide