[MCR] FLavor of the month

Subject: [MCR] FLavor of the month
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2006 16:53:26 -0800
Do to a verry late start this AM we headed into spray falls.
A popular route lately.
However conditions have changed since its condition was first posted.

This is what i found:
It was not as wet as it was earlier in the week. But more snow than on my first visit. The colum cracked while climbing it. At the top i decided to go and take a look above the route, to familiarize my self a bit more.

Above there is much wind loading and lots of snow! Over 1 meter penetration in some sections. Significant slab formation in the main shoot coming in from climbers left(aprox 20cm thick) observed at about 40m above the route, already enough material to take you off the route. At the top of the shoot maybe 300m away a nice 1.5 to 2m cornice overhangs the line. Basically those are the facts. The snow felt good but the terrain and the volume did not. Maybe the next major snow fall or wind event.... At the least I would pay serious attention to minize the exposure: on the approach and during belays.

The terrain was bigger than i had thought and despite the current Hazard posting i would find something else to do for a while.


Patrick Delaney
ass. alpine guide

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