Climbed on Wed the 4th in polar temperatures. Those temps are gone
now. Exceptionally thick apron of snow below the bergshrund, I had to
use a shovel to get to the shrund (yes we travelled with probes,
beacons and shovels). the snow was supportive above the shrund, a
full 60 meters to where I could dig through to get screws, this below
the lowest lobe of exposed ice.
I believe that it is time to upgrade the crux from 5.4 to 5.8 mixed
climbing. The ice face has lost volume and exposed a couple extra
meters of rock which is undercut. It is far harder and more serious
than it was 15-25 years ago.
No cornice over the route with ice exposed right to the top. We
rapped the face on abalakovs.
Happy trails
Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures
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