[MCR] Athabasca North Face

Subject: [MCR] Athabasca North Face
Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2007 17:29:13 -0600
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