[MCR] Columbia Icefields

Subject: [MCR] Columbia Icefields
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:03:11 -0600
Continued variable weather at the "ice" over the last 3 days. Seemed like every night there was some new snow at variable alpine elevations. Climbed Athabasca via AA col today. Good conditions in gullies with only some new powder in the lower third. Where the wind had scoured the snow the crusts are stronger. In many areas snow overlies a crust which didn't;t quite support weight. Awkward trail breaking.
Got down just as it started to snow and clag out.
The upper mountain seems to be accumulating snow as the summer progresses.
Party on north glacier yesterday said it felt spooky on the ramp. Two parties on Silverhorn today claimed good frozen snow on the route. Some good ripper sluffs on Andromeda's east face as we were descending, much more than just spindrift.
Peter

Peter Amann
Mountain Guiding
Box 1495, Jasper AB, T0E 1E0
780 852 3237
cell 780 931 2521
www.incentre.net/pamann/
pamann@xxxxxxxxxxxx