Climbed Mt.
Lefroy from Abbot’s
Pass early this morning. 4 hours hut to hut with very fast travel due to secure
footing (10 – 15cm foot penetration).
It was +3C at 5am with scattered skies. We climbed the right
hand gully which was snow continuous from the hut to the summit ridge.
We were able to climb the route, as a team of 4, without
pitching out any of the terrain. These conditions will change soon as the snow
is not very thick in some places (areas as thin as 30cm over ice on the edges
of the couloir).
Another user group at the hut ascended and descended from Abotts Pass
to Lk O’hara without ice axes or mountain boots. This resulted in very
slow travel increasing their exposure to rock fall and also posing a considerable
risk of falling on the snow and ending up in the rocks at the base of the
numerous snow patches. A helmet, especially at this time of year when there is
still a lot of snow to melting in the high mountains, is a very wise idea!
Rob Owens
ACMG Alpine Guide