[MCR] Fairy Meadow -- Adamants/Gothics

Subject: [MCR] Fairy Meadow -- Adamants/Gothics
Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2008 22:04:38 -0700
Back from a wonderful week of alpine climbing at Fairy Meadow/Putnam Hut with a bunch of ACCers.

Weather throughout the most of the week was sunny and warm. Overnight temps at the start of the week (Aug 3-5) were cool (lows of 8-10 C at the hut) with decent radiation freezes on the ice. Midweek (Aug 6-8) temps were warmer (lows of 10-13 C) with no overnight freezes to mountain tops.

In the afternoons on the warmest days wet snow avalanches to size 2 were observed on solar aspects (e.g. Adamant S face), along with a few cornice failures and much rockfall.

On Friday the weather became unsettled and temps began to cool a little with afternoon thundershowers. Friday night was clear with a good radiation freeze giving a 3 cm crust above 9,500 ft Saturday morning. By 10 am on Saturday another storm came through with rain that turned the crusted surface to slush up to the top of Austerity (~11,000 ft).

This morning we awoke to significantly colder temps (low of 4 C overnight at the hut) and snow above 10,000 ft.

Routes climbed by those staying at the hut this week included rock climbs and ridge scrambles on Quadrant, the Adamant-Austerity Traverse via Adamant's E ridge, Ironman Bypass with N Ridge Ironman descent, Ironman's Gibson/Rohn, Fria traverse (E-W), Gothics East Peak N Ridge, Pioneer, Toadstool, Pioneer Pass ice face, and Shoofly Arete (loose, not recommended).

Conditions were mostly excellent with good travel in the mornings. Very early starts were a must this week for the high alpine routes, and by midweek we were avoiding exposure to bigger solar alpine features. Bridging on the ice is still good although bergschrunds are starting to gape. Many open crevasses are still thinly hidden by July's storm snow, but throughout the week these have been opening up as the storm snow melts down to the old winter surface with the warm temps and rain.

Thanks again to John, Shelley and Tim for organising this amateur trip, and of course the ACC.

Regards,
Tom Wolfe
AAG/ASG
_______________________________________________
These observations and opinions are those of the person who submitted them. The 
ACMG and its members take no responsibility for errors, omissions, or lapses in 
continuity. Conditions differ greatly over time and space due to the variable 
nature of mountain weather and terrain. Application of this information 
provides no guarantee of increased safety. Do not use the Mountain Conditions 
Report as the sole factor in planning trips or making decisions in the field.
Please check out http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.