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In the past ten days, spring has finally sprung at
O'Hara. Conditions are probably the driest I have seen for June 17th in the past
ten years.Trails to Linda Lake, Wiwaxy Gap and Lake
Oesa are dry but it will be wet and tedious walking in the forests to Opabin and
Schaeffer Lake for a while yet.
A long period of sustained hot days, warm nights
and some rain to well above mountaintops has given us a proper early
summer snowpack. Travel conditions and avalanche risk are all about
what has happened in the recent past. In other words, the big questions are-Has
it snowed recently? or- Is the snowpack getting really warm?
With a good freeze all the classic snow and ice
faces are in good shape. A few HUGE cornices are still looming and you can
bet they are groaning and creaking in the heat. The Victoria south ridge would
probably feel very "Alaskan". LOTS of rockfall,
wet slides and general nastiness in the daytime heat and during the rain so
timing is everything for the next while. Going to Abbott Pass in the
afternoon would be a REALLY bad idea right now. Crossing Cataract Brook to get
to Cathedral could be a sporty little swim for short people right
now.
Alpine rock routes like Hungabee are still in
poor shape but the Tarrant buttress is drying out fast. Grassi Ridge is free of
winter snow but the descent may have some nasty snow to traverse in the upper
gullies after you get off the pk itself.
On the afternoon of the 17th light snow was
sticking to the ground above 2700m. I believe the Public buses start
running on the 19th.
Larry Stanier
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide
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