[MCR] Athabasca

Subject: [MCR] Athabasca
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:48:11 -0600
Just back from a day full of beautiful weather at the Icefields: mainly sunny with clouds, and cool weather, 3C at the climber's parking lot at the Icefields at 5 am.

Of note there has been a lot of snow accumulation up high from the past 2 days of stormy weather: up to 35cm of low density storm snow overlies up to 15 cm of unconsolidated 5mm graupel, on top of the previous surfaces (sloppy, wet grain summer snow). Travel was variable ranging from excellent below 2600m with trace accumulations of snow, to foot penetration of up to mid-calf above 2900m. Very easy hand shear results were found in the graupel interface below a soft slab (1 finger resistance) -- meaning as I cut the back wall the 35cm soft slab rolled off the graupel like they were ball bearings. That said, no cracking, whoompfing, or natural avalanche activity was observed today. It sure felt like winter there today.

See photos attached.

Regards,
Tom Wolfe

Attachment: AthabascaGlacierAug13.jpg
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Attachment: AthabascaNFaceAug13.jpg
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Attachment: AthabascaNGlacierAug13.jpg
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