Guided Coire Dubh Integrale today, November 9. We climbed to
the summit of Loder Peak and descended the ridge to highway 1-A .
Right now, there is no climbable ice on the route, although
crampons were used for some verglas in the narrow part of the
gully. This proved to be the crux due to challenging gear
placements and the soft nature of the verglas. A few knifeblade
pitons are useful in this section. The rest of the climb was done
in mountain boots, easily avoiding all slushy ice.
Temperatures varied from -6°C to -2°C, although it felt much
warmer in the sun. There was a small amount of snow in the shadow
of Loder Peak, but never more than 5 cm deep. The lack of snow
increased the rockfall hazard, although no natural rockfall was
observed. The wind was light and variable on the route and ridge
top winds were moderate to strong from the west.
All in all, I would say that in its present condition
the route is still a good climb, but it is more enjoyable
when there is ice.
Have fun, take care,
Grant Meekins
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures
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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.
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