[MCR] Rockies, Mts Victoria and Lefroy. MCR guys please post as I am away from my computer.

My fellow guide, Carl Johnston, and I guided an ascent of the main summit (the highest summit) of Mt Victoria from Abbott Pass on August 21. The route is in challenging conditions with a 6-10 foot high snowpack sitting on a lot of the ridge. We did several tight rope walks on snow aretes and even some traversing the Lake Louise side of the ridge, facing in, towards the summit. The second most challenging ascent of my 20 odd trips up the peak in the last 28 years. And the strong winds added to the effort, the rope was sailing into the air like it does in the Himalaya. 13&1/2 hours.

August 22 I guided an ascent of Mt Lefroy from Abbott Pass and the route is back to more normal Lefroy conditions, read a slippery frozen surface requiring snow anchor belays down low and ice anchor belays up high. The same strong winds once again tried to lift my helmet off of my head. We descended via rappels and lowers. The winds calmed down with the arrival of the rain last night.

Happy trails,

Barry Blanchard

UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guide
Canmore, Alberta, Canada
1 403 609 1321 cell
1 403 609 4615 home
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