| Up at the Columbia Icefields for the last few days conditions were excellent. On Athabasca, I guided the North Bypass on Saturday and on Sunday the Regular North Face, descending via the Ramp both days. Another Yamnuska group climbed the Ramp yesterday. All three routes were in prime condition, and the Silverhorn, which saw traffic on Sunday and Monday, appeared likewise. A large group attempting the AA Col route on Sunday turned back in deteriorating snow conditions, but it is likely in fine shape with an early start.
Though unsettled throughout the week, the weather at the Icefields has very stable since Friday. Temperatures overnight on the weekend were just below freezing, -3-1C at 2:30 am in the campground (2050m) and -7-8C at 5am on the N Glacier (2900m). Mountaintop temps were 3-5C at 10:30. This produced generally excellent a.m. travel, with styrofoam cramponing on a firm crust below 2900m and foot penetrations below boot top on the upper glacier and above. Fresh snow early in the week had settled to 10-15cm at 3000m on Saturday. Winds remained calm to light with no transport throughout the weekend and yesterday.
Currently, the North Glacier has good coverage with almost no visible sags. The bergschrunds are just beginning to open, but access to both the North Face routes we climbed was straightforward. On the Bypass, we ascended ~300m on snow, with easy step kicking above the schrund leading to front pointing near the top. Pickets were useful here. The upper ridge is mostly snow covered as well, but some rock gear was useful in a couple of spots where there was only thin, unconsolidated snow coverage and little ice. The next day on the Regular North Face, the surface crusts were decomposing slightly. Climbing above the schrund was slower, with deteriorating step kicking for several pitches before changing to front pointing in ice. There is 10m of thin ice (but poor screws) below the rock step, leading to a good piton at the crux. (A 0.4 camalot would back this up, as would a second pin just above which tends to be iced over.) With a little hunting, there was enough ice for the anchor above, but short screws could be convenient here.
The descent conditions down the ramp were excellent both days. Along the ramp, there was no wind effect in the snow or other signs of instability/slabbing. Test shears produced no results of concern and the surface snow was still dry at 11:30 with boot top penetration. As always however, our timing was key in the decision to descend the ramp both days. On Sunday, in particular, we had windless conditions, and by the time we crossed the glacier at 12:00, the snow was already rapidly moistening, significant solar sloughing was beginning all across the face, and stability deteriorated quickly. Had we been even a few minutes later on the Ramp, I wouldn't have been comfortable descending as we did.
Finally, other Yam guides reported similarly good conditions on Boundary Peak and A2 earlier in the week.
All in all, the conditions were great for the early part of the season up there!
Carl Johnston RG, AAG Yamnuska Mountain Adventures |