[MCR] Columbia Icefield Area, Jasper NP 040812

A mix of mid day rain showers, sun, and moderate W to NW alpine winds over the last 5 days.

Excellent travel with good solid recovery overnight above 8000 ft.

All Ice faces have 5-10 cm of melt freeze snow over the ice and are melting out quickly.

The exit gully on the NF route is still 75% thin ice, the first 5 meters is rock, way left side of face to cross the shrund.

Silver horn is in excellent shape, the shrund is easiest to cross early on the right.

Still all snow on the NE bypass face route, dry rock on the ridge above.

The left hand exit gullies on Athabasca's A/A col route have melted out and are scree on ice

but the right hand side is holding snow to the top.

The A/A col proper is in great shape, all snow with a very large shrund that can still be passed on the climbers far left.

Skyladder route is showing some ice in the steeper terrain.

Most of the cornices above Andromeda's North Bowl route have dropped, but not all, snow to the top.

All-round great climbing and conditions with few climbing parties.

 

Cheers.

Mark Stewart, Mountain Guide.

www.cirrusalpineguides.com  

 

 

 

 

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