Hey all,
Spent the past week working from the Columbia Icefields and the Neil Colgan Hut. Guided ascents of Athabasca and Mount Little over the course of the week.
The AA Col Route on Athabasca is as dry as I've ever seen it. The firn line on the AA Glacier has pulled back to within 100m or so of the bergschrund, and for most of the glacial approach we left the rope in the pack.
The more solar aspects that most folks usually climb to gain the col above are snow-free and down to the scree. The most north facing line that climbs to the col was still snow top to bottom, and seemed like the best line to put us in the Col above.
No rockfall at all until well after we'd topped out, but as the day warmed you could see and hear it strafing the face. Without a freeze, and the ability to move fast, I'd be either going up the scree or turning around. Probably the latter.
The ridge from the col to the summit of the Silverhorn is bone dry, and travel is good from there to the summit and back.
The fact that we all summited in T-Shirts was way more than enough reason for me to head back down the scree slope below the AA Col, and to skip the ramp route descent. For us descending the scree, there was no real risk of rockfall outside of that created by other climbers on the route. Good timing and pacing was enough to keep us out of the way of it.
For Mount Little, The Perren approach to the Neil Colgan Hut had good travel as well. Running water in at least half a dozen or so well spaced spots along the route to refill the bottles if needed. The Glacier leading to the hut is about half dry right now, and depending on the route you pick to ascend would be quite easy to find numerous poorly bridged holes to pop into.
On Mount Little the day before yesterday, the snow climbing encountered right out the back of the hut was thin for the most part, but supportive. Easy enough to dig down for ice screws if required. The ridge the rest of the way to the summit was dry and gave easy access to the top. Another beauty day for a summit.
We didn't climb Mount Fay, but access to the west ridge is starting to look a bit boney. There's one or two spots where the bergschrund looks easily passable, but for the most it looks downright western. The face above the bergschrund that access' the ridge is all ice and would need ice screws to ascend/protect. Sounds like good dry travel once your on the ridge proper.
Happy climbing!
Mike Trehearne
Alpine Guide & Apprentice Ski Guide
Cloud Nine Guides
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