I guided in the Columbia Icefields August 20-24. On the 21st we made an ascent
of Boundary Peak via the North Glacier of Mt Athabasca accessing the glacier
from the "middle station" (this an access located close to three small tarns
and is where the wreckage of the outshouse avalanched in 2011 presently sits).
This was a nice talus free point to gain the glacier, but does require about a
100 feet of descent to get to. Travel on the glacier was excellent with the
firn line lying at about 9500 feet. Boundary Peak from the Boundary/Athabasca
Col was bone dry and a scramble.
August 23 we made an ascent of the Silverhorn which is not holding much snow,
we belayed the whole horn off of ice screw anchors with one picket anchor to
cross the schrund and a second one half way up. We descended the Ramp
marvelling at the growing schrund overhead and the gaping seracs below. It is a
time of change on the North Glacier.
Happy trails,
Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
www.barryblanchard.ca
www.yamnuska.com
The middle station with the outhouse wreckage visible between the tarns, summer
2011
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