Things just keep getting drier around O'Hara. Seldom seen bergschrunds continue
to open and be problematic. A few days ago a really nasty one appeared at the
base of the col between Little and Big Odaray. It was approximately 20m long,
1.5 m across and at a depth of 3m was FULL of very deep looking water with snow
and ice chunks. Found myself thinking about life jackets as I crept past that
thing. Even the wee Opabin glacier has an ugly little 'schrund below the pass
for the 1st time in many years.
Last winter's snow remains only on some really high slopes-a surprising
example, the NE face of Huber still has snow from top to bottom and snow
anchors were much easier to use than digging deep for an ice screw belay
yesterday. The snow from August 30th is almost all gone except on the shadiest
lee features above 3000m.
Victoria, Huber, Odaray, Cathedral, Hungabee, Biddle, and the Wiwaxy's are all
about as good as they get as long as you don't mind the bare glacial ice on
some routes. Lefroy and Glacier Pk by the "traditional" routes would have a lot
of tedious bare ice and rockfall would be a serious concern when things warmed
up above anything but a deep freeze.
Larry Stanier
ACMG Mountain Guide
laristan@xxxxxxxxx
_______________________________________________
These observations and opinions are those of the person who submitted them. The
ACMG and its members take no responsibility for errors, omissions, or lapses in
continuity. Conditions differ greatly over time and space due to the variable
nature of mountain weather and terrain. Application of this information
provides no guarantee of increased safety. Do not use the Mountain Conditions
Report as the sole factor in planning trips or making decisions in the field.
See http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.
See http://informalex.org/subscribe.shtml#unsubscribe to remove your name from
this list.
|