[MCR] Mount Athabasca July 7 and 8

I guided Mount Athabasca the past two days (July 7 and 8) along with several other Yamnuska Mountain Adventures guides. 

 

On July 7^th we climbed and descended the AA Col route with a 2:00am start for our rope team of four climbers.   There was a light freeze, with better travel down low and variable punchy snow above 2800 meters.  There were several other parties in the area, climbing the Silverhorn, A2 and Skyladder.  We crossed the bergschrund easily on hard avalanche debris (see photo), with almost no openings showing on that side of the slope to the col.  The climber’s right side (Andromeda side) of the AA col has a widening schrund that looks to be passable in a few spots to either side of the center line.

 

On July 8^th there was a very good overnight freeze, and with a 2:00am start we experienced excellent fast travel conditions up to the base of the Silverhorn (see photo) with a rope team of two and a rope team of three, wearing crampons for the entire ascent and for most of the descent.  The weather was perfect with clear skies and almost no wind, with the surface freeze supporting us for most of the morning.  Travel was also good on the Silverhorn, with good steps in snow the whole way.  The snow is thinning in some areas on the Silverhorn.  We pitched it out most of the way, using ice screw anchors, with very fast and secure climbing conditions. 

 

We descended ‘The Ramp’ with good steps in softening snow around 11:00am and no new avalanche or serac activity noted.  We did not see any others on the peak on July 8^th, aside from our two climbing parties on the Silverhorn.

 

Regards,

 

Jordy Shepherd

ACMG / IFMGA Mountain Guide

www.facebook.com/JordyCanmore

yamnuska.com/

 

Silverhorn.jpg
Description: JPEG image

AA Col 2.jpg
Description: JPEG image

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