My friend Mary and I had a longish but fun day yesterday climbing Mt.
St Nicholas above Bow hut from the road. We went up the small pocket
glacier on the left of St Nicholas returning the same way to the base.
Presently the glacier is dry with a trace of new snow on the surface
above 2700m in protected areas where we travelled.
Of particular note, and something to pay attention to, especially
this upcoming early winter, is the number of crevasses that are open.
The slope that is often skied un-roped above the hut has many large
and open slots, crevasses and mill wells.
The skiers right side above the hut seems much steeper due to the
shrinking and recession of the ice. The areas along the edges have
areas of unsupported shell ice due to water erosion.
On our ascent we weaved around many of these slots, (which was fun
and informative) which we avoided on the descent by heading hard left
near an exposed small rock island adjacent to the bench that leads to
the left pocket glacier on St Nicholas.
The glacier that leads around the right side (standard ski route) of
the peak is also very crevassed with large holes visible leading to
the Olive - St Nicholas col.
I am certainly much more aware now of the potential hazards in this
area that we consider as the "local ski slope" above Bow hut.
For those that flock up to the area in early November for their first
turns.....Heads up!
Quite a dramatic change in this area over the summer.
Peter Amann
Mountain Guide
Peter Amann
www.incentre.net/pamann/
pamann@xxxxxxxxxxxx
toe of bow.JPG
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