[MCR] Rockies Clemenceau/Tusk May 13th, 2010

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Spent the last 3 days in the Clemenceau neighbourhood. Excellent travel conditions and good weather. 

Climbed Clemenceau on wednesday. Challenging and slightly complex glacier travel on the west face route. REALLY good to have excellent snow conditions and visibility for that route. Ski crampons from the bottom to the last 200 linear meters which we walked. If we get another summer like the last two, I bet it would be a nasty place to be in august.

Climbed South Ridge of Tusk today. Rock step felt pretty challenging as the last move involved a big loose flake that I couldn't justify touching. So we did a traverse right just below the top of that pitch and I left a piton there. Descended around that step via some gullies and scree ledges lower down(the Mark Klassen variation)and that was much more secure. Lots of slightly tedious, double penetration breakable crust on the south face of Tusk. 

Not much daytime melting while we were there. Nil avalanche activity except some small wet point releases. Skiing was a bit crusty everywhere but would corn up well.

Larry Stanier
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide
laristan at telus.net