[MCR] Rockies, Mt Assiniboine and environs

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

I spent the nights of July 27th to 31st in the Hind Hut below Mt  
Assiniboine. We helped the renovating carpenters carry their kit to  
the helicopter. The men did great work, new windows that don't leak  
and are tastefully -alpinely- framed, mouldy plywood replaced, a new  
kitchen table and benches, and gone is the dumb second door into the  
hut.

July 28th my two guests and I climbed the NE ridge of Mt Assiniboine  
in what the Scotts would call "full conditions". Crampons on for the  
upper 5/6ths of the mountain, M2 climbing through the Red Band,  
verglass chipped off of handholds on most of the steeper sections,  
some small suspect slabs skirted (but plowed through on the way down  
and they seem to be happy staying put, stable I'd say), footholds cut  
into a number of harder slopes (we had a decent freeze), especially  
in the rhime on the summit traverse.

We did a half dozen left leaning rappels (to the east) off of the  
highest slung blocks on the summit ridge (found 3 anchors then  
couldn't find any others for all the snow), then shortroped down to  
four more rappels (50m ropes for us, so 50 m rappels) from the top of  
the Red Band. Challenging downclimbing 20 cms of mashed potato snow  
over the harder stuff underneath, crampons wanting to skate.

We were 16hrs hut to hut and I'll state that the peak is in  
challenging conditions right now due to the snow.

July 29th we enjoyed a mid day start and climbed Mt Strom, then  
traversed the ridgeline to Wedgewood peak.

July 30th we got a fabulous freeze and climbed Mt Sturdee via it's  
north snow and ice slope to the east ridge. Descent via one 25m  
rappel to the south then contouring around to the Assiniboine/Sturdee  
col. A great climb and fantastic to see Hans Gmoser, one of my heros,  
signed into the summit register in 1952! (tap the copper tube with  
and adze to get it open).

July 31st we climbed Mt Magog via the largest snow gully at it's  
north end (faces the hut).

August 1, today, we descended the Gmoser highway which is bookended  
with healthy snow patches start and finish right now. We put on  
crampons for both and had them off for the middle 'highway' part.

Happy trails,

Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
www.barryblanchard.ca
www.yamnuska.com

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above the Red Band, July 28th


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Mts Assiniboine and Sturdee, July 29th


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Mt Assiniboine, August 1. Note the size two slab out from below Steve  
Holeczi's route (the slab first seen on July 21st). Having walked  
under it the day before I concluded that it was kicked out by a  
cornice collapsing from the ridgeline above.