[MCR] International Basin

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Just back from a week in International Basin, south of Golden in the 
Purcell Mountain Range. I was in there with guides Matt Peter and Deryl Kelly.
We were set up in a luxurious tent camp in the upper cirque under Mt Sibbald.

Peaks climbed over the week included Mt's Subbald, Strutt, 
Sandilands, David, Battlement, International and some fun Unnamed 
peaks (Mary Peak and Miner;s Peak) just north of the basin.

Access is straight forward on to the glaciers. Mt Strutt was climbed 
via a couloir just to the west (5 belayed pitches on the left side) 
and via the Strutt-Sandilands col. The col route has a northerly face 
with large shrunds and moats which required climbing the far right 
hand side in 3 pitches. The last pitch was a grotty section of rock 
to gain the col. From the col both summits are easily climbed in 15-20 minutes.
We lowered off a tower in the col which needed at least a 60 metres 
lower/ traverse to get people below the cracks and holes, then easy 
decent to camp. One can also easily go down the south side and around 
the Sandilands Battlement col and loop back.

International was climbed by the West ridge and the north glacier, 
groups reported the West ridge to be very loose 3rd class.This is the 
highest peak in the area.
A large slab had come off International's NE face some time earlier 
this summer...date not known.
Access to the far glacier (and return from International's West ridge 
is marked on a photo attached. This area will require crampons very 
soon as the snow melts back. a trail and a few cairns mark this spot 
in the ridge which is the key to connecting the glacier that heads 
over to Malachite and Horseman Spires

Sibbald Peak is a straightforward glacier climb with some steep snow 
near the top. The North ridge can be used for ascent or descent for a 
change of scenery, but the ascent route can also be reversed.

  A large party tried to traverse from Sibbald to Strutt but ran into 
technical difficulties, poor rock and too many people.

Mary Peak is a fun climb/scramble up the SW ridge from the lake in 
the back of the cirque. Miner's peak was gained near the pass leading 
to Mt David, and gain via  SE snow and loose rock to a very pleasant 
ridge leading west. One short lower is required, and the last tower 
is traversed on ledges on the north side to avoid the steep wall, 
then gain the ridge when it eases off. One party climbed a pitch of 
5.7-5.8 on this north wall. The rock is nice quartzite and generally 
very nice 3rd and 4th class.

Battlement peak was climbed via the NW ridge and was reported as 
being a nice scramble on decent rock. 80 metres of steep snow leads 
onto the ridge.

Mt David was climbed from the east col and required about 2-3 pitches 
of steep snow leading to a easy summit ridge.

The meadows in the area offer spectacular scenery, flowers, lakes, 
ridges and nice snow patches for descents, and the bugs were not too bad.

We only had one freeze on Thursday night where crampons were needed 
on the lower angle snow. We did use them on the steeper snow slopes..
No other significant cornice failures or slabs were noted during this week.

Peter Amann
Mountain Guide

Peter Amann
Mountain Guiding
www.incentre.net/pamann/
pamann at incentre.net
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