[MCR] Tantalus Range - Southern Coast Mts, BC

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Just came out of the Tantalus Range.  Snow travel is good, firm conditions
lasting throughout the day. The standard access/rap gully  exiting off of
the upper Dionne Glacier onto the East Ridge of Dionne is still well filled
in with snow, providing easy access across the moat. It appears that the
upper part of this gully has seen a recent large block come out of the top,
leaving behind far more loose stone than in previous seasons - be very
cautious if climbing and/or rapping with anyone above you. We cleaned out a
lot on descent, but there are still a lot of very unstable blocks perched in
there.   Also, a large crevasse splits the glacier 50 meters before the
gully, forcing parties up very close to the moat. The bridge over this
moat/crevasse junction may not last too much longer either. The alternative
gully to the west (the large gully leading directly to the Dionne East Face)
has the usual huge overhanging 'scrund at the base.

 

North Face of Serratus is still in good shape, though the main large
crevasse at the bottom of the face is passable only in the centre of the
crevasse by a complicated series of snow bridges through a collapsed section
that will continue to deteriorate; or, an end-run around it to the
west/right which is exposed to an overhead hazard - it was strafed with two
stonefall events during the time we were crossing the collapsed section.
The remainder of the face is in fine shape, we took the upper left rock band
and on to the final snow slopes which are still in fine shape directly to
the summit ridge, with only 10 meters of scrambling on loose rock to exit
the snow.

 

Brian Jones

Mountain Guide

www.themountainschool.com <http://www.themountainschool.com/> 

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