[MCR] Rockies - Mt Athabasca

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Hey there!

So for a bit of a contrast from the last few days posts on Athabasca we had some fairly different conditions due to warm overnight temps and a really poor freeze. Nicer ascent right now, if you're able to hold out for some colder temps and/or better freezes up there. I've been guiding from the Icefields for the past 3 days, guided the AA Col Route today with little to no freeze below 9500ft. Travel on the lower AA glacier wasn't to bad but extremely wet. All of our boots could have been rung out like sponges only a couple hundred meters onto this ice. 
The steep slope which gains the col, had some fairly labor intensive track setting. Up to 50cm boot penetration and lots of collapsing steps made things tough. Lots of back filling your steps to stay afloat. Above 10,000ft as long as you stayed in the pre-existing track the steps were mostly supportive over the Silverhorn to the Summit and back.
On the way back down, descending the steep slope below the col, we got slowed down a fair bit crashing shins first through a 5cm crust as well. 
Definitely earned it today :)

Despite the conditions we ran into, we got to watch an amazing sunrise from the summit, made up for all the tough stuff!

Have fun out there!

Mike Trehearne
Alpine Guide / Apprentice Ski Guide
mike at cloudnineguides.com

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