[MCR] Robson S face oct 6th.

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Climbed the S face of Robson yesterday from the Forster hut and descended to the highway. Long day that!

Trail is in good but really bushy shape. Route below the hut through the final headwall seems a little better than the one on the old topo and gets more sun(snow free quicker)

Hut is kinda sad and the outhouse is all out/no house. We left a canister stove, fuel, booties and two sheets to cover the rat chewed mattresses at the hut. There is dishes, pots, cutlery and mattresses. Not much else. It could use some love/work.

Icefalls on the S face are really nasty these days. it has been about 10 years for me and the ice threatening the route to Little Robson and the Schwarz ledges seems to have really advanced in a negative and scary way.

Approx 20-40cm snow from the Hut up depending on wind effect. Schwarz ledges had around 20cm dense snow that made for mercifully fast travelling. We climbed up and down the ridge beside the Great Couloir and exited between 2 gargoyles onto the summit plateau. Only windslabs were on the last gentle 50m to the summit.

Lots of nice looking ice runnels forming in the alpine quartzite south of Jasper this morning. Things seem much drier and leaner on the big classics mixed routes around the Columbia Icefields.

Larry Stanier
Mountain Guide
laristan at telus.net