[MCR] Mount Athabasca July 7 and 8

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

I guided Mount Athabasca the past two days (July 7 and 8) along with several
other Yamnuska Mountain Adventures guides.  

 

On July 7th we climbed and descended the AA Col route with a 2:00am start
for our rope team of four climbers.   There was a light freeze, with better
travel down low and variable punchy snow above 2800 meters.  There were
several other parties in the area, climbing the Silverhorn, A2 and
Skyladder.  We crossed the bergschrund easily on hard avalanche debris (see
photo), with almost no openings showing on that side of the slope to the
col.  The climber's right side (Andromeda side) of the AA col has a widening
schrund that looks to be passable in a few spots to either side of the
center line.

 

On July 8th there was a very good overnight freeze, and with a 2:00am start
we experienced excellent fast travel conditions up to the base of the
Silverhorn (see photo) with a rope team of two and a rope team of three,
wearing crampons for the entire ascent and for most of the descent.  The
weather was perfect with clear skies and almost no wind, with the surface
freeze supporting us for most of the morning.  Travel was also good on the
Silverhorn, with good steps in snow the whole way.  The snow is thinning in
some areas on the Silverhorn.  We pitched it out most of the way, using ice
screw anchors, with very fast and secure climbing conditions.  

 

We descended 'The Ramp' with good steps in softening snow around 11:00am and
no new avalanche or serac activity noted.  We did not see any others on the
peak on July 8th, aside from our two climbing parties on the Silverhorn.

 

Regards,

 

Jordy Shepherd

ACMG / IFMGA Mountain Guide

www.facebook.com/JordyCanmore

yamnuska.com/ <http://yamnuska.com/>  



 

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