[MCR] Mt Columbia

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

April 15 we walked up the snow-coach road (snow-coach tours are  
running) carrying our skis and then walked down the road onto the  
Athabasca glacier. Put our packs on sleds and skied up the snow-coach  
track. The first step of the glacier was passed on climber's right  
(north) as per normal. At the second step we traversed the glacier  
back left (south) and passed the second step on the far (south) side  
of the glacier. This was much less nerve racking than skiing through  
the fields of serac debris off of the south slopes of Mt Snowdome  
(those seracs have been much more active this year than last year).  
We did have to herringbone across 10 meters of exposed glacial ice.  
As you traverse to the south side of the glacier two snow ramps  
present options, we took the southernmost and I don't know if the  
closer ramp goes, if it does it would be quite safe, all things  
considered. I figure that our route added one hour to our travel time  
relative to the more common route on the climber's right
(north) side of the glacier.

We were able to ski straight up the "Ramp" of the third step towing  
our sleds given our climbing tees were the highest lift position.  
Good snow coverage at the top of the ramp, the crevasses seem to be  
well bridged there.

April 16 we skied from our high camp, on the BC side, to the  
Southeast face of Mt Columbia. We used crampons on our ski boots and  
followed steps from the day before. Good climbing conditions on the  
face and the mountain saw 8 ski descents, from the summit, in 2 days,  
none of which were by my guest and I who boot-packed up, and down,  
the face.

April 17, the winds picked up overnight and we encountered some  
sastrugi descending the top of the Ramp. We skied out the normal,  
north, side of the second step and there is an incredible amount of  
serac debris there, spooky.


Barry Blanchard
UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guide
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures
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