Out on a Snow and Ice Long Weekend Course with Yamnuska and climbed the AA col route on Mt. Athabasca today.+6 in the parking lot at 0400 but good travel both on the glacier and the steep slopes up to the col/plateau on Mt. Athabasca. Bergschrund not a big issue yet, and the slopes above had slide previously and refrozen into a supportive crust. Below this crust the snow was quite wet and soft.Very strong winds and a few cm's of new snow were forming some soft slabs and exfoliating any exposed skin. Lots of spindrift coming down steep gullies above 2800m. Might find some new slabs on high N aspects to watch for...Descended the way we came. The crust on the lower glacier was just starting to break down by noon but still provided good travel.Other stuff:Snow bridges lower down (2500m) on the N. Glacier below Mt. Athabasca yesterday were quite wet/soft and weak.Cheers, Conrad Janzen
A person should have wings to carry them where their dreams go, but sometimes a pair of skis makes a good substitute. -Hans Gmoser-
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