Climbed the NW face of Andromeda (mixed and ice features up to M5) via the Upper Athabasca Glacier.
-1C at 0430 at 2000m
The Athabasca glacier has little coverage (max 10cm of settled snow) to it’s apex with the slots mostly open and visible. On the face we witnessed a good melt-freeze cycle in full effect. Below ~2500m the water ice that had formed in the past week was on its way out while the upper face was frozen solid and intact late into the afternoon.
The snow on the upper Skyladder and summit ridge was 10-30cm deep and well settled with the wind and sun effect. Down the Andromeda-Athabasca Col. No slab formation on any part of the route and little to no snow available for transport. About 30cm’s of settled snow on the AA glacier.
No tracks leading up Athabasca via the AA glacier but our track will get you to where the route steepens.
The North face routes on Andromeda (A-strain, Shooting Gallery, North Bowl) look snowy and icy. No cornice formation has begun above the Andromeda Strain.
Rob Owens
Alpine Guide