Climbed the North Face Bypass on Mt. Athabasca with Arian yesterday (July 15). Overall the conditions were excellent and temperatures stayed fairly cool through the day.
Temperature was 3 degrees at 03:30 at the parking lot. The glacier below the ramp route had a relatively good freeze with a 10 to 15cm thick crust that was supprotive about 80% of the time. Boot pen was 30 to 80cm and all the way to the glacier when you did punch through. Travel conditions were perfect above the altitude of the nunatak. We were able to short rope almost the entire climber's left side of the north face, with excellent step kicking all the way to the shoulder on the NE ridge. The traverse ledge and Scottish Gully were in excellent shape with several good pitons in place. Bring extra webbing for the station at the top of the gully. The mixed climbing above had some snow lingering, but made for easy travel.
Descent via the AA col was in excellent shape at 11:00 and there was minimal post-holing from the top of the AA col all the way to the toe of the glacier. The bergschrund is just beginning to show beneath the old avalanche debris, but is still in good condition to cross at the "normal" spot.
Two parties on the Silverhorn moved fast and reported excellent conditions with single axe climbing, but were still using screws at the top of the route.
Have fun out there.
Jeremy Mackenzie
ACMG Ski Guide, Asst. Alpine Guide
Box 173
Exshaw, AB T0L 2C0
CANADA
403-673-2954
jeremymackenzie@hotmail.com