Temps were quite cold in the past few days with daytime highs only getting a few degrees above freezing, even in the sun! This made for some very good cramponing and travel throughout the area. There is still a bit of new snow above 7000ft that doesn't seem to be melting although its mostly only in sheltered areas were it built up and never melted with the rain.
We climbed the north face of Serratus and found it still in good condition although there is a funky spot at the mid height crux steep section were you have to either down-climb though a bergshrund and out the other side (not that bad) or climb up some fairly easy rock and gain the steeper snow/ice face to the top (we did it this way). The Serac at the west side of the face has become a bit more active in the past few years but it still seems reasonable to cross it quickly while traveling a bit further out on the glacier. A few ice screws are handy for this route at the moment.
Dione was also climbed by a few parties on the weekend and the conditions on this peak are quite good as well. The bergshrund guarding the summit pyramid is overhanging across the whole east face, but there is still no problem gaining the face straight out of the col to the south. You can either climb the steep, clean 5.6 crack (hand size pro nice for the crux) to the rap slings or bypass this to the left in the chossy class 3 gully.
Tantalus looked to be holding a bit more new snow than the rest of the peaks, however it still looked climbable by a keen, competent party.
The Dione Glacier is down to bare ice in many places but the high traverse to the peak is still in good shape with very little problems with crevasses.
The direct snow couloir approach to both Tantalus and Dione is impassable now due to the size of the Burgshrund. The alternate "yes"couloir to the east is in it usual rubble strewn shape but still quite good.
Have fun out there, it looks like its going to be a good week.
Craig McGee, ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide
cell 604 902 0296
craigskibum@yahoo.com
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