Myself and four other mountain guides were at the Columbia Icefields for the past 3 days with a large group of university students. In addition to practicing on the North Glacier of Athabasca, we climbed A2 (via the Boundary Glacier) and Athabasca (via the AA Col). Travel conditions were excellent. Above 2600m there is 10-30 cm of newer snow over a carrying crust, and a further 30 cm of snow to the summer ice. The latest snow is generally moist due to this week’s warm temps, and it is bonding well to the crust, but we still avoided the ‘Normal’ ramp route on Athabasca in light of the recent natural and older climber triggered activity on the ramp. Plus 6 degrees most mornings at the Icefields campground meant not much of a freeze up high, but still good travel conditions. No new avalanche activity, however there was a number of large serac falls from the south sides of Andromeda and Snowdome.
We wore crampons from the AA Glacier to the summit of Athabasca, with rain turning to snow and poor visibility on Oct 3rd. Good steps in the snow gullies leading to the Athabasca side of the AA Col, and no slab formation noted. We found good ice for anchors under about 40 cm of snow when descending from the AA Col.
Jordy Shepherd
Mountain Guide