In the past ten days, spring has finally sprung at O'Hara. Conditions are probably the driest I have seen for June 17th in the past ten years.Trails to Linda Lake, Wiwaxy Gap and Lake Oesa are dry but it will be wet and tedious walking in the forests to Opabin and Schaeffer Lake for a while yet.
A long period of sustained hot days, warm nights and some rain to well above mountaintops has given us a proper early summer snowpack. Travel conditions and avalanche risk are all about what has happened in the recent past. In other words, the big questions are-Has it snowed recently? or- Is the snowpack getting really warm?
With a good freeze all the classic snow and ice faces are in good shape. A few HUGE cornices are still looming and you can bet they are groaning and creaking in the heat. The Victoria south ridge would probably feel very "Alaskan". LOTS of rockfall, wet slides and general nastiness in the daytime heat and during the rain so timing is everything for the next while. Going to Abbott Pass in the afternoon would be a REALLY bad idea right now. Crossing Cataract Brook to get to Cathedral could be a sporty little swim for short people right now.
Alpine rock routes like Hungabee are still in poor shape but the Tarrant buttress is drying out fast. Grassi Ridge is free of winter snow but the descent may have some nasty snow to traverse in the upper gullies after you get off the pk itself.
On the afternoon of the 17th light snow was sticking to the ground above 2700m. I believe the Public buses start running on the 19th.
Larry Stanier
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide