Up Furhman ledges, then up snow covered west facing slopes on north end of Lefroy to north ridge, down west face. Yesterday with a guest at a moderate pace it took about 15 hrs to Lake O'Hara with a 2:30 am start from Lake Louise. It was a beautiful day with lots of sun and periods of cloud later in the day.
Getting up to the Fuhrmann ledges is pleasant with firm snow patches giving some reprieve from the miserable talus. The ledges are mostly dry and travelled well.
Despite warm temps and a cloudy night (+7C, overcast at the parking lot at 2:30 am, +8C at 9 am on the west side of Lefroy) travel was overall very good with ankle to boot top penetration. The route is still in great shape since Rich's post, and with the recent storm snow the normal W Face is even better than it was when I was there a week ago -- good, secure steps top to bottom. When we descended around 1:30 pm the upper half of the face was still firm while the lower half was softening up, wet with up to mid-calf penetration. We were glad for cool, cloudy afternoon skies and the fact we weren't coming down much later in the day. Glissading created moderately sized slow sloughs.
Lots of activity on the E face of Victoria starting early in the morning -- up to size 2.0 wet avalanches running into the Death Trap and regular, albeit minor, serac fall.
Regards,
Tom Wolfe