Climbed Mt. Chephren yesterday (Aug 16) via the south face and west ridge from the normal bivy site below Howse Peak.
Conditions on the lower mountain are reasonably good with only a couple of centimeters of new snow over ice and well settled summer snow on the glacier. However, above 2800m there is as much as 20cm of snow from last week's precipitation events. Travel conditions are not bad in this snow and we were lucky that cool temperatures and cloudy/foggy skiies allowed us to make the summit and back down. If it were not for these favourable weather conditions we were would have made an early retreat. As soon as the sun comes out the hazard from rockfall and loose snow avalanches on both the normal ascent and the standard descent will likely be high to extreme. This should improve in a couple of days of warm and sunny conditions. Howse Peak looks to be in similar condition.
Play safe.
Jeremy Mackenzie
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide
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