24th. A solid freeze overnight and a strong supportive crust everywhere we were -Olive/St Nic col and down to Balfour Hut. Dust on crust hero snow, 5-10 cm deep on the bullet proof crust. Satiny skiing on the Diableret Glacier. Constant moderate-strong westerly winds.
25th. A clear cold night. Great travel and tracksetting across the high bench to Balfour High Col. A winter snow pack -without the supportive crust- on the steeper northerly slopes above 9000 feet. More satiny skiing down the Balfour Glacier to 8500 feet (after getting to the Scott Duncan Hut), and a great ski down the southwesterly aspect of the 9500 foot peak at the southern end of the Balfour Gl at 5:30 pm.
26th. - 10 C at 7:00 am. Great travel to Niles Peak and no problem cutting the big east facing slope there on the bulletproof supportive crust with dust on it. Great skiing down to the creek on the Schiesser/Lomas exit. Had to boot pack down through tight trees at the waterfall pitch as it was a waterfall. Skated across Sherbrooke Lake. Had to carry our skis for about 100 meters on the trail down to Wapta Lake, the snow is disappearing fast there.
Overall great conditions once you get onto the icefields. I would take ski crampons as the crust is side slippy on the steeper side slopes.
Happy trails,
Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
www.barryblanchard.ca
www.yamnuska.com