After half a dozen ascents of the route, in both winter and summer, I finally nailed the best exit gully. Ok, two of those ascents were made via climbing over the black towers -a much more involved, but interesting option, and the line of the first ascent- and in winter it does make sense to follow one of furthest left gullies as indicated on page 131 of Selected Alpine Climbs in the Canadian Rockies. Otherwise, for this time of year, I would highly recommend following the exit as described on pages 180/181 of the first edition (the one that I have) of The 11,000ers of the Canadian Rockies. Pay close attention to "The start of the correct exit gully is marked by a small pinnacle ..." This pinnacle is about 10 meters high and you climb up behind it in a shoulder width chimney. We slung the top of it as an anchor and stepped up from it to the right, then crossed back left overhead for a longish -45 m?- pitch to a two piton anchor. In the past I have made a horizontal traverse to the left to gain the Selected Alpine gullys, yesterday I stepped right from this anchor and headed pretty much straight up with a bit of a left leaning. I found much easier climbing with a number of in situ pitons and three new bolts beefing up the last three anchors to the ridgeline and walk over to the glacier. In addition there is no cornice sitting over this gully/basin whereas there is ugly ones over the Selected Alpine exit gullies.
The ice arete to the top is icey in places but mostly good step kicking. Southwest side descent had dried out from last week's storm.
Happy trails,
Barry Blanchard
UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guide
1 403 609 4615
cell 1 403 609 1321
In the 'nice' exit gully