[MCR] Rockies, Columbia Icefields.

My fellow guide, Erica Roles, and I guided out of the Columbia Icefields Campground from Monday to Friday, October 4-8. Conditions continue to be good given freezing, or close to freezing, overnight temperatures. Great supportive travel on the Little Athabasca Glacier, and Boundry Glacier, leading to A2. The September 18th picture below,w(hen there was much more snow) shows our route of ascent, descent, on Wednesday. Note that this route avoids the steep ice tongue of the lower north Little Athabasca Glacier.

Mt Wilcox was basically dry on our ascent of the South Ridge scramble on Friday, we stepped on snow twice for about a meter each time.

A recreational party attempted the Grand Central Coulior on Mt Kitchener retreating from above the 'Narrows' crux and reporting that the Doyle/Blanchard ice strip was not in.'

Happy trails,

Barry Blanchard

Mountain Guide

www.barryblanchard.ca

www.yamnuska.com

Mt Wilcox on  Friday.  The size 3 avalanche that I reported in an MCR last Sunday is visible, kind of, below the Silverhorn in the background.