[MCR] Athabasca conditions May 28-30

Just returned from 3 days at the Columbia Icefields, working with Grant Meekins on the Yamnuska Snow and Ice long weekend.
 
 Day 1: Parker’s Ridge wind lip is very large allowing for multiple large groups to work on crevasse rescue. We found the slopes on the way up to be wet but still useful for snow walking and self arrest training. Afternoon convective snow squalls came in repeatedly.
 
 Day 2: Athabasca North glacier, crampon and ice axe use. Crevasse rescue practice. We opted to stay low on the toe expecting large amounts of snow higher. Several features provided a good venue for a variety of crampon techniques and easy access to ice for anchors with the thinner snow cover.   
 
 Day 3: Today in the campground we woke to clear skies, 0°,calm for a 0300 start of the AA col route to Athabasca.
 Solid freeze overnight provided excellent travel. We chopped steps on the way up across snow pockets in the upper part of the rock band before the upper Andromeda glacier.  We then used crampons up the AA Col slope, all the way to the summit and back. The slopes below the col have had widespread moist avalanches, which have improved stability and deposited large amounts of debris across the bergshrund providing solid bridging. Variable clouds throughout the day helped to preserve the freeze allowing for easy return off the summit and down the AA Col.
 
 Hard to imagine better conditions for a summit day
   
 John Freeman
 ACMG – Assistant Alpine Guide
 offroute1@gmail.com

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