Climbed a variation on Coire Dubh integral today. Generally excellent snow travel in the main gully and big bowl. Some short bits of nasty depth hoar and breakable crust in the upper bowl and on the descent. The ice at the bottom is fat and easy. We climbed the 1st pitch of Doors of Deception then went right to a short ice gully. Wind was getting pretty burly by this point as the chinook arch formed so we went right on good snow and up an easy mixed gully to the ridgecrest. Descent was a bit of a stagger and more work than the climb as we were getting pushed around hard by the big wind gusts. A fine big day in the mountains close to the road.

Most of the rock is dry and the snow and ice are firm so it is a good time to go alpine climbing at treeline on the dry East side of the Rockies.

Larry Stanier
ACMG Mountain Guide