I guided an ascent of Aberdeen today via the N Glacier. We experienced advanced summer conditions. With an exceptional overnight refreeze combined with the cooler temps yesterday, we had good snow and ice travel throughout our day.

The toe of the glacier was covered in fresh cold hard waterfall ice over glacier. Above the glacier was dry to the bergschrund except for the debris from the last early summer avalanche cycle.

The normal crossing looked very open, so we continued up on debris plugs just left of centre angling towards where the glacier touches the rock. These plugs were very solid this morning with the refreeze, but I can imagine their integrity deteriorated through the afternoon. We gained the Haddo Aberdeen col on the scree slop left of the glacier. The upper slopes to the summit have an opening dry area that we skirted above on snow next to the rock.

We descended back down the glacier well before lunch. We rappelled over the bergschrund near the normal crossing. It is overhanging but well plugged at the bottom (refreeze was just softening at 1030 on sun exposed slopes). Below, the waterfall left of the tongue was releasing rockfall down the left side of the ice slope below. We stayed on the tongue until we could skirt across to the morainal plateau that leads to the approach trail.

Photos below of the tongue and upper slope, and of the Upper Victoria Glacier.

Brent Peters
Alpine Guide
PeakStratagem.com