Ascended the Huber Glacier to attempt the SW face of Victoria today. In the past week the snow has all melted off this face and it is now "death on an icy stick mate". Lots of small rocks on the surface and a couple of BIG blocks at the top of the dirty ice slope above the schrund. We turned around.

The black rock band between the 2 Huber Glaciers is in the worst shape I have ever seen. On the descent we touched a small block that propagated a failure about 5m across a 35 degree talus slope that lead to a 2 cubic meter block taking off and rolling for about 300m and then clearing the edge of the lower Huber glacier. Depressing and impressive.

It will take a bunch of snow to make this wound heal and some time for that snow to bond I would assume. And, there is none in the forecast. The ridge from Abbott Pass would probably be in excellent shape if you can get there.

Lefroy, Glacier and Victoria from Huber are in terrible shape. Huber is icy but climbable. Hungabee and Biddle are dry. Odaray is in good shape.

Keep your eyes wide open and have some plan B's.

Larry Stanier
ACMG Mountain Guide