We did a quick trip up to the Freshfield Icefield on August 4-5. I took the Pilkingtons up Mt Pilkington, which was named after their great uncle Charles, an accomplished climber and president of the Alpine Club (UK) in the late 1800s.

We had a base camp at the Barnard-Waitabit Col from where we climbed the SW ridge of Pilkington (route 24 in the Jones guide), and the SW ridge of an unnamed 3250 m peak above our camp ("Bulyea South").

Morning snow conditions were excellent with good overnight freezes. Crusts were breaking down by 10.30 am on south facing slopes causing ankle deep trail breaking through the crust on descents. On flatter slopes and anything facing away from the sun the crusts were staying intact all day. We also found some punchy snow conditions on ridge features, especially near rocks.

Some photos of the area looking north towards Barnard, Bulyea, and Pilkington; and south towards Nanga Parbat and Trutch.