Parks Canada Visitor Safety spent June 20 and 21 on low elevation alpine climbs around Lake O'Hara. We climbed Grassi Ridge on Wiwaxy Peaks, and the West Face of the Watchtower. Both were virtually dry. There was a dusting of snow on the talus around the top of the Watchtower (however, the steep rock on the face was dry), and short sections of snow up high on the descent of each climb.
Weather: With the passing of a small cold front on Tuesday evening, it felt more like spring traversing weather than the solstice! Periods of sun, wind, warm, cold, rain, snow and graupel. Looked like ~5 cm of new snow fell on the tops Tuesday evening, tapering to a skiff down at 2200 m. On the north face of Mt Victoria much of this appeared to blow around/spindrift/blow away in strong westerly winds today. The new snow retreated to 2400 m by mid afternoon. (Higher on solar aspects with a few bursts of sun).
Conditions: Wet snow Wednesday on the South aspect of East Wiwaxy gave punchy travel around rocks and loose wet avalanches easily triggered in surface snow. Punchy wet snow was found below treeline Thursday morning but supportive step kicking was found in North facing snow patches at 2400m. We turned around from the approach to Odaray due to suspected continuous poor travel.
Snowline: 2150 m (just below treeline), but down to Lake O'Hara (2000 m) on forested N aspects. However patchy (or dry) in the lower alpine elevations on solar aspects. At a glance it seemed most hiking trails were snowy, eg Opabin, All Souls, Yukness Ledges. Lake Oesa hike was mainly free of seasonal snow (likewise for trail to Wiwaxy Gap), except for many deposits of avalanche debris over the trail that were easily negotiated (caution for cavities along streams).
The approach to Abbot Pass looked like primarily snow slopes, as did the slopes to either side. Easy to imagine rockfall or avalanche potential.
Photos looking to:
Odaray
Opabin Pass
Huber
Lake Oesa/toward Abbot Pass
Happy "Summer"
Alex Lawson/Ruari McFarlane
Parks Canada Visitor Safety
