I guided an ascent of the North Glacier of Mt Athabasca to the Silverhorn summit on Saturday, July 9th. Mountaineering is proving to be a lot of work on days without much freezing on the night before. We had a breakable crust over moist corn snow. 90 cms of that moist corn above 2900 metres made for much post holing.

On Sunday July 12th I guided the Gmoser Highway to the Hind Hut. There is a lot of snow at the beginning of the Highway and we did more snow climbing than I can recall in the past.

On Monday July 11th I attempted to guide the North Ridge of Mt Assininboine. The weather was poor with drizzle and sleet but little wind. We put crampons on 200 metres above the crest of the approach moraine. The snow supported good steps where it was 1 metre or more deep, less depth than that and it was wet slop. We turned tail from the Red Band and past the rest of the day trying to stay warm in the hut.

Tuesday we ascended Mt Strom and the snow arete behind the hut was in good nic. We descended via the scramble route to the Assiniboine/Strom Col.

More drizzle today on our descent. I rode a block of snow that fractured from the second chute/chimney (from the start) snow plug for 5 metres. Unpleasant surfing big slate in the undermining creek, lots of cussing on my part.

Found something in the hut, yours?

Happy trails,

Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures
www.yamnuska.com