Parks Canada Visitor Safety did a lap on Sir Donald yesterday, July 20th. Ice axes and crampons were carried; the axes were useful crossing the snowslope to the Sir D/Uto col.

The NW ridge route was dry to the junction with the W-Face Bypass. We didn't continue to the summit beyond there to facilitate work on the rappel stations and marking the descent near the bottom with cairns. We did encounter a soloist on his way down, who reported "the Upper Headwall raps all seemed good". We can't recommend parties using the W-Face Bypass yet, which is still holding substantial snow/ice patches and would be hazardous crossing (rockfall, slip/fall) in the late morning/afternoon sun. If you go up the NW Ridge, you ought to descend it as well.

All bolted stations were found in good shape, with a few loose nuts tightened on bolts. The scrambly ledges near the bottom of the W-Face rappels still hold snow patches, and ice axes were very useful here. Cairns were added to help with routefinding.

The bear/food storage lockers and toilets are snowfree at both Upper and Lower Sir Donald bivy sites. Expect to camp on snow at the Lower Bivy.

Happy climbing.

Chris Gooliaff
Parks Canada Visitor Safety
ACMG/IFMGA