Quick report
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Some of the cornices on the South Ridge are hollow and starting to crack away from the ridgeline. I would assume this is starting to take place in other parts of the range. The cornices are smaller then normal. </p>
Saw minor wet activity on solar aspects by mid-day and early afternoon. Solar aspects by early afternoon had become damp and sticky.
Good cramponing up high on the South Ridge, with ~5cm of new snow that became damp by mid-day.
Looking down the ridge with cornices overhanging the ridgeline. Typically the cornices are much bigger and more snow on the ridge then now.
Snowpack
Climbing up Suicide chute there was ~10-12cm of new snow on top of the old surface. Boot pen in the Suicide Chute was 30-40cm. Once on the South Ridge, we encounter 3-5cm of top of a firm M/F crust. Most places boot pen was only 10cm and crampons were required with occasional spots of thigh deep snow up high. By 10:30am the surface snow on the South Ridge was becoming damp. Most of the steep rocks steps on the ridge are snow free and involves more mixed alpine climbing then normal for this time of year.
Cardiac Bowl had good quality skiing with lots of tracks.