Drove up from Banff the night before and bivied at the toe of the north ridge overlooking the icefall. There was one big serac tottering on the edge and at two in the morning we all awoke and got to watch that thing topple in apparent slow motion. Weehoo.
Then had a nice sunny day on Andromeda, up Skyladder, down the east ridge to AA col.
Old School WB - Oct 6, 2011 5:05 pm Date Climbed: Jun 25, 2006
Great conditions
Climbed Skyladder with great snow conditions. Maybe half pitch of ice. Climbed with Andrew and Mark Nugara and Trevor Bueckert.
Dow Williams - Aug 3, 2011 1:04 pm Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2011
Skyladder
4+ hrs from the car to summit which is essentially half what many parties take. Conditions were as perfect as they ever get for this route. Hard snow from the lower glacier to the summit. The bergschrund was easily crossed to the right. No evidence of anyone taking advantage of these conditions besides us for the past few days. But three large guided parties descending north glacier Athabasca. No doubt that route is in highway condition. Important to note that many predicted Skyladder never to be in good climbable condition again in August. Most glaciers in the area will be growing this year vs receding. Decent sized cornice over the col on descent, but easily avoided. Removed a very messy and ineffectual (dangerous) piton rap station on descent and hauled out. Please keep it clean out there.
Jade - Nov 7, 2013 8:25 pm
Super SeracDrove up from Banff the night before and bivied at the toe of the north ridge overlooking the icefall. There was one big serac tottering on the edge and at two in the morning we all awoke and got to watch that thing topple in apparent slow motion. Weehoo.
Then had a nice sunny day on Andromeda, up Skyladder, down the east ridge to AA col.
Old School WB - Oct 6, 2011 5:05 pm Date Climbed: Jun 25, 2006
Great conditionsClimbed Skyladder with great snow conditions. Maybe half pitch of ice. Climbed with Andrew and Mark Nugara and Trevor Bueckert.
Dow Williams - Aug 3, 2011 1:04 pm Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2011
Skyladder4+ hrs from the car to summit which is essentially half what many parties take. Conditions were as perfect as they ever get for this route. Hard snow from the lower glacier to the summit. The bergschrund was easily crossed to the right. No evidence of anyone taking advantage of these conditions besides us for the past few days. But three large guided parties descending north glacier Athabasca. No doubt that route is in highway condition. Important to note that many predicted Skyladder never to be in good climbable condition again in August. Most glaciers in the area will be growing this year vs receding. Decent sized cornice over the col on descent, but easily avoided. Removed a very messy and ineffectual (dangerous) piton rap station on descent and hauled out. Please keep it clean out there.