Athabasca Glacier

Riding quality was:

OK

Snow conditions were:

• Crusty
• Heavy
• Wind affected

We rode:

• Sunny slopes

We stayed away from:

• Alpine slopes

The day was:

• Sunny

Avalanche conditions

• Rapid temperature rise to near or above 0°C or wet surface snow.

Was attempting to ascend Athabasca Glacier to Mt Kitchener. By 10AM in the morning, the overhead hazard from Snowdome was releasing avalanches that extended across the normal up-path that proceeds under the seracs. See photos.

We attempted to find a path through the first and second icefalls that don't proceed directly under the seracs and avalanche paths. We could not find a path that doesn't require taking skis off and likely using boot crampons, on the 4 variations we attempted.