Ice Climbing: Snivelling/Mare in Winter

Climbed Snivelling with the intent to take Mare to the top. 2nd pitch is in bad shape with the low angle ice absent, leaving large & gaping (scary deep) holes w flowing water to negotiate. Would recommend taking the steeper ice to the left about 90m into Snivelling. Upon topping out the sun was in full force, -4. We made the approach to Mare & set up a belay. Upper slopes a mix of sun crust, wind slab, & facets. Significant pinwheels on the slope near us, alongside a number of sluffs from above had us pull the plug.

A few to note. Upper weeping wall overhead loaded, with slopes above Weeping Pillar & Mare avalanching recently, producing a (<48hr) size 1 at WP & a 1.5 (much less recent) near Mare. While driving home we witnessed a respectable loose dry sz2 rip down M16/East face Howse Peak & a serac calve off Patterson near Riptide.