Alpine conditions near Abbot Pass

Climbed to just below the south summit of Mt. Victoria today. Conditions were good, although snowy. It was about -6 up there this morning, and above 0 in the afternoon. The snow starts at about 2900m (just below Abbot Pass), and above the hut there is about 20 cm of settled snow, drifted to knee deep in a few spots. We wore crampons from Abbot Hut up, and although it was a bit slower it was generally good step kicking with crampons scratching on rock underneath.

The afternoon sun triggered a few rockfalls from melting snow, and there was one particularly big rockfall right down the middle of the Abbot Pass approach.

Evidence of a few dry sluffs on Mt. Lefroy (see photo) that look a day or two old.

Lots of ice runnels forming in the shady spots.

Grant Statham, Steve Holeczi, Lisa Paulson