Shades of Beauty

Climbed Shades twice over the past week. Yesterday, on the approach slope, last week’s snow had a thin wind skin on top but no slab properties underneath. The walk-off (from below p3, heading into the trees skiers R) had more wind affected snow, but nothing of concern. All pitches in good shape, a 70m rope from the top bolted station does not quite reach back to the cave at the base of P3. However, a no-thread at the top of the ice on P3 allows you to descend the route easily with one rope (even if deciding to rappel the lower pitches).