Mount Harvey - Ramp 3/2/2008
Trip: Mount Harvey - Ramp
Date: 3/2/2008
Trip Report:warm weather has settled the snow pretty well, so graham and i went for a look to see how alpine conditions are coming along. snowshoes are still necessary to reach the end of the road. fresh snow cover started at the road-end. there's a firm crust/base, and the new snow deepens to maybe 6" by the top of the ramp, so the climb is more "plugging" than cramponning (not that you can get away without the 'spikes'). i used a single 65cm iceaxe, and i probably swung the axe for a pick placement 6 times on the entire climb - the rest was shaft plunging. we put on a rope for the traverse beyond the top of the ramp, cuz snow conditions are still spooky and the basin is above a VERY big drop, but in fact the snow was fine. the final slopes held a bunch of deep flogging, but they're not long.
we cramponned down as far as the road switchback, then the warmth started to allow us to break thru the crust, so the snowshoes went back on for the road out.
spring's coming...
cheers,
