Banff/Jasper Summer Ice?

[PLC]

My wife and I are headed to Banff for our 10th anniversary in August and I was wondering if there's any accessible (as in daytrip) ice climbing in Jasper, like in the Columbia Ice Field. I'm looking for something similar to climbing on the seracs at Mt. Baker.

 

From the pictures I've seen online, it looks pretty flat, at least near the road.

[stinkyclimber]

I don't think there are any climable seracs on the Columbia glacier, but you may be able to find something on the glacier below the north face bowl of Andromeda...but I think you will find it is a little more active than you would want! Same with the glacier coming down off the north side of Atha'B - nothing like the benign serac fields of Baker, but I could be wrong.

 

If you are into some easy ice, then try NF of Atha'B or Skyladder on Andromeda.

[Ken_p]

slipstream should be in good shape this time of year. or m-16.

[John Frieh]

Up to date conditions: http://www.gravsports-ice.com/icethreads/

 

Sounds like things are forming up nicely

[genepires]

if the NF of atha is too much of a day, then you might want to give silverhorn on athab a look. Quite a bit easier but still a very good line.

 

If you walk up the columbia glacier, you should be able to find a crevasse to TR but no stable icefall (contradiction in terms?) exists. The colman icefall is quite an strange beast.

[AlpineK]

The Skyladder on Andromeda is a little easier than the N face of Athabasca. The only drawback I can see is the decent back to AA col and down to the glacier is a little tricky.

[stinkyclimber]

I think most people are downclimbing/rapping Skyladder nowadays for that reason - for most of the past few seasons, AA has been a nightmare. or else, they climb up to the Atha'B glacier descent.

[AlpineK]

Interesting. I'm afraid I've been through AA col a couple times, but that was awhile ago.

[PLC]

Thanks everybody - it sounds like no easy top-roping, but accessible alpine ice, which is only about 1000 times better!

[PaulB]

If you are into some easy ice, then try NF of Atha'B or Skyladder on Andromeda.

I drove down the Parkway yesterday. The NF of Athabasca looks good:

 

Skyladder, not so much:

 

 

[AlpineK]

Athabasca does look quite a bit better,but neither face looks very good to me.

 

The Skyladder used to be all ice/snow and no rock in the middle of it.