Please carefully read the gear requirements and trip difficulty ratings. It is the responsibility of the participant to check for any updates, changes or cancellations before the day of the trip.

Make sure that you have paid for a 2012 membership with the CSMC. Payment can be made online or at the meeting location. Waivers are mandatory for every trip and can be printed online or filled out at the meeting location. Cost for membership with the CSMC is $25 for 2012. Be sure to also bring extra money for car pooling costs. I am manually putting people on the event so you will be waitlisted until I confirm you are capable and equipped.

Mt Victoria from Abbott Pass

Mt. Victoria is a alpine ice ridge ascent from Abbott Pass hut, sitting above Lake Louise.  Access to the hut is an easy scramble from Lake O'Hara, with minor objective hazard from falling debris and a nasty scree trail.  I truly regret having to do this again this year.

The plan is to take the last 15:30 bus up to Lake O'Hara for the approach to the hut on Friday evening.  The approach is normally done in 3-4 hours.  This will require leaving Calgary promptly at 1:00PM if not a bit earlier, to make it to the bus in time.  Please take this into consideration when considering signing up for this trip.

The hut is comfortable, with all cooking gear, and sleeping foamies.  Sleeping bag and food are still required from participants.  The hut remains quite warm at night.

I have booked the hut for 4 people for 1 nights (Friday).  The cost of night at the hut, plus the bus cost and taxes comes to $49.50 per person.  I will require payment before the trip for participants to remain"confirmed".

The climb will be an early 4:00AM alpine start from the hut in order to get best snow conditions, and is about 500m gain from the hut.  It consists of steep rock or snow/ice, depending on if there is early snow this fall, followed by a narrow rock and ice ridge to the summit with significant exposure.  Participants will be expected to have good comfort on steep snow, ice and exposed ridges, using crampons over mixed rock/ice terrain, as well as knowledge of using ice screws, belaying, self-arrest and roped travel.

We will return the same way, and return to Lake O'Hara itself the same day for riding the last bus out.  This puts a time constraint on the climb, so we must move fast.

Gear :
Glacier travel gear(harness,prusik cords and carabiners), headlight, sunglasses, crampons, 2 ice tools, helmet. Group gear will include ropes, snow pickets and ice screws. Temperatures may be below freezing with wind so bring clothing to suit. Raingear is also strongly advised.

Other items:
Sunscreen, sleeping bag, food for 1 evening/day (all meals, cooking facilities provided for dinner), water containers.