Mid summer Tantalus Traverse Report
The classic mid-season coastal alpine question: How is the snow? With big winter snowpacks, we are faced with difficult climbing as this snow melts out creating gaping bergschrunds or moats. Popular routes like the NE face of Garibaldi sometimes become even unpassable as the Bergschrund becomes too big late in the summer.
With this winter snowpack lingering much longer than normal the condition on local routes are in "better than average" shape but changing quick with this the summer hot hot heat.
Another popular route that snow melt impacts a great deal is the Tantalus Traverser. There are 3 moats that one has to climb over when going north to south. Ranging from easy peasy in the early summer to impossible in the late fall.
Aug 17 Conditions update:
The route is still in fine shape. The moats are certainly melting out but still very easily passed with some thought and a good belay.
*I'm making guesses on snowmelt... so could be very wrong on how it be in the future. But my 2 cents!
1 (north): The first is still fine and suspect will remain that way for a while. The face leading up to the first notch is obviously dry and exposes some terrible loose rock. Fine with management.
2 (middle): The middle moat just before the final snow slope leading to the summit ridge is the most dubious with a significant overhang and undercut. Was easily passed with a good belay. I would bring something to leave a rappel anchor moving forward in case this moat collapses.
3 (south): The final moat to reach the glacier up to Dione was in good shape and probably will stay that way for a while.
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