Matt's Diary: Day 2
3am alarm beeps and climbers gear up to depart (2000m [1]). We pack all our snow and ice gear incl. 2 1950's ice screws - just to try them out; little did we know what lay ahead. After a scree scramble and a bonus traverse of the AA glacier (real route skirts base) [2] we arrive at Asteroid Alley (5am [3]). After an interesting climb up onto the Andromeda (hanging) glacier we climb easily to the lg. bergschrund observed from Icefields visitors centre telescope last night (7am). Steph takes dump on ice and reports altitude 2600m just below bergschrund [4]. This was negociated with little difficulty and the first couple of hundred m of 45° snow are very doable. Thereafter we hit the ice and the shit hits the fan. Well not quite that bad, but Steph and Matt make their debuts leading on ice which must have been around 55°! And 1950's screws used in anger several times (we probably placed 50+ screws each in ascent and descent). Arriving at a loose rock face at 1:30pm [5] we realise we are off route [only about 20m to the left], tired and Matt has lost his Abalakov tool (and his composure). Though we are only 300m shy of the summit [we later realized this was only 200m] we decide the safest option is to turn back. This proceeds more easily and we find the correct route is further to climber's right on the face. 8pm arrive at the car [1] after an 18 hour attempt!

Day 1: Driving from Vancouver     Day 3: Jasper