Hungabee, Winter Ascent. On December 20, C. Locke, C. Scott and I skied to the A.C.C. hut at Lake O’Hara to spend the night. The following morning we set out for Opabin Pass, where we cached our skis, intending to climb as high as possible and to bivouac. The conditions were little different from those in summer on the lower part of the ridge and we climbed steadily unroped to the big rock step. In the summer the route goes left and then over rock slabs to the ridge. We chose to traverse right to a couloir which appeared to lead back to the ridge. On the traverse we found a bivouac site. The next morning we climbed the couloir, generally on hard snow but occasionally on soft snow or icy rock bands. We put on crampons 400 feet below the ridge. The crux was a 40-foot ice-filled chimney just below the ridge. Once up, a short level ridge took us to the top. Descent was by the same route. We reached Opabin Pass with the darkness and skied to Lake O’Hara by moonlight.

Brian Greenwood