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Mountain Conditions Summary for the Rockies and
Columbia Mountains issued July 12th, 2006
We are well into midsummer conditions at all
elevations throughout the Rockies, Purcells and Selkirks.
Below treeline there is basically no snow except in
old avalanche deposits. At treeline snow is very rare and only in old drifts,
avalanche deposits and deep dark north facing features.
In the alpine snow is still plentiful above 3000m's
but it very much has the feel of summer snow and has been through many melt
freeze cycles. The strength of the snow in the alpine is variable.
Alpinists can assume it will be strong after a cold clear night
but becoming weak and staying that way with poor freezes, daytime
heating or during rain events.
Glaciers are starting to show lots of ice at lower
elevations and on sun affected aspects. Keep in mind the potential
for rockfall along the margins of bare ice faces. A number of hot summers
have melted away lots of old ice and started to expose perched rocks and
boulders that have not seen the light of day for hundreds of years.
A lot of rain fell in the last couple of days but
all reports indicate that the freezing level was very high and no signifigant
snowfall in the alpine was reported.
Larry Stanier
Mountain Guide
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