Mountain Conditions Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains, August
17th, 2006.
Conditions are typical of mid-August with generally excellent dry conditions
on most aspects and elevations in both the Rockies and the Columbias. High
elevation north facing routes may still have some residual snow or verglas
but this is going fast.
In the Rockies overnight temperatures at elevation are below freezing and
any remaining snow is hard in the early morning. The dirty ice conditions
of a couple of weeks ago on north faces seems to have been healed by the
precipitation events since then. Routes such as Athabasca & Fay north
faces and Lefroy are in good but icy condition. In the Columbias, the temps
have been warmer and snow has been barely freezing overnight. Rock routes
at Rogers Pass and in the Bugaboos are in very good shape. The
Bugaboo-Snowpatch bergshrund is still passable but it is icy and subject to
rockfall once it warms up.
This is the high season for alpine climbing. Even the mosquitoes have been
staying away.
Marc Ledwidge
Mountain Guide
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