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Mountain Conditions Summary for the Rockies and
Interior Ranges issued September 7th, 2006.
The snow that fell around August 30th is now just a
memory except on high elevation north aspects. There was almost
zero reported snow avalanche activity from this storm with the exception of
some wet slides as it melted away.
It has been very unseasonably warm most days and
especially most nights up high. In the past week overnight temperatures never
went below 14c at the Conrad Kain Hut and it was
6c at the Abbott pass hut at 6am the one night I was there. It
is "September" in name only.
The Rockies are back in good summer
conditions. Glacier travel is reasonable again if you get a good freeze.
There is lots of variation in the condition of various snow and ice
faces. Some could be good objectives if you get some cold temperatures and
others will be dirty and best avoided no matter what the temps are. Alpine
rock routes are good, with the exception, again, of the steep high North
faces. It is still too warm and way too dry for most of the big mixed
routes at present.
Perhaps due to all the smoke in the air things
sound very warm and spooky in the transitional areas in the Bugaboos and
interior ranges. Reports of LOTS of rock and ice fall around bergschrunds on the
Howsers and Bugaboo/ Snowpatch col and even some sustained rockfalls and
major changes in boulderfields like the area between Lion's Way and Ears
Between on Crescent. An alpine guides exam in the area was descending all
week via the Snowpatch/Pigeon col rappels and Bugaboo glacier to avoid the
Bugaboo/ Snowpatch col in the pm. The descents off the East faces of the
Howsers sounds serious as you approach the ice with rock and icefall being
observed all day. The West faces of the Howsers and the North ridge of the North
Howser are in great shape but think hard about how you are going to get off
those things. These same caveats would probably apply to similar terrain
throught the Purcells and Selkirks. Having said all that, the stone is warm and
dry and the forecast isn't too bad except for Saturday.
Choose your objectives carefully from home and
don't be afraid to turn around if the long, hot and dry summer has left your
route in really rough shape. It could be a great weekend for a route
with low angle transitions between rock and ice as your plan A or
at least as your plan B.
Bon Cours,
Larry Stanier
Mountain
Guide
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