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ACMG Mountain Conditions Summary for the Rockies
and Columbia Mountains issued May 31st, 2007
Summer is slowly coming to the subalpine in
these ranges. Trails and routes below treeeline
are mostly passable, especially as you go east into the Kananaskis. Above
treeline it is still spring in the Columbia and the Rockies along the
continental divide. There is approx 150cms snow at 1900m's in the Selkirks
and you can expect consistent snowcover above 2000m's elsewhere.
The snow strength for this weekend is all
about the melt freeze cycle. The weather forecast is very warm for
most mountain areas. If we get a
real COLD,CLEAR NIGHT conditions could be great in the mornings
but will deteriorate during the day due to the warm air
temperatures. With these warm temperatures, don't be suprised if the
snow doesn't freeze,overnight especially on non-glaciated
terrain. Realize that even small, wet snow avalanches on non-glaciated
terrain right now could be REALLY ugly events with potential for lots of rocks
and other nasty things to be involved. With a poor overnight freeze travel would
suck in the morning and get even worse and possibly dangerous during the daytime
heat. Be aware that above 3000m's cornices could still be
HUGE. It is probably a really bad weekend to be hanging around under them.
The road to the
Bugaboos is open and people have been walking up to the hut. The spires are
starting to dry out after several hot days but the shady sides will still be
choked with snow and there will be lots of water running when the heat is
on. The Cresent area and maybe Snowpatch west face could be climbable and
the mountaineering could be great. Rogers Pass is presently still best
considered a ski destination as most of the classic climbs would involve
some fairly heavy snow swimming if you were on foot in the
afternoon.
It should be a fine weekend for rock
climbing and perhaps some fast, well planned alpine climbing if all that
wet snow freezes and you pick the right route for the conditions of the day and
the party.
Larry Stanier
Mountain Guide
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