[MCR] Bow Valley Ice Conditions (March 16)

Subject: [MCR] Bow Valley Ice Conditions (March 16)
Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2008 18:26:51 -0600
The following is a report on late season ice conditions for the Bow Valley area from my past week of guiding (March 10-16). The end of the season is rapidly nearing for lower elevation ice climbs. My main observation is the regular occurrence of natural rock fall as the sun and warm temperatures affect melt snow and lubricate overhead scree slopes.

Louise Falls: It is still blue but the pillar itself is seeing sun- affect and getting a bit bleached. Sun is hitting it at 11:30 am when it pops up over Mt Fairview. The main hazard is the abundance of BIG hanging daggers on either side of the pillar itself. Limit exposure to them, especially belay stances (I've witnessed folks setting up belays right under them on the second pitch) or maybe just go somewhere else if it is either really cold (brittle pillars bad) or really warm and sunny (direct sun on pillars bad). The hanging dagger of the mixed route, Captain Hook, is growing thus threatening the usual gear-up spot under the rock overhang on the right.

Haffner Creek: Random spontaneous rock fall as the sun bakes the scree slopes above the climbs. The mixed routes are delaminating with lots of water flowing over the rock. Beware of prying thawed holds off.

Coire Dubh: The Integral to the top was in great shape last week but as of this morning, the rock is freshly caked in 10cm of snow so we only climbed the lower ice. I'd avoid both the lower ice and Integral for a couple days because as the snow melts it will surely generate rock fall from the numerous scree-covered ledges.

Grotto Canyon: Hers is white and sun-leached. The mixed routes are close to being done as the rock is soaked and the ice is rotted. A couple grapefruit-sized rocks fell from the top of the big cliff above His and Hers missing a couple of folks at the base by less than a meter.

Sean Isaac
Assistant Alpine Guide








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