[MCR] Mountain Conditions Report- Rockies and Columbias, June 25 2009

Conditions in the forecast ranges continue to improve but the theme remains the same anywhere there is snow and ice. 

Early starts, clear nights with a good freeze and finishing early before things get too hot will give you the best chance of success on the big peaks.  

People have been reporting generally good travel conditions on the high glaciers recently but post holing lower down where the snow cover is thinner.  There are still some very big cornices lurking around in some spots and rock fall is still an issue once the sun comes out.  

The unsettled weather of the last week has left up to 20cm of new snow above ~2400-2600m depending on the range.  This will dry out quickly on the sunnier rock routes but you can expect snow and verglass on the shady aspects.

Rockies
A fair bit of climbing going on in the Columbia Icefields area but also some report of very long times taken to climb routes due to deep wet snow.  The Wapta Peaks seem to be in good shape with good snow cover on the glaciers and the peaks around Lake Louise should shape up again once we have had a few clear nights.  Castle, Louis, Edith and many of the K-Country rock peaks are in good shape but even down south (Kananaskis) you can expect new snow once you move further west toward the divide.  There have also been lots of bear sightings in K-Country.  

Columbias
Similar conditions to the Rockies will exist on the snow and ice routes while the lower elevation rock routes like Tupper, Crescent and the like should be in good shape after one dry day.  The higher rock routes in the Bugaboos and Rogers Pass will likely take at least a few hot days to clean up.  Sounds like the trail to the Kain hut is mostly snow free but there is still a fair bit in the moraines above.  See the photo from Peter Macpherson at the Bugaboo Lodge.

The descent gully for Mt MacDonald in Rogers Pass is still full of avalanche debris which makes this descent far nicer than the alder bash it becomes once the snow is gone...

In short, keep an eye out for timing and overhead hazards and enjoy the hills this weekend.


Marc Piché
ACMG, IFMGA
Mountain Guide

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