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ACMG Mountain Conditions Summary for the Rockies
and Columbia Mountains issued October 1st, 2009
It is finally starting to feel like Autumn in the
mountains. The temperatures are cold and ice is starting to form in small
dribbles in the alpine. However, it is still REALLY dry for this time of
year.
West of the continental divide, light snow fell in
most areas above treeline in the past few days. The limited
reports indicate that snowfall amounts varied widely between ranges and
even valleys. Most of the new snow has melted on sun exposed slopes,
but verglas is a possibility there. Reports of snow remaining on North
aspects in the Columbias vary from 2000 to 2400m. Rockies reports indicate
generally light snowfalls(up to 10cms) and melting on south slopes but there is
still some snow in the trees at O'Hara. Thin windslabs in some alpine areas. The
take home point is that it is probably white above treeline on anything not
directly facing the sun.
Rockfall is STILL being reported from the wind and
from when the sun came out Wednesday. This is likely to continue till snow
starts to bury the rubble.
Glacier travel is still either bare ice, ice buried
in rubble or crevasses poorly bridged by the light autumn snow. Not
that appealing sounding.
Waterfall ice is just starting to form and no one
is raving about how good it looks just yet.
Alpine rock, brrr! Some snow, some verglas and a
grey forecast.
Seems like the best climbing conditions are east of
the Rockies divide. Given the weekend weather forecast, I would be aiming for
easy objectives and packing my woollie undies and puffy jackets or catching up
on books and movies.
Larry Stanier
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain
Guide
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