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ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued November 5th, 2009
This may be the last ACMG Mountain Conditions Summary for 2009. Kananaskis Country, Banff/Kootenay/Yoho and Jasper park have begun producing public avalanche bulletins for the winter. The Canadian Avalanche Center is planning to have a public message for this weekend, check their bulletin page. MCR reports from independent guides will continue as always throughout the winter. Thanks to all the ACMG members who have fed us enough information to allow us to produce the summaries. Summaries will begin again in spring after the Canadian Avalanche Center has produced their final bulletin.
Recently in the Rockies, at least 2 parties of skiers/snowboarders have been involved in avalanches they have triggered in gullies and one ice climbing party was overrun by a natural avalanche. For more information and some photos that clearly illustrates the current situation, go to www.avalanche.ca, click discussion and then Central Rockies 10/31/2009 and Close call-Ranger Creek.
A Chinook is blowing like hell across the East slope of the Rockies at the moment. Nakiska ridgetop recorded SSW winds of 134kmh, gusts of 177kmh and a temperature of +2c at 4pm. That "breeze" is going to blow most of the snow well onto the prairies. What gets left in the lee will be hard wind slabs and crisp new cornices. Some of these will form over and on most of the few available ice climbs. Assume that getting caught in a slide in November will feel like a serious ass kicking, if you are lucky.
If You can be sure your route and all the terrain above it is either snow or avalanche terrain free,ice climbing is possible in the Rockies. There are reports of decent early season ice along the east slope from the Ghost River,the Jasper area and scattered along the Banff-Jasper highway. Obviously, most routes will be thin,"fresh" and probably way harder than the guidebook description. Getting decent gear and anchors may well be a battle. A rock rack with a fistful of pins should be part of your standard early season ice gear.
Skiing in the Rockies would be a very bad idea for awhile yet. With the current snow pack, warm temps and high winds, anywhere that has enough snow to even consider skiing is probably either a fat wind slab or a poorly bridged crevasse.
Rock climbing in the sun and out of the wind on the East Face of Tunnel mountain was good for awhile today, but that didn't last long.
Skiing in Columbia's is still very marginal. Here are some recent snow observations-
Rogers Pass summit 1330m 25cms
Mt. Fidelity, west side of Glacier Park, North of highway. 1905m 83cms.
CMH Gothics Lodge, Selkirk's, Goldstream River,700m 14cms. Estimate of 70cms or less at treeline.
Mustang Lodge, Monashees, west of Perry River, NE of Gorge creek. 1700m 105cms.
Now picture that much snow on the Selkirk's undergrowth/jungle, quartzite blocks, cedar stumps, alder and gaping crevasses. Not a pretty picture. Some decent and reasonably safe turns could probably be found above treeline on non glaciated terrain near the Selkirk's and Purcell's divide but it will be very, very hard work to get there. We have almost no real observations from which to assess the current avalanche hazard, especially in the Columbia's. Therefore, the only reasonable approach is to confine yourself to simple terrain. Downhill skiing below treeline would be scary, crappy and quite possibly would result in season ending injuries.
Hopefully, the weather forecast is correct and more snow and cooler temperatures are on the way. However, the avalanche hazard is very likely to increase greatly over the weekend, especially in the Columbia mountains. Patience and prudence are the key words for the weekend. Live to play another day and all that.
Have a fine, safe winter!
Larry Stanier
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide
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These observations and opinions are those of the person who submitted
them. The ACMG and its members take no responsibility for errors,
omissions, or lapses in continuity. Conditions differ greatly over time
and space due to the variable nature of mountain weather and terrain.
Application of this information provides no guarantee of increased safety.
Do not use the Mountain Conditions Report as the sole factor in planning
trips or making decisions in the field. Please check out http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.
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_______________________________________________
These observations and opinions are those of the person who submitted them. The
ACMG and its members take no responsibility for errors, omissions, or lapses in
continuity. Conditions differ greatly over time and space due to the variable
nature of mountain weather and terrain. Application of this information
provides no guarantee of increased safety. Do not use the Mountain Conditions
Report as the sole factor in planning trips or making decisions in the field.
Please check out http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.
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