[MCR] Battle Brook, Selkirk Mountains, July 1-10, 2010

Spent the last 10 days in Battle Brook working with Lilla Molnar and Roger Laurilla at the ACC General Mountaineering Camp.  We climbed Mt Wheeler and Mt Purity on July 1st in good conditions,  then spent the majority of the following week exploring a variety of peaks on the Van Horne Neve.

 

After a three days of rain and fog from July 2nd to 5th, we had five days of blue skies and hot weather to finish the week.  About 20-50cm of fresh snow fell above 2400m during the storm.  During the following hot days this snow mostly melted away and sluffed out, but the warm temperatures kept us off of steep terrain up high due to continued concern for wet snow avalanches and rockfall hazards.  Creek crossings are also getting quite interesting with the hot temps.

 

Travel was good on lower elevation snow and glaciers and on lower angle terrain up to 2800m.  Above this we were punching in to the knee while breaking trail.  Though the snow is melting rapidly, lots of snow remains up on the icefields providing good bridging on the glaciers.  With a better freeze and an early start conditions would improve very quickly.

 

Cheers, Conrad Janzen
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide
www.conradjanzenguiding.com

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