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ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued July 29th, 2010
ACMG Mountain Conditions Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains Issued July 29th, 2010.
It is a pleasure to say that conditions are generally REALLY GOOD right now.
Moderate alpine climbs on snow and ice and the classic ridges are all in good shape given a good freeze or a snow free route. Alpine rock climbing conditions from the Bugaboos to the Northern Selkirks and on all of the moderate elevation Rockies routes are excellent. Many of the big snow and ice faces and glaciers above 3000m still have excellent snow coverage.
Probably the biggest concern during this heatwave is snow-melt generated rockfall and triggering small wet slides. Terrain with lots of rocks and thin or variable snow patches are the features to be well away from when things are warm. As Mark mentioned last week, features like the standard routes on Hungabee and Mt. Alberta are probably really scary when it is warm and need more time to come into shape. I would be reluctant to recommend any of the big remote Rockies North Face rock routes like Alberta and North Twin(for many reasons:) but mainly I think it would be a long walk when it is quite possible they still may be snowy or at least wet and dropping rocks at a great rate. Mixed routes like the Grand Central Couloir, Andromeda Strain and the North Face of Edith Cavell are a really bad idea at present. Even if you think you are moving really, really fast.
Areas with deeper snowpacks should be fairly straightforward to assess. If you are sinking in, you probably shouldn't be there. If that is the case, assume cornices are stressing, crevasse bridges are weakening and wet sloughs may be next. I would work pretty hard to keep from spending time on or below any big cornices right now. There is still a bunch of them left and a bunch of those are going to fail in the next week or two.
Weather generally looks pretty good but thunder has been booming all over the front ranges. Anywhere this next week you should be keeping a weather eye out for more fast approaching storms, especially at places where you ratchet up the commitment. Even those nice, new, light and sexy climbing duds won't cut it when it is blowing slush sideways and the lightning is oh, so terrifying.
Keep all those caveats in mind and it doesn't get much better than this. It is a treat to have so many fine routes in fine shape. Get up early and get after it!
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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