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ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued June 9, 2011
The theme for this report is ?transition?. Overall conditions are slowly making their way towards Summer, but Winter/Spring are still holding on dearly to the higher Alpine terrain.
Warmer weather earlier in the week has helped to hasten the retreat of the snowline but it is still lingers below treeline in majority of the Columbias and Rockies.
Most Alpine Rock routes still will need some time to shape up, but reports from the front range indicate that the climbing conditions in ?The Ghost? have improved significantly, with reasonable driving access and some quickly melting snow patches in shaded gullies. I am sure it is likewise at similar venues such as Yamnuska, but would expect to find more drips and weeps as you move west (Rundle, Ha Ling). A late day photo from Tom Wolfe showed Castle to be mainly snow free rock, though there was still visible snow on the benches and in the gullies. It may be climbable in its current state, but anticipate snowy conditions in the descent gullies and have suitable footwear, and maybe an ice axe.
Not much recent news out of the Columbia Icefields, but I would expect good snow travel conditions depending on the preceding overnight freeze and the timing of your departure. Also just a reminder that the serac?s above the traverse to Athabasca?s North Face appear to be fairly active this season, something to keep in mind when planning objectives in this area.
Rogers Pass has likewise been quiet, still lots of snow left for those keen skiers, but if you are heading up the Hermit or other solar exposed ascents, you may have to shoulder your skis for a bit before hitting the snowline.
As far as hazards go, at this time transitional time of year, I focus on the 4 C?s. Cornices, Crevasses, Creeks, and Carnivores!
Significant cornice formation this winter and a cool spring have left many large, and now melting cornices, looming high overhead along Alpine ridgecrests ? something to scope out well ahead of time before committing to any confined gulley or exposed alpine faces. Crevasses are in a state change and require the prudent use of a rope and probe if you want to avoid an unplanned crevasse rescue practice.
In the valley bottoms consider the potential for significant rise in water volumes during the day, and whether that little rivulet you hopped over in the morning will turn into a frothy class 4 rapid by late afternoon! Carnivores, well just a reminder that they are up and about and should be treated with respect and to let them know you are on the trail.
Avalanches will continue to be an issue in the Alpine for some time yet, with most activity now directly influenced by solar warming, the timing determined by the quality of the overnight freeze. This is a good time to remember that there were significant basal weaknesses in last winter?s snowpack, especially at the ice/snow interface of the larger Alpine ice faces. As Summer creeps higher into the mountains and begins to thaw the higher Alpine snowpack, this weakness could produce significant slab avalanches to glacial ice.
The weather outlook looks somewhat unsettled with possibility of afternoon showers in both the ranges, but all in all it looks like a great weekend to get out there and have some fun!
Scott Davis
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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