Subject: | [MCR] Bugaboo conditions resend |
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Date: | Mon, 9 Jul 2012 14:57:31 -0700 (PDT) |
Kirsten
Knechtel and I just spent 5 bluebird days in the Bugaboos with a group
of 8. Walking in on the 4th, the hut was surrounded by snow, and the
generator was not even close to working. The mountains looked very
snowy, many cornices still laced the ridge lines and the trail to
Applebee was all in snow. Over the 5 days, we were blessed with sunny
weather and very few people in the area, and watched the area turn from
winter to summer conditions, literally
over night! Glaciers are still well covered, up
to 250cm plus w probing, but snow recovery overnight was minimal to
zero, with 15-30cm of top snow being wet grains. This led to sloppy,
knee deep snow conditions during the day on solar aspects of moderate
slopes on the glacier and an early start for steeper slopes like the
Bugaboo-Snowpatch col. There were no signs of deeper slab releases but we observed numerous point releases on steep solar faces. The spires really cleared up over our time there, and most climbs on all aspects of Snowpatch (other then maybe the Snowpatch route, which shed some sloughing avalanches while we were there), looked good, same with Crescent Towers. People climbed the NE Ridge of Bugaboo (reporting ice and snow in the cracks), and the Kain route had a bunch of snow on the start but nothing that would stop you getting to the ridge. A big cornice still lies on this ridge however and threatens the Bugaboo-Snowpatch col, which people should stay aware of! Pigeon still had a bunch of snow on the West Ridge. Rumor had it that people were in East Creek Basin, but we didn't see any tracks leading down the col, nor returning from the Howsers. The Howsers still looked very snowy with cornices threatening the descent. The access road
is in moderate shape and the hut still does not have power. The
custodian will not be aware of hut reservations made before you go, so
bring your paperwork. Applebee was still snow covered and water was
minimal. Despite
the late summer, the Bugaboos are ready to go for most steeper rock
lines, with a heads
up on over head hazards and snowy ridges. Snow travel is great with a
bit of a freeze, but sloppy and deep if this doesn't happen. Sar Sarah Hueniken ACMG Alpine Guide www.sarahhueniken.com _______________________________________________ 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. See http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information. See http://informalex.org/subscribe.shtml/unsubscribe to remove your name from this list. |
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