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ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued August 9th, 2012
The generally excellent summer climbing conditions in the Rockies and Columbia mtns. continue. Most of the classics are in fine shape and you should be too:)
The big winter snows are gone in some places and still making for great snow travel in others. As a very gross generalization, North and East facing terrain has better snow coverage, west and south faces are mostly either dry or showing bare ice. Low elevation glaciers are also becoming bare.
An example of the variation in snow cover right now from my home hills at Lake O"Hara would be the West faces of Hungabee and Mt. Victoria. The West face of Hungabee still is holding enough snow that rockfall is a big concern on the normal route. It needs at least another warm week of melting to meet my personal risk tolerance. Conversely, the upper part of the West face descent route from the South ridge of Victoria to the Huber Glacier is either strips of bare ice or dry choss-also not my favourite.
Alpine rock climbing is probably as good as it gets in most venues. The big faces and classic ridges are in great condition and the main concerns are likely at the transitions. Moats are getting bigger, cornices are "mostly" gone but still an issue in some places and glacier travel, approach gullies or snowslopes below some routes could be bare ice or grim rock travel.
The summer has been, to me, characterized by unstable and difficult to predict weather, especially thunderstorms. Keep an eye on the forecast but more importantly on the incoming weather. The lightning hazard is, I hope, obvious. The rain associated with the lightning has also been triggering some intense rockfall this summer. This may have something to do with all the melting snow and the big spring rains. Either way, getting hit by lightning or rocks sucks.
Choose your objectives with rockfall and weather in mind but do choose an objective. It can't get much better than this!
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.
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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