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ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued October 3rd, 2013
ACMG Mountain Conditions Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued October 3rd, 2013
A cold day in the mountains. Below freezing from Rogers Pass to Canmore at 1st light and it didn't really warm up that much all day if you were in the shade.
The few reports from the alpine indicate that there is between 20-60cms of snow along the Rockies and Columbia's divide. I was on the Upper Victoria Glacier today and it was slow and awkward walking from the teahouse up. Ice on the trail in places and wind drifted snow starting around 2300m. The talus was covered in fluff, windslab and some sun crust and it was slow and tedious travel. The glacier had slightly friendlier snow but it was calf deep at least in most places. Average snow depth on the glacier was between 50 and 75 cms. The bigger crevasses were easy to manage in the sunshine but the small ones were drifted in and impossible to see in many places. We found similar conditions yesterday on the Opabin glacier.
Wet, loose snow avalanches started running around 11am from the south faces and the odd one travelled far and was moving fairly fast in the steep terrain. We had no whumphing or signs of weak layers on the glacier but one slab from at least 24hrs ago had slid on the glacier ice below Mt Collier. It was about 30cm deep and 100+m wide. We did back off one wind effected slope of about 40 degrees as we were still uncertain of the snow conditions.
The skiing would have been pretty good on both glaciers if you made the effort and stayed out of the maze of crevasses. Other places looked much more wind stripped.
There is a LOT of ice runnels in the alpine presently. If the sun stayed off the ice and the slopes above them, many of them looked like they would offer good climbing.
I would guess that the alpine travel will remain slow in low angle terrain with no established trail for awhile yet. South facing alpine rock may have melted somewhat today but any stone in the shade will likely be plastered or verglassed.
For this weekend, low elevation rock in the sun, alpine ice with a short approach or dry ranges scrambling could be the ticket. Or, sleeping in.
Larry Stanier
ACMG 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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