[MCR] Rockies Ice Conditions: Junkyards, King Ck, Hafner, Johnston, Guinness, Chantilly

Greetings,

Mountain Skills Academy conducted ice climbing courses this past week:

Junkyards: Lower flow and Scottish gully in typical conditions, fat and plenty of room for several parties. Upper flow is also in excellent condition.

King Creek: No problem with river crossings on approach. We put a big log across the creek for a bridge just past the main flow. Main flow is in typical conditions fat and healthy. Corner mixed route is thin to non-existent.

Hafner Creek: Interesting conditions at Hafner this year. The right practice flow is harder than usual. Left flow is in great shape and has a hooked out groove that provides easier climbing. Big daggers threaten the left mixed routes and will require caution. The Flake route is overhung by big daggers and looks dangerous. The back of the canyon is about a fat as I have ever seen it and the first flow back there is really good providing longer and better ice than usual.

*Johnston Canyon: Excellent conditions here: From left to right - main waterfall left side is in but only accessed by rappelling in. Ice just right of waterfall provides really good pumpy and technical terrain. Most of the bigger daggers in the central area have come down however there remains plenty of overhead hazard here. The central area pillar that sometimes forms is not there. The main practice flows on the right are healthy and get thinner and snow covered farther right.

*Of note; we were at Johnston on Wednesday, a warm sunny day. I noticed some water running under the central hanging daggers and those that could threaten belayers standing on the left side of the right-hand practice ice. I've seen this in the past in conjunction with these daggers failing on their own or from an ice climbers swing or kick. I theorize that though some of these daggers may seem well supported, at times there exists a healthy water flow behind  these daggers which erodes and weakens them. When these conditions exist one can see and or hear the water flow.
 
Grotto Falls: The route His is no longer touching but offers a good mixed route. Hers was very brittle and pumpy. Grotto falls itself is in great shape although not fat. The mid station anchors are way off the ground but still useable.

Guinness Gully: In very good hooked out WI4 shape with an excellent trail leading to it.  Upper gully leading to Guinness Stout was investigated and the December crust/facets layer along with isolated wind slabs is prevalent and these slabs could potentially be triggered by humans.

Chantilly Falls: In good condition with some thin sections.

Eric Dumerac
IFMGA/ACMG Mountain Guide

www.mountainskillsacademy.com
www.whistlerguides.com

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