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ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued April 23rd, 2015
Spring is fully sprung for this first ACMG Mountain Conditions Summary of 2015.
I think, as a gross generalization, conditions are currently about as uniform as they get across the Rockies and Columbia mountains. Snow is retreating from valley bottoms and lower mid-elevations along the east slopes of most of the ranges and creeks are opening. For skiers, this could mean some walking, wading and or "mixed" skiing down low. However, there is still some great snow travel to be had treeline and above.
Ski and climbing conditions to at least 2500m all hinges on the state of the melt freeze cycle. There has recently been some great travel on skis and boots if your timing is right. Today, it sounded like lots of crust where the skies stayed grey after a cold night. Above 2700m or so, open shady slopes are fairly well settled but still have some loose snow and some good powder skiing. In parts of the Columbia mtns the melt/freeze has reportedly extended even to the high north facing terrain.
For climbing in the shady alpine places, there is likely still lots of snowed-up rock, cornices, mushrooms, sloughing etc. I had to trench/swim to make headway up a shaded gully on the Fist yesterday. A wily party recently retreated due to avalanche hazard on Woolley Shoulder. Another party managed to get up "The Wild Thing" on Mt. Chepren, but it sounded like a huge effort in very snowy conditions.
Anyone thinking of climbing on a big sun effected alpine feature in clear weather for awhile had better have a really good plan and stick to it. I was up high two days this week close to the Rockies Divide and on the east faces wet snow avalanches started running big and fast around 9am and kept it up till the sun left them. I would assume that the same wet slough cycle followed the sun around on the south and west faces.
Cornices are still around and the only two slab avalanches I saw this week were cornice triggered. Small avalanches but big ugly cornice chunks!
Glacier travel is generally pretty darn good. The notable exception would be ice with shallow snow cover in the melt phase. Lots of reports of folks skiing on the big Icefields in the Rockies and Columbias and getting great conditions.
Wx doesn't look awesome anywhere for the next day or two but if it clears up again and stays a bit cool it could be really good once again up high!
Word is that starting Saturday(april 25th), no permits are needed to ski in Glacier park(except Mt. Fidelity) so alpine starts are now easy(easier at least:) The road up to the Bugaboos is open to at least the turnoff by the CMH lodge and the spires are starting to dry out.
Finally, lots of signs of wildlife on the move but the one that really scared me was a wood tick at almost 2500m in K-country yesterday. Yukk!
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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