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ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued 05 16, 2015
In the Rockies, the snowline is quite variable, with levels at treeline or higher in Eastern regions around Banff and Canmore, and still below treeline in places around Lake Louise and along highway 93 North.
Reports from the Columbia Icefields have seen good conditions with an overnight freeze In the high alpine. The Athabasca glacier still looks in decent shape with careful route finding, and routes such as the Silverhorn and Asteroid Alley have been climbed numerous times this past week. The crux of the route Shooting Gallery is reported to be dry and would be exceedingly exciting to get around! Good alpine skiing can still be found, but in many areas you will now be walking a while to get there. One common theme throughout the Mountain Parks and Kananaskis Country are the gigantic cornices that are lining alpine ridges, which will lose to gravity at some point in the near future. Rock climbs in the front ranges are mainly dry with some snow or wet patches in chimneys, but routes on cliffs such as Yamnuska are getting climbed almost daily at this point.
In Rogers Pass the snowline is around treeline on S aspects and lower on N aspects, and in most places you will be walking a long ways to strap on the boards. But if you do, good skiing has been reported in the high alpine with a good freeze in places such as the Asulkan. The alpine climbing routes are still in full winter condition with very large cornices. Valley bottom rock climbing in the Revelstoke area is mainly dry and good to go.
It looks like a warm week coming up with a decent amount of sun and valley bottom temperatures in the high teens in the Rockies to mid - twenties in the Columbias. I would expect the mountains to become a very loud place as the day heats up with cornice falls and avalanches, especially on solar aspects. Go check out some routes and be back before the heat takes its toll, and consider wearing avalanche gear for both skiing and alpine climbing as conditions change quickly this time of year.
Steve Holeczi
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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