[MCR] Abbott Pass - Recent Snow & Conditions

Hey All,

Cloud Nine Guides has had a number of trips running over the past week with ascents in the Rogers Pass area including Tupper and Sir Donald (prior to the storm) as well as numerous multi-pitch rock routes in the Canmore area. Prior to the recent storm all were dry and in good shape. Finishing yesterday, a 3 day Abbott Pass Alpine program chose to descend early due to poor weather and heavy snowfall in the area. 

On the 25th, approaching the Abbott Pass hut, freezing levels were hanging around just below the hut elevation. At lake Oesa, rain was turning to heavy wet snow and real accumulation started about 100m below the hut.

On the 26th, an attempt was made on Victoria from the hut. Early in the day, snow was falling at a rate of about 2cm/hr and tapering as the day continued. The route in it's entirety was covered in anywhere from 10-40cm's, depending on terrain shape and wind transportation, loading was predictably heavier on leeward aspects, and in sheltered areas. 

Where the ridge had been blow clean, verglass was present on any exposed rock making the use of crampons necessary pretty much right from the hut.

Winds at ridge top were in the light to moderate range (up to ~30km/hr) for the duration of the storm.

Temperatures rose during the day on the 26th, triggering numerous loose, moist avalanches from the ridgecrest as our team descended back toward the hut early have abandoned the attempt after gaining the first summit and the ridgecrest proper. Most of these small avalanches would have had entrained enough mass to knock a climbing team of the route.

Might take a few days for things to dry out / calm down up there again - we've got another trip heading back up there tomorrow so we'll be sure to post an update on the conditions when the guide returns.

All the best,

Mike Trehearne 

IFMGA/UIAGM Mountain Guide - www.cloudnineguides.com

 

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