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ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued October 3, 2015
This past week has been beautiful and sunny across western Canada, with dry low elevation rock climbing, good overnight freezes, and good travel on the glaciers and ice faces, which were covered with settled snow between 30 and 100 cm. The main hazards reported have been wet and verglassed alpine rock and thinly bridged crevasses throughout the ranges.
That's still the case on the Coast, Interior and Northern British Columbia at least for the next few days -- enjoy it while it lasts!
In the Rocky Mountains, however, a brief but intense storm last night with winds from the NE gave us yet another early taste of winter. Estimated snowfall amounts in the alpine are around 30+ cm, and down at valley bottom here in Canmore we have about 10 cm that's melting slowly with the cold cloudy temperatures we have had today.
The main hazards for the next couple of days in the Rockies will be avalanche concerns, especially in windloaded pockets, gullies and high alpine South to West facing slopes loaded by the N and NE winds, in addition to rockfall and thinly bridged crevasses. The recent snow has made the crevasses even harder to spot, so keep the rope snug and the probe out.
Skiing is going to be on everyone's minds with all this white stuff blowing around. To get to anything truly skiable though you're going to have to do a lot of hiking until you're on the glaciers, and then you're going to have to use extreme caution to avoid the many gaping crevasses that opened up this past summer after the lean snowfall last winter. I'm going to content myself with dreaming about the ski trips I have planned for midwinter and spring when the snowpack is likely to provide a lot more enjoyment!
The forecast in the Rockies is for more good weather starting on Sunday and continuing throughout the week. Expect good overnight freezes and cool daytime temperatures. The snow will take a couple of days to melt, and anything but low elevation sun-exposed rock climbs will take a while to come into condition, if at all. Once the new snow has settled out, high alpine climbs like ice faces should be in good shape again. Rock climbing that doesn't catch the sun, especially in the alpine, will be covered in snow, verglass and seeping water for some time yet. Reliable ice climbing is still a few weeks away, though with some hunting you're bound to find something in the high, cold north gullies.
Tom Wolfe
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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