Winter paid a brief visit with snowfall above 3000m on August 16th and 17th and a generally cold day with North winds on August 18th. Snow fall amounts varied over the area with 15cms on Assiniboine and Edith Cavell being the highest observed. Less snowfall was observed in the Lake Louise group, Columbia icefields, Bugaboos and Rogers Pass but expect conditions to be a little snowy and icy in the alpine for a couple of days on anything but steep south aspects. There are no reports of slab avalanches but lots of loose snow avalanches large enough to push climbers around ran during the storm. With the forecasted warm temperatures and sunny skies another short cycle of loose wet snow avalanches should be expected. Somewhere in the alpine, I am sure enough snow fell with the right winds to create localized windslabs that could be triggered by climbers or possibly daytime heating. There is no current information from Mt. Robson but it seems a very likely place to have a slightly
higher slab avalanche hazard.
If the current forecast of sunny skies and warm temperatures is correct, conditions will improve somewhat over the weekend. With careful route selection alpinists should be able to get in some good safe climbing over the next few days. Be aware that the alpine may be going from cold and snowy to warm and sunny in a relatively short time span and there will be more rockfall, verglas, snowed up rock, balled up crampons and avalanche hazard than last weekend.
Bon Cours
Larry Stanier
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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.
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