This is a Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the South Coast Mountains region (From Vancouver to Bella Coola). Below is a 7 days summary, as well as an outlook for the next 7 days. This was compiled on June 29th, 2006.
7 Day Summary
The last week's hot weather is marking a transition between late spring and early summer. The snow pack is very rapidly melting and compacting into an early summer pack.
Temperatures: During the warmest period this week freezing levels reached 4000m and the treeline temperatures peaked in the low 20's.
The snow line varies with the lowest and most snow being close to the ocean and then less snow inland. On average the snow line seems to be around treeline – 1400- 1700 metres - depending on aspect. Expect to encounter snow patches a few hundred meters below treeline anywhere but on the southern aspects; here the sun has melted most of the snow in rocky terrain up to about 2000m.
-One report from Vancouver Island had the snow line at around 900 – 1000 meters, with a "fat" snow pack of 2 meters at 1200m.
-Whistler Mountain has no snow left on their winter Pig Alley plot at 1535m. But on the glaciers above there is an average of two – three meters of snow.
-In the Callaghan Valley there is 2.5 m covering the flat valley floor at 1350 meters.
-In contrast to all this- just NE of Hope, in the Anderson River area, a report mentions only snow patches high up and under rock faces.
Glaciers are still well covered but crevassed areas almost everywhere are starting to show prominent sags. You can bet that with the hot temperatures the crevasse roofs are becoming soft and fragile. Many slots are just starting to open. Areas that normally have a thin winter snow pack are in, some cases, melting away to expose crevasses and blue ice.
Avalanches: It seems the late spring deep slab climax avalanche cycle ended a while back. The cornices have mostly fallen off but beware of the odd cornice perched and just waiting for a little more heat and melting which will loosen the bonds and drop load. The warm temperatures have created sluffs during the heat of the day on all aspect.
Rock Fall: Only one fairly large rock fall was reported (on the Blackcomb Glacier) but one can assume lots more has happened in the last week.
General travel Conditions: The snow was quite soft almost all day during the most intense part of the heat wave this past week. During this period any nighttime crust melted away by 9am and resulted in 20cm of isothermal wet mush. Sloppy conditions for walking! However reports of steeper faces sluffing to glacier ice might be of interest to those wishing a clean steeper climb. The rock ridges and buttresses on south facing aspects looks dry and quite good for climbing.
A MCR posted on June 23rd shows photos of the mountains in the Duffy Lake area – expect a fair bit of snow melt since then.
Many of the summer only maintained roads are passable. The Hurley Pass road was ploughed a few weeks ago. In the valleys during the height of the heat wave the creeks and rivers where running high and fast.
Outlook:
Weather Forecast: Environment Canada calls for continued warm tempratures for its 5 day forecast; all due to the high pressure that is maintaining warm temps and light winds. Freezing levels are forecast to be around 3200 m – 4100m (warmest days are late in the weekend).
One thing to note: The UV index is 10+ (or Very High) in the alpine. This is a bit above normal and sunburns happen surprisingly fast.
Mountain Travel: Expect conditions to very similar to the above summary as long as the weather stays warm and dry. Another spell of even hotter temps predicted for the weekend should make for fine mountain travel conditions. But bear in mind that the warm conditions will break down nighttime crusts quickly in the AM. We are still in a transition of seasons and all that melting snow = above average rockfall/sluff/cornice fall/ avalanche hazards. If your traveling on glaciers look out for sags and crevasses especially in areas with a thin snowpack. Take lots of water if you are climbing in Squamish!
The information for this summary was gathered from the Whistler – Duffy Lake, Van Island, and Hope areas. Keep in mind that conditions at higher elevations, such as in the Waddington Range will be different – likely cooler and more spring like.
Have a great Canada Day Long weekend. Play safe and have fun.
Dave Sarkany
Ski Guide
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