--
Christoph Dietzfelbinger
IFMGA/ UIAGM Mountain Guide - Bear Mountaineering and the Burnie Glacier Chalet
Box 4222 Smithers, B.C. V0J 2N0 Canada
tel. 250-847-3351/ fax 250-847-2854
info@bearmountaineering.ca www.bearmountaineering.ca
_______________________________________________
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.
Happy Holidays!
Tom Wolfe
_______________________________________________
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.
Hi folks,
I just wanted to apologize if you are receiving auto-responder messages from Tom Wolfe, our MCR moderator, when you post or subscribe to the MCR. He is away on holiday until January 11 and, unfortunately, we have no access to his server. We will rectify this after he returns.
I wish you all a safe and wonderful winter.
Peter Tucker
Executive Director
Association of Canadian Mountain Guides
ed@acmg.ca
403-949-3587
403-689-4324 (cell)
Happy Holidays!
Tom Wolfe
_______________________________________________
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.
Happy Holidays!
Tom Wolfe
_______________________________________________
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.
Happy Holidays!
Tom Wolfe
_______________________________________________
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.
Hello skiers and riders,
Observations from Baldface catskiing's terrain, just outside of Nelson – collected at guides training, Dec 19 – 21.
The snowpack looks very inviting, as we've had a lot of powder snow fall over the last little while. However, we found it to be exceedingly dangerous. A solid raincrust which got buried in early December has a layer of weak facetted snow above it, and surface hoar crystals were found on top of the facets in many of our snowpits. This unfortunate combination of weak snow over a hard sliding surface is now buried 70 – 90 centimeters down.
The depth of the weakness and its propensity to propogate widely is resulting in large avalanches up to size 3 which are easily triggered by the weight of a skier. These conditions exist on all aspects, and any steep open area from below the treeline to mountain top is suspect.
This will be a problem for a while, maybe a long while around here.
For whatever reason, this layer is reportedly not as reactive a few drainages away, as per Mark Klassen's MCR report on Kokanee, but other local observers to the south and west are finding it to be as touchy as we did at Baldface. We rated the stability poor and the hazard high.
Hoping everyone's safe,
Joel McBurney
ACMG Ski Guide
Nelson, BC
Happy Holidays!
Tom Wolfe
_______________________________________________
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.
Over a meter of snow fell during the week. The storm board had 80 cm on it at one point, with
ski penetration up to my hips at times. Temps remained cool, mostly ranging from -5 to -9
although on Dec 21 it dropped to -26 on our only clear day. Winds were light early in the week,
then moderate and southerly Wed-Thurs.
The 80-100cm of storm snow overlies a 10 cm thick weak layer (4F to 1F-) of rounding facets,
which in turn lies over a hard rain crust. This layer has not been reactive in the Kokanee area,
although we were treating it with caution. Windslabs on the surface seemed to be the main
concern late in the week.
An avalanche cycle occurred late Wednesday and into Thursday, soft windslabs 50 cm thick, size
1.5-2 and seemed to be predominately on north aspects in the alpine and SW crossloaded
aspects in treeline areas. They did not seem to be stepping down to the facet layer.
At the end of the week we were rating Danger at Considerable in the alpine, Moderate at
treeline and Low below treeline. We were avoiding wind effected areas and not exposing
ourselves to large features.
Mark Klassen
IFMGA/ACMG Mountain Guide
_______________________________________________
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.
Bear Spirit Crag is in great shape. There is a nice fat pillar, WI4, to warm up on and all the mixed routes can presently still be topped out.
As per usual, the ice later in the season will likely cover over many of the mixed routes and topping out will not be an option.
Rob Owens
Alpine guide
2 Low 4 Zero is in its usual thin shape but it looks to have been
climbed recently (bring lots of stubby screws and maybe even a few
pins). Chantilly Falls looks blue and wet; however, the last step
hasn't fully filled out yet and looks a little bit too pillar-like to
be called WI2.
Sean Isaac
Assistant Alpine Guide
_______________________________________________
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.
Happy trails
Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures
_______________________________________________
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.
Happy trails
Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures
_______________________________________________
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.
The bolted rappels on the climbers left has ice under it the whole way,
which made pulling the ropes much easier. I don't seem to recall it
being there on previous years?
Perfect temps, -7 in the shade, balmy in the sun!
Aaron Beardmore
Mountain Guide
_______________________________________________
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.
We had a minor incident on the second pitch that deserved a quick
retreat. As a result there are three screws w/draws firmly attached to
the pillar. There is also a tool left in place at the top bulge. If
anybody is on that route in the near future, can I ask that our gear
get returned?
Thanks very much.
--
Matt Mueller
ACMG Assistant Alpine Guide
403-688-4341
_______________________________________________
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.
The skiing in the alpine was really good particularly in the Curry area. At around 1800m or the upper end of Tree Line the ice crust left after Mondays rains could sometimes be felt under ski. Further down at 1500m we were pretty much on a solid 20cm ice crust with a dusting of new snow.
The snow pack is a very variable early season layer cake that was really effected by the this weeks monsoons. We did not see any recent avalanche activity, but there was plenty of older slab and debris.
At the end of the day we called the Alpine stability Fair/ or in terms of hazard Considerable (but we didn't really see much becouse of clouds). The Tree Line as Good/ or Moderate. The Below tree line as Very Good/ or Low.
There is plenty of good quality skiing out there you just need to get high enough -out of the valley.
Dave Sarkany
Ski Guide
_______________________________________________
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.
1 x size 2 Sa, Slab, Dry, incl.29degr. N aspect, 1730m, 80cm thick, 15m
wide, 110m long, beds - FC, layer - SH Jan 24th.
"Group of 5 guides where doing tobogganing practice in steep treed
terrain. We had just done 3 lowers and had packed up the rope. Two
people skied away with the toboggan and out of site. The others and
myself where getting our skis on and I skied away first, traversed to
the left about 10m to go around a group of small trees, at this point
the slope released. The slab took my skis out from under me and I yelled
avalanche. I was able to pivot my feet under me and stand up and semi
ski or ride the avalanche to the deposit. 1 caught, partially buried,
non critical. The avalanche was 15m wide, 80cm thick, and 110m long and
ran on the Nov.24 SH. The glade had 2 gullies that run into the top of
it and they had both previously run during the storm. The pocket between
them had not previously failed."
---Original Message-----
From: mcr-bounces@informalex.org [mailto:mcr-bounces@informalex.org] On
Behalf Of Public Mountain Conditions Report
Sent: December 6, 2007 12:03 AM
To: mcr@informalex.org
Subject: [MCR] skier triggered avalanches in the monashees
In one part of the Monashees,(North of the Trans Canada highway, west of
the
Perry River and East of the Anstey Arm.)the last few days warm storms
have left
50- 70 cms snow at treeline above the November 24th snow surface. This
surface
is a crust on southerly aspects and a variety of cold snow grains on
shaded
slopes. They are all potentially reactive to skiers. It is impossible at
this
point to say when the potential for skier triggering will decrease, but
it will
certainly be my main concern for the next few days at least. This layer
is deep
enough and widespread enough that it can produce LARGE avalanches.
As an example, today I ski cut, on purpose, a small slope at 2100m that
produced
an avalanche 50cms deep by 10m wide. The failure propogated for 300m
from a SE
to a NE aspect and produced a class 3 avalanche. We also had numerous
natural
avalanches up to size 2.5 in the past two days. The skiing was good
today but we
will be skiing simple moderate angle terrain far away from big alpine
faces
until we feel confident conditions have improved.
Emjoy the potential good weather this weekend but be nervous, very very
nervous.
Larry Stanier
Mountain Guide
_______________________________________________
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.
_______________________________________________
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.
As an example, today I ski cut, on purpose, a small slope at 2100m that produced
an avalanche 50cms deep by 10m wide. The failure propogated for 300m from a SE
to a NE aspect and produced a class 3 avalanche. We also had numerous natural
avalanches up to size 2.5 in the past two days. The skiing was good today but we
will be skiing simple moderate angle terrain far away from big alpine faces
until we feel confident conditions have improved.
Emjoy the potential good weather this weekend but be nervous, very very nervous.
Larry Stanier
Mountain Guide
_______________________________________________
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.
--
Christoph Dietzfelbinger
IFMGA/ UIAGM Mountain Guide - Bear Mountaineering and the Burnie Glacier Chalet
Box 4222 Smithers, B.C. V0J 2N0 Canada
tel. 250-847-3351/ fax 250-847-2854
info@bearmountaineering.ca www.bearmountaineering.ca
_______________________________________________
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.
The surface instability though not significant at the time is now
buried with the storm cycle we are all witnessing today.
this could become quite reactive depending on what happens, and
should be watched for!
Our limited observations should be noted. the area is just north of
Valemount, near Tete Jaune, on the edge of the Premiers.
Many areas are reporting buried surface hoar which though we didn't
see, are definitely out there.
Driving home last night to Jasper it was very windy! about 15cm in
Jasper this morning......
Just the intensity of this storm should make us all cautious for a
while to come.
Peter Amann
Peter Amann
Mountain Guiding
Box 1495, Jasper AB, T0E 1E0
780 852 3237
cell 780 931 2521
www.incentre.net/pamann/
pamann@incentre.net
_______________________________________________
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.
Craig McGee, ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide
102-4369 Main St. Suite #337
Whistler BC
Canada
V0N 1B4
cell 604 902 0296
Home 604 935 0077
____________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page.
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
_______________________________________________
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.
Yesterday we went up Cerise, Aniversary Glacier, climbed Slalok, down the N Face and out the Joffre Lakes trail.
Cerise Creek has little snow. The bridges over the creeks near the highway are well covered and easy to cross. We crossed to the west side of the Cerise creek and joined the summer trail around the creek coming down from the north face of Joffre. Seems to be much better travel on that side early season.
The Anniversary glacier was well covered with snow but above the 7000 foot mark it was very wind effected. There was a small (SZ 2) natural avalanche that had come down the regular route on Joffre within the past 12 hours. It was a dense surface layer that slid and it crossed the on ramp access from the "Motel 66" camp half way up the glacier on the north side.
The Matier Glacer was wind hammered and we didn't hang around long with 30k winds and -17 deg.
We ski cut a size 2 slide in the gully on the lower half of the North Face of Slalok: 10-30cm deep, pencil hard layer. We skied the avalanche debris which spoke to us with multiple whumpfs. The slide started at 2100m and the snow settled every now and then until we were at 1700m The face needs a little more snow to cover the ice tongue in the middle. In general the skiing was not good.
The descent/ascent lines from Upper Joffre Lake onto the Matier Glacier on the north and south end of the Icefall are not in shape yet. In an emergency one could get down the standard north side gully to the obvious moraine but I would not recommend it. The Tzil Glacier looked like a good ski.
We skied nervously across the Upper and Middle Joffre lakes staying spaced out and away from the creeks coming in and out of the lakes. There was less than a half meter of snow at the Upper lake. Just below the middle lake we had to take our skis off and walk to the highway. We didn't cross the lower lake because of thin ice.
SUMMARY: The skiing was better at or below treeline in Cerise Creek, than in the Joffre Lake drainage. In the Alpine watch out for a thin hard surface slab on all aspects that is reactive to skiers . Joffre Lakes trail is not in shape for skiing.
Conny Amelunxen
MG