ACMG Mountain Conditions Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued October 30th, 2008.
A fine fall week in the Rockies. Cold nights and pleasant days in the sun have set us up for good fall walking down low in the sun, ice climbing up high in the shade and skiing well, you can't win em all.
Waterfall climbing is definitely happening on some North faces around treeline and above. Reports and photos from the East slope of the Rockies are generally very positive and inspiring. It is only late October, so mentions of occasional bad gear, thin ice and running water shouldn't surprise anyone. To quote a report from yesterday "The first pitch of the Terminator looked like it was ready to fall down and was making a few nasty sounds-" Lots of route reports mention no snow and that is a very good thing. If you are feeling solid, brave and have a rack of rock gear, stubbies and talent-things could be good. To paraphrase Abe Lincoln. "Climbers who like that sort of thing will find these routes to be the sort of thing they like."
Glacier travel continues to suffer the early winter insecurities of weak, hard to read bridges. Add in the thin to nonexistent snowpack down low, the grey weather forecast for the Columbias and the idea of getting some early season skiing in at Rogers Pass or the Wapta seems like a really poor idea.
If the forecast is right it could be a fine last weekend to climb some south facing rock on the East slope of the Rockies. It has probably been a bit too warm for secure low elevation ice skating.
Finally, it is always worth watching what your neighborhood snowpack is doing at this time of year. Terrain that already has snowcover is likely to have some weak, nasty layers just above the ground for a good part of the winter. These layers MAY come back to haunt us(it is Halloween) at certain time during the winter and spring. Terrain that is snow free at present will at least start the winter without this basal weakness. I would assume that snowfree terrain is only at low elevations in the high peaks of Columbias and along the Rockies divide. The snow line seems to be a bit higher on the east slopes of the Rockies and through the lower peaks of the Southern Monashees, Selkirks and Purcells.
Let it snow.
Larry Stanier
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide