ACMG Mountain Conditions Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued May 7th, 2009.
All the usual sources of public avalanche bulletins in the Summary region have stopped for the season. Be aware that some agencies will issue special bulletins in the event of an unusual avalanche cycle. Also, the vast majority of operations involved with avalanche risk management in Western Canada are no longer making observations in the field. At this time of the year we are trying to summarize conditions for a very large area with very few observations. Assume some areas will have dramatically different conditions than the areas we talk about.
Spring has been slow to assert itself. Generally, conditions have been cool and fairly dry in most of the ranges. Having said that, there are reports of some significant snowfalls on the west side of the Monashees last night, may 6th, and the snowline was still fairly low as of this afternoon. Above 1900m in the Columbia Mountains the government "snow pillow" measurement stations show the snowpack to be continuing to grow. The graph also show very clearly that this is approximately the "historic" high snowpack period and that the BIG melt is likely to be here soon. Rivers are still fairly low but you should assume they will be rising sometime around when the pillows start shrinking. These graphs can be observed at www.env.gov.bc.ca/rfc/river_forecast/snowp.htm
Generally in the Columbias above 1300m it is still a snowy world. Isothermal conditions(a generally weak and warm snowpack) are reported at the Rogers Pass itself as of this afternoon. Very difficult to say what conditions will be like for weekend skiing or mountaineering in the Columbias. There are many variables that could effect the snow quality and the avalanche hazard this weekend. In the next 48 hrs in the Columbias, I am guessing that in some locations it will snow, rain, be windy, cloudy, clearing, cold, hot and sunny. Not a classic recipe for high quality, low avalanche hazard skiing:) With an open mind and a bit of luck there may be some fine traveling to be had this weekend but don't be too surprised if it really sucks in places too.
In the Rockies, some snow fell today in the Bow Valley down to approximately 2100m and one centimeter is reported in the past 24hrs at Sunshine Village Ski area.
Snow has been very slow to melt above 2000m, even on the East slope of the Rockies. North facing bowls have continuous snow much lower than that. Reports from Jasper Park wardens indicate patchy snow above 1500m on the East slope and more consistent snow the further west you go. I have seen no reports from higher elevations along the Rockies Divide. Obviously, the higher and the closer to the Divide you go, the less info anyone has and the more backcountry travelers will have to make their own complete observations of the conditions to make an informed decision.
Front range scrambling looked better around Banff than Canmore a couple of days ago. Low elevation scrambling and rock climbing and perhaps corn skiing are probably the safest bets for the weekend in the Rockies. In the cool hours of the morning, icefields mountaineering and some alpine routes may be possible, but, as in the Columbias a wide variety of conditions may be encountered depending where you go and when. Personally, I wouldn't stick my neck out too far this weekend as it is seems highly possible that I would be surprised at some point by a condition I had hoped not too encounter. i.e., wet rock, wet snow, a soggy cornice, rockfall, weak crevasse bridges etc.
Currently in the summary area,
it ain't quite winter and it ain't quite spring,
and there ain't many people doing the high mountain thing.
Keep your eyes wide open and spread the word if you see anything, good or bad.
Larry Stanier
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide