ACMG Mountain Conditions Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued October 1st, 2009
It is finally starting to feel like Autumn in the mountains. The temperatures are cold and ice is starting to form in small dribbles in the alpine. However, it is still REALLY dry for this time of year.
West of the continental divide, light snow fell in most areas above treeline in the past few days. The limited reports indicate that snowfall amounts varied widely between ranges and even valleys. Most of the new snow has melted on sun exposed slopes, but verglas is a possibility there. Reports of snow remaining on North aspects in the Columbias vary from 2000 to 2400m. Rockies reports indicate generally light snowfalls(up to 10cms) and melting on south slopes but there is still some snow in the trees at O'Hara. Thin windslabs in some alpine areas. The take home point is that it is probably white above treeline on anything not directly facing the sun.
Rockfall is STILL being reported from the wind and from when the sun came out Wednesday. This is likely to continue till snow starts to bury the rubble.
Glacier travel is still either bare ice, ice buried in rubble or crevasses poorly bridged by the light autumn snow. Not that appealing sounding.
Waterfall ice is just starting to form and no one is raving about how good it looks just yet.
Alpine rock, brrr! Some snow, some verglas and a grey forecast.
Seems like the best climbing conditions are east of the Rockies divide. Given the weekend weather forecast, I would be aiming for easy objectives and packing my woollie undies and puffy jackets or catching up on books and movies.
Larry Stanier
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide