[MCR] Bugaboos

Similar conditions in the Bugs to what Sean saw in O'Hara.  Snow down to about 2400m and a lot of wet climbers running away from Applebee after last nights storm.  I think the snow will disappear pretty fast once the sun comes out but might last a few days on the higher shady sides (Bugaboo NE Ridge).



Marc Piché
MG

[MCR] O'Hara Conditions (Aug 10)

It was "winter" today (Aug 10) up at Lake O'Hara. A dusting of snow is present, as of this afternoon, at treeline. We found a fresh 10cm of wet snow on the Odaray Glacier. The clag lifted enough to observe that the big rigs (ie- Victoria, Huber, Hungabee, Biddle) are caked in white. By the time I left at 4pm, it was still raining hard.

 

Sean Isaac

Assistant Alpine Guide

 

[MCR] Mt. Robson south face Aug 7

South face route on Mt. Robson, 7 Aug. Rocks on Little Robson were mostly dry. Easy travel on ice with 5 – 30cm of slush on upper part of Little Robson to the start of the Schwartz Ledges. Ledges in good shape, with some wet HN from previous storm on the rock, but melting back fast. 7 minutes to cross under the icefall with no difficulties.

The slope on the other side of the ledges is half exposed rock and half ice with the same slush on it. We used the rock ledges (cl. left side) up and down, since one can short-rope the whole thing to the ridge.

Halfway up the S ridge to the glacier shelf below the roof the snow started firming up. Fast travel with little foot pen on the shelf to the top of the Kain route. Ice, with various amounts of garbage snow and rime up the ridge toward the summit. A large crevasse runs clear across the roof (visible from the highway), but it can be turned on the right side (E face) on 45 deg. Ice. We climbed this pitch, but then turned around in a storm with poor vis and very strong winds. There appears to be one more crevasse above this point, but I am not sure if it goes as well.

When we left the area yesterday (9 Aug.) the snow line was below the hut in the large scree bowl, so conditions will be different now. The Schwartz Ledges should still be good, unless they get more than 30cm HN.

Small pots and a few dishes in the hut, but you need to bring a stove. Lots of white gas and some cartridges, old foamies at the hut as well.

Hut approach: from the rap anchor follow trail across the large scree bowl to the headwall straight below the hut (snow patches) and climb through the first cliff (good limestone) on a right to left rising traverse ledge with two bolts to a chimney. After the chimney keep trending up and left to base of upper headwall. Follow ledge below cliff to the right, until able to go up to bolt belay and cairn on top of cliff. This is easier than the route out to the ridge to the far right as described on the Toft topo.

Kobi Wyss
Mountain Guide

 

[MCR] MCR Summary for the Coast Mountains for August 9, 2007

Conditions seem a month behind the usual norm.  It seems the mountains are in a mid July like state - based on the amount of snow melt on different aspects, the depth of snow on glaciers, the level of water flowing in smaller creeks and the healthy bug population at treeline. 

 

In the Whistler area one can expect to encounter snow  patches at 5500' on all aspect other than south facing slopes.  Not much blue ice is showing on the glaciers. The weather has been cloudier than normal and we have had less prolonged hot dry spells. A bit like the August after the 98/99 winter. The glaciers might come out with a net gain of snow by the end of the season......

 

In terms of mountain travel guides have been reporting good snow travel conditions.  In the Tantalus area there is a 2 meters + snow pack at 1900m and little ice is exposed above 1500 meters.  Crevasses and Bergshrunds are still well covered which is making route finding easier than what is normal for this time of season.  The winters snow is still melting out from many rocky areas, so rockfall normally associated with the winters snow melt is still a player in decision making.  I have seen a few slivers of cornice still hanging on to ridge tops. 

 

Further up Coast on the Howson Range glaciers the firn line (where last winters snow has melted to) is at 1600m which is much the same as here in the south.

 

In Squamish routes were reported as reasonably dry 4 days ago, but one can bet that the ongoing wetness in the last few days has dampened some climbing. 

 

Now might be the time of the season for easily accessing high glaciated areas even by ski,  rock climbing lower elevation southish aspects, and I wouldn't doubt there might be some good cooler climbing conditions on the High Peaks of the Coast Mountains.  When coming down (or going up) expect low elevation patchs of snow where you normally find rock, scree or meadow.  Basically think Lots of Snow.

 

Dave Sarkany

 

 

 

 

[MCR] robson, North Face, aug 6th

Good freeze on north face, up to 20cm hard snow over ice.  Gargoyles big and faceted.  Wind slab building on southerly aspects above 11000 feet.  Kain face averaging 40cm slush over ice, up to 100cm.  West side of kain face slid in pm of aug 7th.  mouse trap in poor condition.  glacier travel generally good, bridges starting to disappear.  Photos available.

James Madden
ARG

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[MCR] ACMG Mountain conditions summary for August 9th, 2007

ACMG Mountain Conditions Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains isued August 9th, 2007

 

The heat wave is over for now but two days of stormy weather has not drastically changed the conditions in the alpine. For the majority of the storm, precipitation fell as rain as high as 3350 m's. Snow was observed down to 2800m's at OHara this morning but is melting fast. An educated guess would be that approximately 10-15cms of snow is stuck to the old ice and snow above 3000m's in the Lake Louise group and the Columbia Icefields.. Probably much less stuck to the rocks due to the warm temperatures. I think it would be safe to assume that as of today there was only enough snow and wind to create some very scattered, small slab and loose snow avalanches in the short term on ice faces along the divide of the Rockies.

 

Observations from the Columbia Mountains at Rogers Pass and the Bugaboos today talked about no new snow visible through the breaks in the clouds but everything is still very wet for now.

 

What little old snow that remains is remarkably strong. Glacier travel conditions have been generally excellent. For example, at the height of the rain showers yesterday, I still had decent travel conditions on the Odaray glacier. As of tuesday there was still snow to the North side of the Bugaboo glacier below Snowpatch where you descend to the moraine above the Kain hut. The Bugaboo/ Snowpatch col is still reported to be passable on snow beside the big crevasse with some ice and rocks showing at the bottom of the slope. The downside of this hard snow was demonstrated when someone fell while descending the Bugaboo/Snowpatch col. Crampons and good footwork are REALLY important for any sloping snow travel until things change. 

 

There has been LOTS of rockfall observed in the alpine during the summer heat wave. There is no question that the melting back of ice faces and glaciers has exposed some heavily fractured rock that has been held in place by the ice for years. These fractured areas have not had sufficient time to "settle" and big rockfalls are now a fact of life during the intense melt periods. A helmet is a great thing but should probably just be considered a fashion accessory when several rocks the size of modern TV sets are rocketing down the slope.

 

Rivers remain fairly high and fast in places such as the Illecillewaet and the Sunwapta.

 

The weather forecasts are pointing to a fine weekend. The alpine should dry out fairly quickly when the sun comes out but the High North faces will be probably be snotty for awhile as will some low angle ridges like Victoria. Expect some wet rock in places and I hope you are pleasantly suprised.

 

Bon Cours,

 

Larry Stanier

Mountain Guide

 

[MCR] Rockfall, Mt Athabasca

On August 7, while guiding the Silverhorn route on Mt Athabasca, I witnessed
a significant natural rockfall event that would have had catastrophic
results for anyone on the North Glacier [Normal] route.

The rockfall originated at about 3350 m, at 9:45 am, in the rib of rocks
that borders the climber's right side of the Silverhorn. It was triggered by
a gust of wind. A small tower/pile of loose rocks was blown over and fell,
gathering other rocks in its path. These rocks, ranging from the size of pea
gravel to the size of footballs, showered across the ramp and would have hit
anyone climbing in a 25-30 meter section underneath the release. The
temperature at the time and elevation of the release was estimated at 1
degree C; the temperature at 3:00 am in the Icefields Centre parking lot was
7 degrees C. The wind was Moderate from the NW.

The added prospect of rockfall on the ramp gives something to consider when
going up or down the N Glacier route, especially on a warm or windy day.

Grant Meekins
Alpine Guide, Assistant Ski Guide

_______________________________________________
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