[MCR] Rogers Pass/Wapta Icefields

Here are our observations from the Assistant Ski Guide Exam in Rogers Pass
and Wapta Icefields last week. The info is a few days old now.

Rogers Pass, March 29 - April 1:

We skied variations on the 3 Pass Route, Young's Peak Traverse, and Flat
Creek area.

Weather: Typical spring weather with convective flurries, variable light
wind, yet cool temperatures. Up to 15cm over the 4 days.

Snowpack: Our main Concern throughout the week were the persistent weak
layers of March 9 (down 60cm) and Feb 27 (down 120 cm). Test results were
generally in the hard range with planar characteristics, reminding us that
there was potential for wide propogations. There were sun crusts on steep
solar aspects up to 1800m.

Avalanches: A few natural cornice triggered avalanches up to size 2, (north
side of Bhagheera Mtn) Limited solar triggered point releases on sunny
aspects.

Hazard: We rated the hazard as, Alpine: Considerable, Treeline: Moderate,
Below treeline: Low.

Ski Quality: Best skiing was found on North aspects.

Wapta Icefields, April 3 - 4:

We traveled to (in three separate groups) to the Bow, Balfour, and Peyto
Hut areas.

Weather: Mixed spring weather once again with intense convective flurries
that produced 10-20cm of low density snow on the afternoon of April 3. Cool
temperatures and moderate west winds.

Snowpack: Snow cover ranged from 150 cm to 300 cm on the glaciers. Surface
Hoar was observed up to 6 mm in sheltered North aspects, moist snow up to
2700m on South aspects. The Feb 25th surface hoar layer is now buried 60 to
100cm deep, and producing hard compression test results.

Avalanches: Evidence of a natural cycle up to 2.5. We had a skier remote
size 2 on the West side of Mt. Gordon on a steep north facing role. Group
was up tracking in safe terrain above the feature. It released on the Feb
25th surface hoar layer. The fracture line was 100cm deep in places, 200m
wide, and 75m long. There is still potential out there. Picture attached.

Hazard Rating: Alpine: Considerable, Tree Line: Considerable, Below Tree
Line: Low

Ski Quality: Best skiing will be found on North aspect once again.

Marc Piche
Jim Gudjonson
Aaron Beardmore

Mountain Guides

(See attached file: Gordon size 2.jpg)

[MCR] Rockies front range snowpack - Waiparous Creek

Visions of a quick romp up Hydrophobia were dashed yesterday by a tremendous amout of snow accumulation in the Waiparous Creek area.

We were able to drive until about 2 km after crossing Waiparous Creek itself, and were stopped at the steep turn onto the hill.  From here we walked in 30-40 cm foot penetration up and through the meadow, until we started into the forest leading to the Hydrophobia drainage itself.  Then it became average 70-100cm of postholing, no sign of old trail.  After 4 hours we collapsed with the route in sight, ate all our lunch and walked out.  7 hr day of hiking.

Huge puddles on the drive out, some 40cm deep.  This last month of upslope storms has clearly added up out here, and it seems that this place will come apart when the spring melt truly begins.

Oh yeah, the route looked awesome.  First pitch big, fat and blue.

Will's website has excellent beta on access via Waiparous.

http://www.gravsports.com/Ice%20Pages%20Folder/hydrophobia_beta.htm

Grant Statham
Mountain Guide

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[MCR] Massey's

A fine day in Field today. Walked across the Kicking Horse River this
am on a supportive melt freeze crust (knowing that the crust would be
gone in the pm we walked out the railway tracks which is easy right
now and is the way to go both in and out).

Massey's is big and blue and user friendly as the temperature climbs,
good trail into the route and on the walk-off.

The overnight freeze was still holding things together well when we
left at 14:00.

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.

[MCR] Wapta Traverse, March 31 to April 4th, 2008

Spent the last week enjoying the Wapta Icefields Traverse with good skiing and good travel conditions.  Cool temps made it feel more like mid-winter than spring (-7 to -20'C).

 

Glacier coverage was reasonable with 250-280cm in most places on the main glaciers, but several areas seemed shallower than usual. 

 

The late February surface hoar layer was still present 60-80cm down in many locations.  While no recent avalanches were observed on this layer, test results still showed it to be reactive in the moderate to hard range and sudden planar.

 

Skiing out the Sherbrooke Lake exit today the party ahead of us remotely triggered 2 small avalanches on a surface hoar layer down about 20-30cm, on a steep SE facing roll around 2200m.  Whumphs and cracking were also observed on this layer just above treeline. 

 

Below treeline the snow was moist by noon but still provided good travel. 

 

We took fairly conservative ski lines with regard to both crevasses and avalanches as it seems we are not quite into the well settled spring snow conditions yet, but we enjoyed some great skiing!

 

Cheers, Conrad Janzen
IFMGA Mountain Guide
403.678.8336(cell)// 403.760.0887(home)

A person should have wings to carry them where their dreams go, but sometimes a pair of skis makes a good substitute. -Hans Gmoser-

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[MCR] Bow Summit

On a somewhat different note from Barry's escapades, I was up at Bow
Summit late this afternoon. Surprisingly excellent skiing where there were
no tracks. -2 C at the parking lot at 15:00, -4 C at the high point of the
adventure 600 ft above the parking lot at about 15:45. 25 cm ski
penetration, surface was loose up to treeline but lots of evidence of wind
up high.

HS was around 140 cm, you can check this easily by plunging a ski pole
until it hits the ground (basket first or handle first, it doesn't
matter!) 15 cm facetting storm snow seemed well bonded to the underlying
facets, but I have no idea what it would be like in the alpine.

Regards,
Tom Wolfe
AAG/ASG
_______________________________________________
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.

[MCR] Mts Columbia and Andromeda

March 30th approached the Columbia Icefield via the Athabasca
Glacier. Snowcoach road is up and operating. Passing the second step
on climber's left, and then traversing back to the ramp up the third
step, would be less nerve wracking than passing it on climber's right
through the serac debris of Snowdome, think I'll give the left side a
go if I ever go back there.

We were able to straight line climb the ramp with sleds and our heel
lifts up. Camped on the last bench before the Trench.

12 hours return to camp on Mt Columbia on the 31st. We ascended the
South Ridge because the East Face looked a little spooky with wind
and snow (having said that the East face may be fine. We didn't go so
we don't know). The South Ridge is in rimed up winter shape.

April 1 we moved camp to the BC/Alta border at the head of the
Athabasca Glacier.

April 2 climbed Andromeda via the South ridge which is fine shape,
skis on into the Andromeda/Unamed col.

Very, very cold up there until this am (April 3). Had mitts and
quilted pants on for several days.

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.

[MCR] Hector

Up Hector yesterday, April 2.

The lower section through the cliffs is quite thin with some scrambling over rock. The moraines are bare as mentioned in previous posts, walking a fair bit seemed the easiest. Decent coverage on the glacier except on the upper steeper rolls where bare ice is showing through and overall it is very thin.

Poor skiing on top, some OK skiing on soft windcrust in the middle, varying from bulletproof to bottomless with lots of rocks from the glacier toe to the highway.

Ski crampons very beneficial. Foot crampons help although you may be able to get away without them.

Mark Klassen

Mountain Guide