[MCR] Whistler backcountry conditions

I was out touring today in the Flute/Oboe area. Things are changing quite quickly out there. We had about 5-10 cm's of new snow during the day with a constant moderate wind from the SE. This brings the total storm snow on the 22/12/08 interface to about 30-40cms. Most slopes at ridge top are becoming wind effected and are making a nice ripe slab!   

Trail breaking was quite interesting with a constant double punch into the facets and rotten snow below.

We had a remotely triggered size 2 soft slab on the west side of Oboe at ridge top (2200m) from around 80m away. I  also saw a 1.5 off "pigs Fancy " on flute Mnt. 

Withe the forcasted snow and high winds I'd say that the snow stability and avalanche hazard could deteriorate quite quickly. At least the rocks are getting covered!

 

 

Craig McGee,  Mountain Guide
Whistler BC
604 902 0296

craigskibum@yahoo.com

[MCR] South Coast Avalanche Hazard

The Canadian Avalanche Centre has put out a special bulletin addressing the avalanche hazard on the south coast. This forecast warns of an up coming storm and warming temperatures for this weekend. It can be found at
http://www.avalancheinfo.net/Media/2008-09/SPAW%20081224%20South%20Coast.pdf.
 
Precipitation has been locally heavier that predicted in many areas around the South Coast and reports of avalanches on logging and other access roads (as low as 200meters above sea level) are starting to filter in. These avalanches are starting at and below treeline. Precipitation will continue into the early morning, loading slopes further. According to local forecasts, tomorrow (Christmas day), parts of the lower mainland will warm to above freezing and the sun will start to poke through mid morning. Avalanche hazard will climb rapidly if this happens.
 
Due to localized heavy snowfall in some areas of the Fraser Valley and Sea to Sky corridor, the avalanche hazard may increase sooner than forecasted. It appears the CAC will put out another avalanche bulletin tomorrow for the south coast. Read it here: http://avalanche.ca/CAC_Bulletin_Regions.
 
I'll be tip toeing around the hills this holiday season.
 
Happy Holidays,
 
Conny Amelunxen
MG ACMG/IFMGA


 

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[MCR] Squamish Ice/ Shannon falls falling down!

Spent the day in the Shannon Falls areas climbing "Klahanie Column". Like Connie says its IN and in good shape. Although its beaten out and has good steps in the steep sections, its still vertical, chandeliered and it could be difficult to get good pro if you weren't comfortable hanging out in that kind of terrain for a while. 

There were many parties out to climb Shannon falls, it was a bit of a Gong show at the base in the AM. As the day went on so did the amount of water pouring out of the falls. It was a bit disconcerning seeing so many parties fumbling at the base and on the first few pitches with all that wet ice above them. Just as the last party (of the ones that didn't retreat) was completing  pitch 2 a major ice/slush and water avalanche broke off from above them and hit at least one of them!! To our amazement they were still there when it all ended! While we were there we watch a lot of ice coming down throughout the day. We talked to one of the climbers who climbed it earlier in the day and he called it a "Death wish!"

With fore casted warming temperatures I would imagine that conditions on this climb will only get worse as the week goes on. I'm sure many of the other climbs that are in will still be good for the next few days.  

 

Craig McGee,  Mountain Guide

craigskibum@yahoo.com

[MCR] Whitewater slack country Kootenays

Nelson area snow fall amounts seem historically low for this time of year.

Whitewater ski resort is reporting 78cm at the top of the Summit chair and the Silver King chair is not yet open.  I poked my nose out into the openings of the Goat slide path and found that the 20-25cm of low density snow that sat over the Nov. 29? rain crust in the trees had slabbed up or almost blown away completely.  HS was in the 50 – 60cm range with well developed facets that reminded me of a typical Rockies snowpack.  Another crust sits about 30cm off the ground.

I found 10 good turns at ~1950m in a tree sheltered area where the old wind slab was supportive beneath new snow.  After this the thin breakable crust made for challenging skiing.

 

Coverage looked sufficient on the Whaleback of Evening Ridge but the low elevation alders were so exposed, it didn't seem worth the trip.

 

Praying for snow,

Shaun King

Alpine Guide / Asst. Ski Guide

[MCR] Squamish ice

It looks like we have a few more days cold weather so here is what I have seen and heard over the last few days.
 
Squamish has 10-20cm of snow at sea level and almost 40cm at the top of the Chief. The sea to sky is mostly clear with slippery sections from Van to Squamish and winter driving from there north. Temperatures approached 0 degrees yesterday for the first time in almost two weeks. Sun aspect climbs were starting to detach.
 
There is ice across from Murrin Park. I havn't been there personally but people have been climbing there.
 
Shannon Falls is in and climbable on the right side. You must cross the river a number of times (easy) so expect to get sprayed. Thin in places and don't take the ice bridges for granted. Open pools would make rappelling hard. The left side of the falls looks thin and hard to protect but not much more than WI4.
 
Klahanie Column is in and looks like it spent a week in the Rockies getting beaten out.
 
Olesen Slabs are in as well as several FA's that have gone up in this area in last week.
 
The Dream saw a visit two days ago, although climbable, it did't look to protectable.
 
Rainy day woman (what is visible above the trees from the road) looks thin but climbable.
 
White Dyke is mostly rock.
 
Moving to Montana has a neat looking smear coming out of it (FA?)
 
U Wall drool doesn't reach the ground.
 
Diedre has no ice on it worth climbing.
 
There is some ice on the ramp to the right of the Sherrif's badge.
 
The obvious ice line on the Squaw was  climbed about 4 days ago.
 
The bluffs have more ice than they have had in decades. Alice on Ice is fat and has mixed possibilities on both sides. There are about five 20-30m pitches to climb on the walk up to Pixies Corner, all in the WI 3 range. I know it is tough not to, but please don't scratch up or bang pins in to summer climbs.
 
There is lots of ice across Squamish river, however the sides of the river are all iced over and ice flows on the river make the canoe crossing pretty daunting.


Conny Ameunxen
MG ACMG/IFMGA

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[MCR] Rogers Pass

We were skiing in Rogers Pass the last 3 days. Lots of wind effect in the upper edge of treeline and alpine elevations and below treeline still has poor coverage over the ground roughness so there is a bit of a narrow band where there is good skiing. If your powderhound nose is keen enough you can sniff out some good turns though. What you are looking for are treeline glades that are not too open and that are not north facing (to avoid the wind effect), and below treeline glades that are rather open (in the forest the trees have filtered too much snow and there isn't enough coverage, you will hit lots of wood and the occasional rock). However, below treeline you have to avoid glades that have alder in them, you will need a machete to get through the alders.

Avalanche hazard: Lots of wind crust and some areas of windslab, and it is difficult to distinguish between the two. Avoid the bad skiing and you will avoid the windslab hazard. In non wind effected areas we didn't dig as it was too cold to stop moving but we saw no evidence of avalanche activity, no cracking or whumpfing, and had no results with ski cutting on small steep slopes. We kept our exposure to complex terrain to a minimum though because we didn't have a lot of information.

Mark Klassen

Mountain Guide

[MCR] Duffey lake/ Marble Canyon ice climbs

Drove through the Duffy lake area yesterday and this is what I saw. If its not mentioned here it was probably not "IN"as I took a good look around.

In the early morning light "Entropy "looked in? "that could mean anything in that light"

Looked like you could scratch up something in the "Syco pillar" area (mixed routes only)

No ice at all on "Blue moon on rye"

"Dream Cather" looked like it would be climbable

Looked like most of the regular climbs at the "Rambles" were in, however they looked quite thin compared to normal.

Carl berg was NOT in

The first pitches of "loose lady" were in. I tried to see the upper pitch, but could only see the ice on the last few feet, so?

"Synchronicity" was in, however the first few feet of the first main pitch looked very thin or rock .

"Honeyman falls" looked climbable, but there was a hole with open water in the middle up top.

Most of the climbs in Marble canyon looked climbable. The lower wall had lots of ice, but thin in places. The top pitches on "Icy BC looked climbable, but very hard"

It was -22 at the Rambles and -30 in marble canyon...

All in all I was surprised to see very little free water that could freeze in these temps. It looks like it must have been very dry up there fopr the past few weeks, hopefully it warms up at bit!

 

Have Fun,

 

Craig McGee, ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide

cell 604 902 0296

craigskibum@yahoo.com