[MCR] Lake OHara conditions

In the past ten days, spring has finally sprung at O'Hara. Conditions are probably the driest I have seen for June 17th in the past ten years.Trails to Linda Lake, Wiwaxy Gap and Lake Oesa are dry but it will be wet and tedious walking in the forests to Opabin and Schaeffer Lake for a while yet.

 

A long period of sustained hot days, warm nights and some rain to well above mountaintops has given us a proper early summer snowpack. Travel conditions and avalanche risk are all about what has happened in the recent past. In other words, the big questions are-Has it snowed recently? or- Is the snowpack getting really warm?

 

With a good freeze all the classic snow and ice faces are in good shape. A few HUGE cornices are still looming and you can bet they are groaning and creaking in the heat. The Victoria south ridge would probably feel very "Alaskan". LOTS of rockfall, wet slides and general nastiness in the daytime heat and during the rain so timing is everything for the next while. Going to Abbott Pass in the afternoon would be a REALLY bad idea right now. Crossing Cataract Brook to get to Cathedral could be a sporty little swim for short people right now.

 

 Alpine rock routes like Hungabee are still in poor shape but the Tarrant buttress is drying out fast. Grassi Ridge is free of winter snow but the descent may have some nasty snow to traverse in the upper gullies after you get off the pk itself.

 

On the afternoon of the 17th light snow was sticking to the ground above 2700m. I believe the Public buses start running on the 19th.

 

Larry Stanier

ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide

laristan@telus.net 

[MCR] Moraine Lake Rockpile trail

Moraine Lake Rockpile Trail Closur
June 14, 2009

The Moraine Lake Rockpile trail, (the 300m interpretive trail at the north
end of Moraine Lake) will be closed until the end of June for major
maintenance work. During this time access to the beginning of the
Consolation Lakes trail and climbing routes on the Tower of Babel will be
affected.

The main Consolation Lakes/Rockpile trail is closed right from the Moraine
Lake, Parking lot for approximately 200m, up to the junction with the
Consolation Lakes trail. To access the Consolation Lakes trail beyond the
construction (and the Tower of Babel approaches etc), it is recommended
that you walk around the south side of the Rockpile, along the lakeshore
flats while water levels are low.

Please do not scramble up the slides of the Rockpile or walk through the
construction site. Masonry work is underway to repair the steps and
upgrade the pathway.

As the contractor progresses up the trail the completed sections will be
re-opened to allow the traditional access to the points beyond. This
closure will be in place for at least the next 10 days. We expect the
trail to be fully open before the end of June, if not sooner.

For more information, please contact Parks Canada Project Manager Alex
Taylor at 403-522-1230.

Marc Ledwidge
Manager, Mountain Safety Programs
Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks
220 Hawk Avenue
Box 900, Banff, AB
T1L 1K2
Ph: 403-762-1401

_______________________________________________
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] Squamish - Banff traverse

OK, we didn't do this on skis or foot but a cool traverse all the same via Highways 99 and 1 in my '92 Mitsubishi Delica. Lots of time to admire the scenery as we slowly chugged up the steep passes.

On the Coast, the past few weeks have been very hot and dry. Any Squamish rock climb that is known to seep should be as dry as it is ever going to be so get to it! The Tantalus Range is still looking snowy but I suspect travel conditions could be good if you hit it on a cool morning. I bet glacier coverage is still pretty good too, so routes that are preferable in snowy conditions could be good to go. Ditto for the Duffy Lake peaks and we saw a track up the Anniversary Glacier. Beware the daytime warming though and get a real alpine start to get off steep slopes before the sun gets on them.

Rogers Pass was looking like it was coming into shape. Sir D is still holding some snow but it could be ready in a couple of weeks. The lower peaks are drying out decently and easier routes are probably climbable, with some snow patches. Peaks where snowy gullies help with approaches are probably something to think about, eg Macdonald. However, it all depends on how consolidated the snow is, it might still be postholing. Again, very early starts would be mandatory.

In the Rockies, it seems to me that the west side of the highway is looking a bit snowier than normal for this time of year and the east side is a bit drier. Castle for example looks like late June or early July up there (no snow on the summits and the normal snow patches on the Goat Plateau), while the Lake Louise/Moraine Lake peaks are still looking pretty plastered especially the north aspects.

Mark Klassen

Mountain Guide

www.alpinism.com

[MCR] Mt Athabasca, June 11, 2009

Had a beautiful sunny day on Mt Athabasca yesterday via the AA Col Route, alongside Steve Blagbrough. 

 

Travel conditions were excellent on the glacier and steeper snow slopes with good crampon purchase on firm snow, no ice showing yet.  The bergschrund was well filled in and crossed easily.  Above 3000m on North aspects there was still soft/dry snow from the storm on the night of  the 7th that deposited 20-30cm up high.  We elected not to ascend/descend the North Glacier ramp due to potential wind-slabs formed by this snow.  It was +2'C at the summit by 0930 so this should help the storm snow settle out soon.

 

We were happy to be off the glacier by noon as the snow travel was softening quickly, and hazard from falling rocks/snow was on the rise.

 

Have fun out there!

 

Conrad Janzen
IFMGA Mountain Guide
www.conradjanzenguiding.com

[MCR] Mountain Conditions Summary for the Rockies and Columbias, June 11 2009

Mountain Conditions Summary for the Rockies and Columbias, June 11 2009

More seasonal weather has arrived  and with it, conditions are changing fast.  The forecast for the Rockies and Columbia mountains over the weekend is variable with the only constant being significantly warmer temperatures then what we have recently had.

There is still a significant difference between the front ranges and the bigger peaks along the Continental Divide and Columbias.

Many of the rock routes on Mt Louis and and Castle will soon be dry but expect snow and ice on the descents.  People have been climbing routes on Lady MacDonald and Fable with reports of mostly dry conditions.  Most of the routes on the East End Of Rundle have wet streaks running down them but the sport routes on the left side of the face are dry and have been seeing regular traffic.

On the higher peaks, early spring conditions will be the norm.  There were still reports of isolated windslabs in some parts of the Columbia Icefields early this week and a continued emphasis on good overnight freezing and daytime warming are important.  Several loose snow avalanches have been observed in the last two days as well as cornice triggered slabs similar to the one pictured in Brad White’s photos.  It is all about the timing...

The big alpine rock climbs of the Bugaboos and Roger’s Pass are still a fair way from being ready.  It will take several consecutive days of above freezing temperatures at mountain top before they are clear of snow.

Below freezing temperatures and clear skies will be the recipe necessary for snow and ice routes with a keen eye for the early rising sun on the slopes above.  In the front ranges it is getting to be the time of year to keep an eye out for afternoon thundershowers like the ones forecast for Friday afternoon in the Kananaskis area.

 
Marc Piché
ACMG, IFMGA Mountain Guide

[MCR] Mt Yamnuska-Missionary's Crack Ravens

There is an active Raven's nest on pitch six of Missionary's Crack on
Yamnuska. We rapped off from the top of pitch three so as not to disturb
them.

Percy Woods
Mountain Guide

_______________________________________________
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] Jasper area avalanche observations - June 3, 4 2009

Jer and Conrad were climbing in Lost Boys (dry conditions) on Wednesday and
around noon heard a large avalanche in the distance. When driving to the
Icefields on Thursday June 4 we noted a slab avalanche high on Gerldine Peak
which was the likely culprit. The east facing bowl high on the peak released
a size 2 slab which ran a long distance over steep rock cliffs. One or two
other size two events were noted on east aspects during the drive to the
Icefields.

Spent Thursday at the Parker Ridge Crevasse rescue practice area where an
unseasonably large amount of snow still sits on the ground. The snowline has
now crawled up to around treeline on the west aspects along the parkway.
Scrambles such as Nigel, Tangle and Sunwapta are still not in shape.

Someone climbed the N Glacier route on Athabasca on Thursday but no report
of conditions there. Still very snowy at the Icefields in general. Ice is
starting to show at the toe of the North glacier and we will report on that
at the end of the day. A2 has a lot of snow coverage on the glacier at this
point and the N facing ice face is still mostly a snow face.

Further north near Jasper townsite the south aspects are drying off rapidly
with yesterdays roasting hot temperatures. Forecast for the next few days is
grim however with a return to cold temperatures and showers.

Cyril Shokoples MG
Jeremy Mackenzie MG
Peter Amann MG

Rescue Dynamics
http://www.rescuedynamics.ca
http://www.rescuedynamics.com

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_______________________________________________
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.