[MCR] Climbing routes on Mt. Louis

I forgot to comment on the climbing routes in my recent posting with photos of the descent.  The Kain route and Gmoser route look dry and good to go.  Homage to the Spider looks wet and drippy with significant snow on the big ledge at the end of the technical difficulties.  If the weather forecast is correct, a week or more  of high pressure should hopefully bring that route into shape.

 

Marc Ledwidge

ACMG/UIAGM Mountain Guide

 

[MCR] Mt. Sir Douglas

Made an attempt on the SE face route today with fellow guide and friend P.Hungr.   We found up to 35cm of windpressed snow 2500m and above. We traveled up the lower slopes below the couloir and easily crossed the multiple schrunds before turning around at 0830. Large cornices still threaten the SE face and things were warming up too quickly for our liking.

No melt freeze apparant. Crevasses still well covered, no sagging.

If the warm forecast holds true for the next few days, I would not want to be on this route.

Kristopher Irwin
A.C.M.G.  Assistant Alpine Guide
Banff, Alberta

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[MCR] Jasper/ Columbia Icefields - A2 conditions

Hi Folks

Climbed A2 yesterday with two rope teams from the ACC Calgary Section. Had a
poor freeze overnight with overcast and warm conditions. Went up via
Boundary Glacier. No recent tracks on this side except some tracks from
folks who climbed the ice apron and descended without summitting. A party
had summitted A2 the day before via the North Glacier on Athabasca.

Snow on the lower glacier had not set up at all. At about 2500m, just past
the bottleneck on the glacier on climbers right, we encountered a surface
crust which eventually became somewhat supportive unless you were over
100kg. The crust became thicker (5cm) and more supportive with elevation. We
were blessed with cold and windy conditions with about 1 - 2cm of new snow
falling during the day. If the sun had come out the snow conditions would
have been ugly.

There was no evidence of fresh windslabs on any of the terrain we were
travelling on but there is still a tonne of snow hanging in the gullies on
the NE slopes of Athabasca. If you are coming over from the North Glacier
side and traversing under these slopes the potential for avalanches with
daytime heating and solar radiation is still VERY real.

Coverage on the crevasses was generally good but the crust had already
started to break done by 10:30AM despite the thick cloud, snow and cold
wind. The UV was still making its presence known. We had some post holing on
the way down but it was manageable and I would have to say we got lucky with
the cold weather as the going was occasionally tedious but never brutal.
With a good freeze it would be quite good.

On the way down we had a couple of folks put a leg in a couple of crevasses
at about 2500 - 2600m. The crevasse situation is still readily manageable
with diligence and careful routefinding.

The ice Apron between A2 / A3 is still predominantly snow covered but in the
past two days a substantial amount of snow has melted off exposing two
growing patches of ice.

We spent the day at Parkers ridge on Saturday (the day before) where there
is still lots of snow for skills practice as noted by others in earlier
posts. Of note was a large group of 20 - 30 from a Calgary ski club who
reported quite reasonable ski conditions on the upper slopes with better
skiing on Friday than Saturday. Lack of overnight freeze made for sloppier
ski conditions on Saturday.

If you are going to head out skiing, best do it soon as the forecast for
next week is for temperatures to SOAR into the high 20s or even 30 degrees.
The sudden rise in temperatures should make for some exciting avalanche and
rockfall activity given all of the snow still sitting around.

Driving back through Jasper I noted that the climbs in the Fryatt Valley
plus Peveril Peak and Mt Edith Cavell were still holding lots of snow. The
Cavell road is still closed until the end of July.

Eastern slopes rock climbs like Colin, Meisner's, CR5A, Perdrix, Bedson,
Ashlar's were all bare and dry with no new snow evident.

Stay Cool

Cyril Shokoples MG
http://www.rescuedynamics.ca
http://www.rescuedynamics.com

_______________________________________________
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] EEOR'S TAIL ADJUSTMENT!

The following is intended to bring some clarification and adjustment to my MCR regarding Castle Mountain and EEOR's TAIL that I posted on the 2^nd.
 
Recently at least two parties have been confused by a line of bolts and new belay bolts found at the top of the second pitch of EEORs TAIL. On the 1^st , do to rock fall, a climber suffered broken bones and was treated at the Canmore hospital. The climbers unfortunately off route climbed some 20m right of EEOR's TAIL. The off route line attempted has a clear and visible white fixed rope. This line is very loose and has been attempted, possibly climbed, as a direct start to Anasinusdephobia (page 384 of bow valley rock)!
 
For EEOR's TAIL simply follow the guidebook information and get to the base of the route.
Either follow the guide book description avoiding the Overhanging groove/loose chimney with fixed rope!
Alternatively, identify the black single belay bolt! This bolt is right off the ground and below a small roof. Hard to miss if your in the correct general area! Climb the line of THREE bolts found on the slab to the left and up to the base of a pillar, some gear and a FOURTH bolt lead you to the original "first bolted" belay stance, it was retro-bolted along with all other stations on the route last year. Continue following guide book descriptions.
I hope this adds some clarification.
 
Cheers
Patrick Delaney
ACMG ALPINE GUIDE
www.rockymountainguiding.com
www.yamnuska.com

 

 

[MCR] bow peyto and out

Just a few notes to add to Nick's Wapta notes. A group of us spent
July 1-4 going from Bow to Peyto and out. Climbed Olive on July 2.
Good coverage and travel with more snow than usual. Good travel from
Bow to Peyto on the 3rd, climbed Mt Thompson en route. Still a lot of
snow on Thompson, I have climbed Mt Thompson on the same day for
about 10 years with this year being the most coverage. Still big
cornices on summit ridge!!
The lower Peyto glacier seemed about normal.
From the hut we used access by the glacier hole access south of
hut, traversing high to the rock piles under Habel peak,and Weather
station to get to the ramp on the Peyto tongue. Good travel....ice
started where it flattens out.
No freeze on the 4th with rain over night and most of the way out. No
signs of any new activity but some sluffing on steep aspects. Weather
over the 4 days was unsettled, Coldest day was the 3rd.

Peter Amann

Peter Amann
Mountain Guide
pamann@incentre.net

[MCR] Bugaboos, Cobalt Lake and a Grizzly Bear

Chris and I were just in the Bugaboo area for July 2 and 3.

We hiked in, in the rain July 2, which deposited up to 30cm of snow in the area. July 3 we climbed Eastpost Spire, NW ridge and then hiked out via Cobalt lake. We had a 20cm foot pen with occasional post holing. Temperatures ranged from + 2 - 10 ºC under very cloudy skies with occasional light rain and lots of low hanging clouds. We had an encounter with a grizzly bear inbetween cobalt lake and black forest ridge.

Here is a photo from yesterday at Appleby campground where there is a metre of snow.

here is a link to the video with the grizzly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qGBc-85DMI

for more photos of conditions, check out www.climberpassionate.com

jennifer olson

acmg/ifmga mountain guide

[MCR] Icefields Parkway

Spent 3 days in the Columbia Icefields area. Parkers Ridge is still holding enough snow for snow school, self arrests and a nice snow lip for crevasse rescue. Climbed A2 on Friday up the Boundary "ice" tongue.  It was completely snow and perfect crampon travel after an evening of cold temps.  The ice below was anywhere from 6 inches to over 12 inches under the snow.  Travel to A2 on the glacier from this side can often be complicated but with the high snow pack right now it was very straightforward both to A2 and over to the Boundary/Athabasca col.  The path that can be taken now will obviously change as the summer progresses. The final stretch of glacier on the North Glacier off Boundary, is ice. Climbed Silverhorn on Athabasca on Saturday in what felt like winter conditions.  Again travel on the glacier was very straightforward right now with cooler temps keeping you on top of the snow.  The Silverhorn was decent steps as mentioned before by Paddy, with some windslab and breakable ice crust sections down lower, and minimal front pointing.  Ice anchors could be made up the entire route with a bit of digging. The descent down the AA col was in good shape with plenty of snow coverage but could be hazardous in sunny warm conditions.  A great deal of ascents on Athabasca, A2 and Andomeda this weekend! Sarah Hueniken Alpine Guide