[MCR] K-Country ice conditions

The following are some various ice conditions. The only one I actually climbed is R&D today. The others are based on viewing them from either the road or other vantage points.

 

R&D: In good early season shape (Oct 31) and has seen lots of traffic. It offers good hooking on dry ice on the lower half then very wet plastic ice on the upper half. It will take 16cm screws anywhere. The cold temps (-14C @ 13:30 at the base of the route) combined with the dripping wet ice makes the ropes icy very quickly. Beware of rappel ropes freezing to the ice surface. Pull them immediately. The approach has a well beaten trail.

 

Other conditions:

 

Chalice and the Blade / Spoon and Lone Ranger: Not formed

 

Parallel Falls: Not formed

 

Trick or Treat: It's formed but the 4 hour approach over snowy frozen scree might not be worth it.

 

Cabrio and Centaur: Far from being formed as viewed from Wind Tower on Oct 24

 

Arterial Spurt: Just a thin veneer as viewed from Heart Mountain on Oct 26

 

Whiteman's Falls: A waterfall in the most truest since of the word as in lots of gushing water.

 

Happy ice hunting,

 

Sean Isaac

 

 

[MCR] Hudson Bay Mountain 28-29 October 06

The season started very early in the Bulkley Valley. I measured 55 cm at
0 degrees by my house at 500 m elevation in the valley bottom at 0800
yesterday, and it continued snowing until 1300 on the 28th. Since then,
it has been slowly clearing and cooling. The ski hill reported 125 cm at
1600 m yesterday, 60 cm of which fell in 24 hours. I called a high
hazard for the Davidson Project Road on Hudson Bay Mountain.

This morning, I went on a helicopter check flight at 10. Debris and
fracture lines from numerous size 2 and 3 slabs was blown in, but
clearly visible. It appears that most avalanche prone terrain has
avalanched, even terrain that does not run frequently. Debris was within
20 m of the # 7 switchback on the road.

At the usual observation site at 1500 m, there were 130 cm of snow on
the ground.

The present cooling trend will probably stabilize this early snowpack in
the short term.
--
Christoph Dietzfelbinger
Mountain Guide, Bear Mountaineering and Burnie Glacier Chalet
Box 4222
Smithers, B.C. V0J 2N0 Canada
tel. 250-847-3351 fax: 250-847-2854
info@bearmountaineering.ca www.bearmountaineering.ca

_______________________________________________
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] Glacier Park Snow Information - October 27th

Glacier National Park

October 27th at 13:00

30 cm snowpack at treeline (Mount Fidelity station - 1900m).
Temperature: 0 deg C

Heavy rain at Rogers Pass elevation (1330m). 10-15 cm of wet slushy snow on
the ground.

Heavy Rainfall Warning continued by Environment Canada (snow at higher
elevations).

Wax those skis!

Jordy Shepherd
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] Bow Valley Rock

I'm sure the cold temps and snow has everyone thinking about skiing
and early ice, but just in case anyone is still bare-handing it out
there, I thought I'd pass on some rock conditions. I was up the
regular route on Chinaman's yesterday with a guest and then on the
West ridge of Mt. Buller today.

On Ha Ling, though some of the lower face is still quite clear of
snow, much of the low angled rock has received a fresh dusting of
snow and the big ledges are starting to drift over. Ice has begun to
fill in some cracks and runnels as well, particularly in the upper
half of the face, making the last 2-3 pitches cruxy. Despite having
to excavate handholds, we still found the route to be in climbable
shape and a good refresher for colder conditions ahead.

Despite a dry day in Canmore today, K-country is already snow
plastered on most aspects, though only a dusting below treeline, and
was storming this afternoon. 1-2cm of snow and ice has accumulated on
the lee aspects of the ridge on Buller. Travel was still relatively
straightforward on mostly exposed rock, and made for a pleasant (ish)
option in these transitional days. By midday, the weather was
'freshening' with sub-zero temps and strong SW winds (60 km/h gusting
to 100km/h+) blowing ice pellets which accumulated but did not
adhere. Much more white than grey up there now.

Have at it!

Carl Johnston
Rock 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] Mountain Conditions Summary for October 26

Mountain Conditions Summary for October 26

A moist, cool and winter weather pattern will be the trend through the
weekend.

Lake Louise presently has light snow falling, and the Bow Valley from Lake
Louise through to Canmore is experiencing high winds, up to 130km/hr at
ridgetop. Expect the 5-10 cm of storm snow and the previous thin snowpack to
be extensively redistributed with the high winds. There may be pockets of
windslab, and expect quite variable snow cover in the alpine and at treeline
(bare in wind exposed areas, and loaded on lee slopes).

The Icefields area received 10-15 cm of snow overnight. Start to think winter,
avalanches, and watch for thinly bridged crevasses on the glaciers.

It has been snowing all day at Rogers Pass, with 10-15 cm of wet new snow at
treeline. The storm is presently building a good snowpack base, and hopefully
the precipitation keeps coming.

The forecast is for wet and cool weather for the interior ranges (Rockies /
Columbias) on Friday and Saturday. Sunday and Monday look to be substantially
cooler, with sub-zero high temperatures in the Banff and Jasper townsites, and
lows down to -13 deg C.

The combination of wet weather and cooling temperatures should do good things
for waterfall ice formation.

Jordy Shepherd
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] Bugaboos

I was in the bugaboo's yesterday( Oct 21 ). Not as much snow as I was expecting, 10 to 15cm's at applebee campground in places where it wasn't melted off, temp there at 1pm was 0. No ice below snow on snowpatch. Nice day in there. Whoever did all the trail work good on ya. It's much improved. Thanks

Cheers

Todd Craig Mtn guide

[MCR] Mountain Conditions Summary October 19

It is starting to feel like winter in most of the mountainous areas of western
Canada.

In the Rockies (Banff to Jasper) the freezing level is at treeline, with recent
storm snow of up to 10-15 cm. The wind is transporting this new snow, and
there will be some slab development. Temperatures were hovering around 0
degrees Celsius in the Columbia Icefields area over the past 24 hrs. There is
still bare ice showing low down on the Athabasca Glacier, with the wind
scraping off the 3 cm of snowfall recorded in the last 24 hrs.

No recent reports from the Bugaboos, but I suspect there is storm snow
down to at least the Kain Hut elevation.

In the Selkirks, the snowline is down to about 1300m, and as I write there are
fat snowflakes falling at Rogers Pass in Glacier Park. There is about 10 cm of
snow on the ground at treeline.

The forecast for the Rockies and Selkirks is clearing skies on Friday night,
with sub-zero temperatures in the mornings, and warming in the afternoon with
some sunshine. Conditions will change rapidly with the solar radiation after
this storm period, and there may be a solar induced avalanche cycle this
weekend if the forecast is correct.

Start to think like winter, watch your exposure to open lee slopes and gully
features that may have a significant amount of windloading.

Watch for thinly bridged and hidden crevasses if you venture out onto the
glaciers this weekend.

It is shaping up to be a beautiful weekend in the mountains, with a combination
of fresh snow, Fall colors, and sunny weather. Have fun and bring a camera!

Jordy Shepherd
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.