[MCR] Tremor Glacier ~ Garibaldi Park

Hello to all you late-season ski-tourers out there. I hope this finds Everyone keeping well and enjoying the end to April.
 
Spent today touring into the Park and on to Tremor Glacier from Blackcomb Ski Area. Travel conditions today varied. And, the backcountry is a 'Ghost Town' right now ~ a great time to be travelling; not many souls out there at all.
 
The winds were blowing from the East all day in the high alpine (strong at times, too). The temperatures were cold throughout the day and the little bit of snow we recieved last Thursday had been blown around and relocated onto West through South aspects recently.
 
It is fair to say that the snow surface is very variable right now; I encountered nearly every type of snow condition today from different types of crust to wind-affected snow to a handful of decent powder turns.
 
A note:
* ski crampons are recommended right now if you find yourself moving from lower or moderatley-angled terrain into 'steeper' terrain for tracksetting in the alpine (especially if that 'steeper' terrain is north or east-facing; the reason is that the recent winds have polished areas on these aspects/type of terrain and it's quite challenging to set an efficient track without the aid of ski crampons). An example of where some of these tricky conditions may be lurking, right now, will be the last pitch on the ascent to the Patterson col from Trorey Gl., or the north-face of Decker Gl. right now. Please consider such a slippery surface as a potential hazard ~ avoid combinations like a hardened and slippery slope above open crevasses or cliffs. Unexpected slips can result in a fast and uncontrolled slide in this kind of terrain and that could lead to a potential injury (even a tweaked knee could be a real challenge to manage out there). Be careful and perhaps look for some alternate routes that use more favorable terrain for tracksetting.
 
* Found some good corn skiing at lower elevations in the afternoon on southwest aspects. As always, please consider the type of terrain you're on and the terrain above you if the snow you're skiing/exposed to is being thawed by the sun ~ essentially, things are becoming increasingly more unstable. Timing is key for safe travel in the Spring.
 
* Fast travel conditions on lower-angled glaciated terrain currently.
 
Enjoy the solitude out there.
 
Wishing Everyone safe travels.
 
Best regards,
Dale Marcoux
ACMG Member
ACMG Assistant Ski Guide
 
 
 
 
 
 

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[MCR] Bugaboos-Rogers Pass

Eric, Felix, Erica and I completed the Bugaboos-Rogers Pass traverse April 13-22, nine days of travel with one down day due to warm temps and light rain on April 20.

We started the trip with 30-40 cm of recent storm snow atop strong melt freeze crusts. Luckily at the beginning of the trip we had wind in the right places (scouring the new snow out of the top of Bugaboo-Snowpatch col) and calm in the right places (no wind effect on Bill's Pass the same day - face shots), and just enough visibility. By day 3, April 15, we were dealing with melt-freeze conditions on solar aspects and a dry, fairly well-settled snowpack on north aspects, allowing us to get over Climax Col and Hume Pass. Easy travel up the souths and boot-top powder on the norths.

Another system blew in by day 5 (April 17), we managed to get over Malachite Col but due to misty weather and flat light I failed to see a crevasse bridge and collapsed a bridge about 4 meters wide, 15 meters long and 1.2 meters thick on the Carbonate Icefield as we were gaining the ridge off International Mountain. The rope was on so all ended well. The lesson learned though was that a thin Purcell snowpack this year is causing some crevasses to not be bridged as well as might be expected this time of year.

By day 7 (April 19) things were warming a lot and wet snow and light rain began. Both the Beaver Glacier and Grand Glacier exits did not look appealing at all: steep, thin looking snowpack and lots of crevasses. Either things have changed in the last several years or the snowpack is thinner than normal, both these glaciers were places I would normally try to avoid in the condition I saw them.

We opted for the lower elevation Beaver Overlook exit. On April 20 there was a significant wet avalanche cycle on all aspects up to 2700 m. We waited it out for a day until the clear night on April 20/21 and raced up the narrow snow-filled gullies and thin snowpack through the steep moraines on a "supportive enough" radiation crust, getting onto the Deville Icefield by 8 am after a 5 am start by headlamp. 

The last day on April 23 started out overcast with wind gusts to approximately 100 kph (two of us were blown over) and ended with an intense white-out down the Illecillewaet glacier. I was in those moraines 4 times this winter and wasn't quite sure where I was yesterday until we were in the forest. 

By the end of the day several cm of snow had fallen on a warm crust. It was bonding well with little slab formation at the time and would have been good skiing if we could have seen it. As it was I threw my prussik ahead of me about 1000 times on the descent as it was the only reference we had to keep us on our feet! 

Good times were had by all!

Mark Klassen

Mountain Guide

www.alpinism.com

[MCR] Louise Falls

Climbed Louise Falls yesterday, April 22nd. It is huge and was in spring conditions. Melt/freeze 'corn' ice overlies the surface and I had to clear between 4 and 6 inches away to place screws and that was the most work on the climb -clearing away the corn ice to get screws. On the low angled ice I was cautious with my crampons shearing through the corn and I kicked steps, on the steeper stuff I was concerned with my tools rippiing out and got them deepish. Face shots with every placement (the corn ice tends to spray more than cold ice). I suspect that the route is locked up now (6am, April 23rd) as it is -7 C  in Canmore as I type this, and that the corn ice will be dinnerplating until it thaws.

The walk off is icy, we did 1 30m rappel off of tree on the walk off to avoid most of the frontpointing down.

Happy trails,

Barry Blanchard

UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guide

Yamnuska Mountain Adventures

[MCR] Bow Summit

A couple of hot laps this evening at Bow summit. Excellent skiing. At 6pm
17cm of cold low density storm snow overlay temperature crust. This crust
carries reasonably well from the parking lot and up so long as you're not
in the tight trees. In open glades at treeline the crust is solid. Lots of
wind from the North today and the alpine looks pretty hammered. No Na
observed but limited obs & vis. Storm came in warm and cooled off and so
at lower elevations at least there is good bonding with the crust.

Lots of snow north and east of Bow Summit (I was at the Bighorn Reserve
earlier today west of Nordegg), much less south of Bow Summit through
Lake Louise to Banff.

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] Spearhead Traverse

Canada West Mountain School and I donated a Mc Bride Range Traverse at the Canadian Avalanche Foundation’s fund raiser this past winter. This past week’s end (16-19^th) was its date.  

The first day we made it from Whistler to the Detour Ridge (Naden Pass) but then weather came in dropping nearly half a meter of snow and a poor forecast. So, due to the fast 4 day nature of the trip we bailed on the original intentions and continued around the Spearhead Traverse doing it in reverse style – from Whistler to Blackcomb.  

After the storm cleared late on the afternoon of the 17^th we got great powder skiing and found a couple of natural slab avalanches.  By the end of the next day’s clear and warm conditions the upper snow pack had collapsed to just 15- 25 cm on top of a the previous sun crust. We saw lots of snow balling but we did not see any natural activity.

Yesterday in strong S gusty winds, temps around 0 deg, and very limited visibility we skied out from the top of the Trorrey Glacier. A quick pit on a NW aspect showed 30 cm of snow on the previous crust and presented mod-hard shears. Windward aspects where blown clear of any new snow right to the old temperature crust. It was raining when we got to Treeline. Quite Spring like! Made us pretty damp and happy to get home for beers and a big meal...

The things that stood out from the trip were: the cornices- which were not huge but looked a bit delicate (no doubt are getting bigger today), and the crevasses – many sags and holes, where normally there are much less visible this time of year.

 

Dave Sarkany

Ski Guide

 

 

[MCR] Professor Falls BNP

Up the Professors today, the route is in great shape, really nice grade 4 climbing on fat and surprisingly dry ice. The chain anchors on the last 3 pitches are now buried under ice. Today's moderate NW winds kept the temps in the shade below 0 until noon. About 60% of the trail from the car park is dry, the rest is snow or ice making the biking a little tricky at times.

 

Cheers

Mark Stewart

Mountain Guide

Cirrus Alpine Guides

 

 

[MCR] Bow Hut/Wapta

Back from a weekend on the Wapta. Saturday and Sunday morning felt like
winter again up there. 15 cm new snow on top of another 30-50cm from the
past week. Seemed well settled with some cracking in steep lee loaded
areas and some small loose sloughs. We were still cautious. Climbed St.
Nick on Saturday descending on the north (hut) side via the most
conservative line. Climbed Rhonda South today. Decent skiing though wind
affected. Moderate yesterday to strong SW winds today. Snow was moist
below the hut after 2pm today.

Regards,
Tom Wolfe
ASG-AAG
_______________________________________________
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.