[MCR] ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued July 18, 2013

ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued July 18, 2013 Summer is in full swing in the Rocky and Columbia Mountains. Conditions for many objectives have been very good in the past week, with cool temperatures allowing for overnight recovery on snow and ice routes and with minimal degradation of snow conditions over the day. Those same cool temperatures caused alpine rock objectives to be uncomfortable though, even though most routes of that type seem dry. That situation looks like it might reverse itself though. This weekend overnight freezing levels are forecast to soar to the 3500-4000 m range throughout the mountain ranges, with warm daytime highs. So this means snow and ice routes, especially those with overhead hazard, may get sloppy and the mountain might try to shoot things down at you. That said, we have a fairly well settled summer snowpack now so snow/ice climbs that are not too steep and with lesser overhead hazard may be reasonable, especially with very early starts. Most regions are also forecast to have afternoon showers due to convective build up, another reason to start early no matter what the objective. And as always with convective showers, be on the lookout for thunder and lightning. Access after the floods continues to improve at a rapid pace and kudos to highway and trail crews for getting so much back up and running in such a short time. In Kananaskis Country, Highway 40 and the Spray Road are both open now. Note however that Highway 40 over Highwood Pass remains closed, as does much of the land adjacent to that section of it. Highways 66 and 549 also remain closed. In Banff all roads are open with the exception of the Sunshine Road and the southern end of the Minnewanka Loop. Trails to many common climbing areas in both Kananaskis and Banff are open and passable with a few notable exceptions. A few trails that are open now have significant river crossings to deal with. On the southwest side of the Rockies in the Rocky Mountain Forest District there were a few washouts and bridges damaged on normal logging road access routes as well and there may be difficulty getting into peaks such as Queen Mary, King George and Harrison. Search the websites for those land management areas for more access info. If I had my druthers this weekend I would be heading to high elevation alpine rock routes anywhere in the Rockies and Columbias, and making sure I got an early start to try and outrun afternoon showers. My option if it seemed too wet for rock routes would be to go to a straightforward snow and ice objective without too much overhead hazard. Have fun. Mark Klassen 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.