[MCR] Egypt Lake/Healy Pass, Rockies, June 30, 2014

I led a group into the Egypt Lake area over the long weekend.  The trail up Healy Creek from the Sunshine parking lot was in fine shape, and we didn't encounter snow on the trail until past the Healy Creek campground. The trail up to Healy Pass was mostly just muddy and wet, and we only really post-holed through thigh deep snow for about 100 metres at the height of the pass. We encountered more significant snow patches in shady spots on the west side of the pass as the trail descends towards Egypt Lake, but the recent showers and long weekend traffic has made these easy to navigate.

The short trail from the campground towards Egypt Lake was still holding snow patches about 1 metre deep, as well as the trail towards Scarab Lake starting at about 2100 metres. The short trail up to Pharaoh Lake was in quite good condition, having only one significant snow patch near the Pharaoh Creek trail junction.

As an exit we hiked over to Simpson Pass before dropping down to Healy creek. While Simpson pass was snow free, the trail between Healy and Simpson pass was almost completely snowbound, and the trail connecting back to Healy creek from Simpson pass has not yet had its deadfall cleared from the trail.

Bring a good pair of gaiters, and keep an eye out for the herd of about three dozen mountain goats that have been grazing under Bourgeau Falls.

Nathan Dahl

Hiking Guide

 

[MCR] Public Mountain Conditions Report

Hi All

A trail report for Fish Creek Parking Lot to Skoki Lodge.

Early season conditions; especially in the higher regions around Boulder / Deception Passes, where lots of snow patches remain (5-40 cm foot penetration)

Along entire route, trail has many muddy sections, as well as water on trail in higher elevations.

Numerous bear scats along the way.

Still, a great day in the mountains:-)

Happy Trails, Martina

ACMG  AHG/DHG

[MCR] Hiking Guide Exam in Gaspe Chic-Chocs and McGarrigle Mountains

We spent the last 9 days doing a Hiking guide
exam in the Gaspe Region of Quebec, in the Chic-Choc and Mcgerrigil Mountains.

Here is what we observed.


Le Pic Sterling (Les Vallières)
distance: 5km
Temps: 4h
Dénivelé: +/- 1450 pieds
Cote: intermédiaire

À partir de la route 1000, début de la randonnée
par les chemins forestiers au nord du pont
divisant le lac Ste-Anne. Ascension hors piste
par le versant O de l'épaule SO . Forêt mature
d'épinettes blanches avec mousse comme couvert
forestier. Facile à marcher au centre, mais
densité forestière augmentée avant d'arriver dans
la zone alpine. Sentier à partir du sommet de
l'épaule SO. Possibilité de se déplacer vers le
Pic Sterling et plus au NE par les crêtes. Très
belle vue sur les Chics-Chocs et les
McGerrigles. Retour à la route 1000 par le
sentier descendant le versant S de l'épaule
S. Retour à la voiture en marchant sur la route
1000 vers l'O ou en suivant la ligne d'hydro (1km).


Le mont de la Table (Mines Madeleine)
distance: 6km
Temps: 6h

Dénivelé: +/- 500m

Cote: Extrême dans le "Bushwalking"

Départ à partir du refuge des Mines Madeleine (12
km à l'E de la route 14). Prendre le sentier
d'hiver se dirigeant vers le refuge le
Roselin). Entrer dans le bol de l'Aigle par le
sentier d'hiver. Ascension hors piste par le
versant N de l'épaule O. Densité forestière
élevée. Pente de 35 degrés. Crête étroite dans
une bonne densité de krumholtz. Atteinte de la
zone alpine à 1000m. Magnifique vue et belle
randonnée dans la zone alpine. Caribou à 5m du
groupe au sommet. Retour en suivant la crête
vers le NE. Vu orignal avec son petit. 400m
dans le krumholtz avant d'atteindre le chemin de
la DGRT pour revenir au refuge des
mines. Vêtements longs recommandés pour le "Bushwaliking".



Traverse dans l'arrière pays dans le Parc
National de la Gaspésie du 25 au 28 juin 2014.
Traverse de quatre jours du Lac Thibault au
Mont-Albert pour un total de 56km, avec une
variation d'altitude de 220m à 1100m.
La traverse c'est fait principalement sur le
sentier international des Appalaches (SIA) avec
certaines sections dans le nouveau secteur de l'arrière pays.
Les déplacements hors sentiers et camping sauvage
ont été généralement difficile en raison du
couvert forestier dense. Par contre, plusieurs
zones sont plus propices aux déplacements avec
une forêt mature notamment autour du Pic de
l'Aube et du Pic du Brulé. Le sentier était plus
humide dans les sections de basse altitude dû à
une pluie la veille du départ. Le séjour c'est
déroulé sous un soleil accablant avec des
températures moyennant de 5-10 °C la nuit et
20-28 °C le jours. Cette itinéraire est
recommandable pour des gens de niveau
intermédiaire à avancé pour les sections hors-sentier.



Peter Amann
Helen Sovdat
Mountain Guides

[MCR] Centennial Ridge/Mt. Allan traverse, Kananaskis Country

On Monday a friend and I did the Centennial Ridge traverse from south to north, starting at the Ribbon Creek Day Use parking lot and ending at the parking lot by Pigeon Creek 1.5km south of the Dead Man's Flats overpass.

The trail is mostly dry and in good condition. The snowline started around 2300m on the NE side of the ridge, but there were only a few short sections on the trail itself that we were forced to travel on snow. Mostly it was below gaiter-height with the occasional above-knee plunge. On the trail leading down the north ridge of Mt. Allan, there was a snowpatch covering where it branches east off the ridge to avoid some cliffs. If that trail fork is missed then the ridge cliffs out in another 50m and a brief backtrack and closer scrutiny over the E side of the ridge reveals a half-buried marker that indicates the trail around the cliffs. The bridge crossing Pigeon Creek 700m from the parking lot is washed out. People have placed a few logs across it, but even with increased afternoon flow the creek would have been fordable without the logs on that day.

We saw some bear scat at the Ribbon Creek parking lot and again right near the end of the north exit trail, but no fresh sign at the higher elevations. However, in the evening we did see a sow grizzly and two of last year's cubs just after we turned from Hwy 40 onto the road leading to Ribbon Creek Day Use area.

For the plant enthusiasts: the meadows at the beginning of the south approach are coming into bloom, and include a stunning amount of silky scorpionweed right now.

Cheers,
Jen Stelfox
HG
_______________________________________________
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.
See http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.
See http://informalex.org/subscribe.shtml#unsubscribe to remove your name from this list.

[MCR] ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued June, 26, 2014

ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued June, 26, 2014 According to the calendar it is summer in the mountains of Western Canada but full-blown summer conditions are not quite here yet. A lot has changed since last week's report and snow line has crept up significantly. That said there is still a considerable amount of snow in the high mountains and conditions are really variable depending on latitude, aspect and altitude. Rockies Many of the peaks in K-Country are being hiked and scrambled via their sunny routes without encountering much snow. Most of the rock climbing in the lower Bow Valley is now dry enough however, rock fall may be a concern on routes where snow is still melting above (i.e. East End Of Rundle). Both Mount Edith and Mount Louis near Banff have been climbed recently. Quite a few people have been venturing on to the more classic alpine routes of the Rockies in the last week. They have been reporting excellent conditions when there is a good freeze and frustrating/ painful travel when there isn't! The winter snowpack has not completely settled yet and under that crust is a great deal of very wet and loose snow. Numerous wet snow avalanches have been observed in the last week. The guides I spoke with were aiming to be on the summits before 10 AM in an effort to beat the thaw. There was also a report of a large, natural serac ice avalanche between the Silverhorn and Hourglass routes on Mount Athabasca. Columbias Similar conditions have been reported from the Columbia Mountains with numerous recent ascents on the sunny sides of Mount Tupper and Mount McDonald in Rogers Pass, but it seems that it is still a bit early for Mount Sir Donald. Snowline has just melted to the elevation of the hut in the bugaboos. Climbing on the south facing towers of the Crescent Basin may be quite good at the moment but many of the bigger objectives may still be snowy. Weather The weather forecast is quite similar from Calgary to Revelstoke with Saturday having a chance of rain and Sunday being quite wet. Although this does not bode well for weekend plans it may be just what we need to speed up the arrival of more summer-like conditions. Of note, considering the challenging winter we just finished and in particular the deep instability that was the cause of many very large avalanches, it might be prudent to treat large snow slopes in the alpine with caution. In the past, these deep persistent instabilities have occasionally come back to life in the early summer before the snowpack has completely settled for the season. Have a great weekend, Marc Piché ACMG 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] Mt. Rundle

Hello MCR subscribers,

 

I led a BanffLife crew up the Mt. Rundle scramble route today.

 

The route is mostly snow free with a couple patches left to cross along the summit ridge that shouldn't last too long.  No need for snow gear.

 

There is a bear warning at the trailhead so heads up and bring your bear spray.

 

 

Kristopher Irwin – ACMG Alpine Guide

www.rockies-ice.com

 

[MCR] Mt Fay

Hello MCR subscribers,

 

My guest and I climbed the West Ridge route on Mt. Fay this morning 6/23.  We approached via the Perren route. Seemed like we were the first visitors of the season.

 

Observations:

The log creek crossing at the end of the lake is in decent shape – no soakers.

 

Approach ledges are still holding snow but most are avoidable by walking around and deviating from the cairned trail.  The chains/bolts on the headwall are in good shape and we gave each bolt  quick inspection and all looked to be ok.  The final step to the last anchor (just before the glacier after the traverse) is holding steep snow and we protected a rising traverse with pickets.

 

Travel on the glacier on the afternoon of 6/22 was upper shin deep post holing in isothermal snow.  Coverage on the glacier was good and there were no visible sag lines over crevasses where we travelled.  Steeper south and west aspects are still shedding snow, especially in the afternoon heat, and there is still lots of snow above 2600m on all aspects. 

 

Despite it being +3c at the Neil Colgan hut at 0230 this morning, the snow was mostly supportive and travel was quick over to the base of the route.  We made good steps and time up the face to the ridge and easily crossed the bergschrund just right of centre.  All other routes on the north face have large cornices threatening the climbing lines. Except for the shorter rock steps the west ridge is still holding quite a bit of snow.

 

We descended the same way and the supportive crust on the glacier was already breaking down by 0800 this morning.

 

Hut is in great shape and the new renos look fantastic.

 

Creek crossing

 

Lower Approach

 

slope to headwall

 

Fay up close

West Ridge

 

Kristopher Irwin – ACMG Alpine Guide
Rockies Ice & Alpine Specialists
www.rockies-ice.com

[MCR] Grassi Lakes and Reclaimer Trail closure

 
 
See attached temporary closure notice affecting the Grassi Lakes area and the Reclaimer Trail. This area will be closed later this evening (June 22) until further notice, due to hazard from falling rocks and debris associated with road work on the Canmore Hill. No activities are permitted in this area during the closure (that includes climbing, hiking and mountain biking).
 

Kananaskis Country Public Safety

[MCR] Roger's Pass Conditions

Hello Folks,

Alpine routes are starting to come into shape at Rogers Pass, with Mt.Tupper and Mt. MacDonald seeing ascents in the last week and into this weekend.

Snowline is at approximately 1800-1900 meters (aspect dependent) and continues to creep upwards with the warmer summer temps.

Water levels are still rising as the snow melts; creek crossing options exist but prepare for the possibility of getting wet feet.  For the western routes on Mt. MacDonald a log exists just downstream of the Tractor Shed parking area. 

For the big North Facing routes (i.e. Prime Rib) a log crossing exists just upstream of the Lens gun position (just before the second snow shed heading east).  Both are marked with flagging tape.  Many of the big rig routes still appear to be seeping as of this morning,

In the Asulkan/Illecillewaet drainages, routes such as the SW Ridge of Uto appear to be in condition however the bigger and cooler aspect routes such as NW Ridge of Sir Donald still need some time to dry out.   Expect early season conditions on the routes themselves, the approaches and the potential for sporty creek crossings as previously mentioned.

Take Care,

Paddy Jerome
Visitor Safety Technician
ACMG/IFMGA
Mount Revelstoke & Glacier National Parks
Ph. 250 814 3524
patrick.jerome@pc.gc.ca
www.parksmountainsafety.ca
www.parcsecuritemontagne.ca

[MCR] Sky Pilot Mountain-Coast Range-Trip Report

Guided Sky Pilot Mountain today to a Summit of Fog! Travel was good, at worst boot top by the end of our day on the snow. One large avalanche was noted, looked to be a day or more old. I could not get a good look or see the start zone, but it looked to have run about 300m, was about 40m wide with car size blocks of snow in it.  Guessing it was a glide crack release. From the top of the Sea to Sky Gondola the trip took us about 8 hours round trip. The trail still has snow on it in places before the main snow field, but is well flagged from the end of the old Shannon Creek forest road. The trail could use a bit of pruning here and there but  didn't require any major bush crashing. 

Fun day out!

Crosby Johnston
ACMG / IFMGA Mountain Guide

www.altusmountainguides.com  

[MCR] ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued June 19th, 2014

ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued June 19th, 2014 It is most certainly still spring in the mountains. Valleys are mainly lush and green and the alpine is mainly deep and white. Treeline is a mixed bag of all that. I spent the last two days in the O'Hara alpine and it was "busy" shedding snow. BIG avalanche cycle starting around noon on Tuesday with moist point releases gathering mass and most just kept getting bigger(up to size 3) till they hit enough dry or flat ground to stop them. Less activity on Wednesday but still it was all a day to be very careful about what was over your head. Snow cover varies greatly across the ranges but as a gross generalization, south and west facing terrain is closer to snow free. The east side of the ranges generally have less snow. Above treeline anywhere close to the divides, most places would have snow and alpine north is white almost everywhere. The nights are short so good freezes are possible but will require a cold and clear night and even then, may not give a full depth freeze. Use a probe to see how deep the freeze is and consider the sun effect is if you are going to commit to some big snow slope or glacier crossing. Approaches and descents could be nasty post-holing affairs, especially in snow covered rocks and bush if your timing or planning is off. Walking into places like the Bugaboos or Abbott Pass could be torturous right now if there is still snow on the trails. Weather looks good for the weekend and low elevation rock, dry range scrambling and some alpine climbs could be in fine shape. Summer is coming but it ain't quite here yet! Larry Stanier ACMG 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] Morro Peak and Eastern Slopes of Jasper.

Went out for a stroll yesterday between Thunder Storms.

I scrambled up a North Westerly rib on Mt Morro, one that splits the
peak from a sub ridge to the east, the one that descends to the cold
sulfur springs parking area.

This trail heads left immediately once you leave the highway, go up
100 metres and gain the bench. Do not follow the Overlander trail as
many people do.

Higher up on the rib you are forced into a steep gully, hand railing
under a large rock band on your right.. Sporadic game trails are
evident. This leads to a junction (break in the cliff band) where a
descending trail from the summit bears left and east.
Follow this trail to the right and back up, which leads to the summit
of Mt Morro. Some flagging can be found along the way.

I followed the normal trail down, then cut left to the older trail
which comes close to Morro Bluffs. A bit of exposure here where the
trail bears right and descends to the Overlander trail junction.
This is a fun option on a popular local Jasper Peak.

The peaks to the east are drying off quite nicely, with good
conditions on Esplanade, Gargoyle, Cinqfoil and Miette.
There has been little rain in the Jasper area this spring, water
levels are still low but we are heading into the June rainy season.

Peter Amann
Mountain Guide



Peter Amann
www.incentre.net/pamann/
pamann@incentre.net

[MCR] Wasootch Ridge, Fisher Range, Kananaskis Country

Just a few tidbits for the hikers/scramblers out there wondering where the snowline is at.

A friend and I hiked most of the way along Wasootch ridge on the 12th. There was no snow on the trail at all. The first small snow patches we did see started at 1870m, at which point they were off to the side of the trail on the lee side of the ridge. We stopped at 2120m for lunch with a clear view of the rest of the ridge to the true summit, which was also snow-free. A nice island of dry early-season travel.

If you missed out on seeing some prairie crocuses this spring, there are still a few of the little beauties blooming up there!

Cheers,
Jen Stelfox
HG
_______________________________________________
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.
See http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.
See http://informalex.org/subscribe.shtml#unsubscribe to remove your name from this list.

[MCR] Rockies, Saddle Pass

My fellow guides, Shaun King and Eric Ostopkevich taught a snow school with British soldiers just below Saddle Pass today, June 13th. The Saddle Pass trail would be poor hiking choice at present as it is holding a half to a full metre of snow for much of its run. We saw, nor heard, any fresh avalanches with today's rain, but we couldn't see a lot, or hear a whole bunch for that matter.

Happy trails,

Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
www.barryblanchard.ca
www.yamnuska.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.
See http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.
See http://informalex.org/subscribe.shtml#unsubscribe to remove your name from this list.

[MCR] ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued June 12, 2014

ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued June 12, 2014 Summer is slowly creeping in with the snowline generally at tree line or higher. Plenty of snow is left in the alpine and recent ascents of peaks in the Columbia Ice fields have mentioned winter snow conditions above 3000m. In the Rockies, there have been numerous ascents of Mount Athabasca and Mount Andromeda this past week by various routes. Most notable was the potential for wind slabs on steeper features in the high alpine like the ramp route on Mt. Athabasca, and large sagging cornices which are still hanging above many routes such as the Andromeda Strain. The Shooting Gallery was climbed this week but little to no ice was found at the crux making for scrappy dry tooling. An ascent of the N gully of Mt. Murchison found great frozen snow conditions two days ago all the way to the summit. All of the larger rock routes on peaks such as Edith Cavell and Assiniboine are still in winter condition and will take a while yet to come into shape. Front range rock climbing is good in the Rockies, although places like Castle Mountain have quite a bit of snow in the descent gullies. Rock fall issues were mentioned by numerous parties and this should continue as the mountains shed snow with the forecasted wet weather. Lower elevation rock climbing in Rogers Pass is reportedly good, and an ascent of the West Ridge of Mt. Tupper found dry cruxes with the odd snow patch on route. Sir Donald is still very wintery and needs time to dry off. It looks like a return to winter with snow in the forecast for the bigger peaks this weekend, and rainy conditions with the odd weather window at lower elevations. It would be safe to say there will be a few avalanche issues in the high alpine for the short term, so watch for the amount of new snow. Next week things will start to dry out so the cabin fever shouldn't last too long! Steve Holeczi ACMG 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] Mount Logan, St-Elias Mountains, Yukon

Hello ski mountaineers!

I just returned from guiding a successful ascent of Mount Logan via the King Trench (May 26th-June 10th). Despite mixed weather and various snowfalls we managed to climb to the main summit on June 6th.  Being there on the tail end of the season meant that Logan was rather quiet. We saw 2 other people over two weeks, it felt like we had the mountain to ourselves. That being said the spring ski mountaineering season was busy and successful this year with many parties reaching the main summit.

Conditions on the King Trench seemed normal this year. Temperatures hovered in the -5C to -10C during the day but often plummeted down to -30 at night, particularly higher up. The snowpack was well settled and stiff with a few very hard crust layers in the upper 100cm. Over 60cm of new snow fell during our two weeks there, most of which stayed dry and provided good powder skiing conditions above 4000m. This new snow generally bonded well to the previous surface (May 30th interface). We did not see any unusual natural snow avalanches however we saw many ice avalanches from active serac areas.

The snow coverage on the glaciers was greater than 200cm with deeper protected areas measured at well over 300cm. The icefall above King Col (Queen Icefall @ 4200m) was more complex this year, the top crevasses provided only one way through. The crevasse maze leading to the football field (4900m) was best tackled on the climber's right side near the southern edge of this feature. A few handy wands left in place from previous parties helped us get through this area more efficiently, thanks! The combination of hard upper snowpack, cool temps and new snow help maintain adequate crevasse bridges throughout our trip. All in all we had a great trip. Our small group and experience guests made for a fast trip up and down the mountain. 

Of note, we access the mountain from the west (Alaska side). We flew to the Alaska/Yukon border from Chitina by ski plane with pilot Paul Claus of Ultima Thule Outfitters. This access adds an extra 9km to the regular Canadian itinerary but is a good option with a more predictable and timely access. Chitna was actually the starting point for the 1925 King Trench first ascent expedition to Mount Logan by Albert H. MacCarthy and crew. Folks have been climbing Logan with Paul's assistance from the west for many decades now.

Unlike previous years, it was very difficult this year to get pre-approval to enter into Canada from the US at this uncensored border crossing.  It sounds like Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is tightening the rules around this and it may not be possible to legitimately do this sort of remote crossing at all in the future. This is a bit disconcerting considering the number of other peaks that lie along the Alaska/Yukon & BC border that require similar access (Mount Fairweather, Devils Thumbs, etc.). If you are planning a trip in these areas, I would recommend checking-in with CBSA as soon as you can. I am planning on further investigating this issue for future trips.

Let's hope this is just a glitch in the system and that the Canadian government will see the value in allowing remote border crossings privileges for the purpose of mountaineering.

Time to put the skis away and go rock climbing, finally! Have a great start to the summer season!

David Lussier
acmg mountain guide
www.summitmountainguides.com

[MCR] Icefields Parkway

Just back from a 5 day Intro to Mountaineering with the British Army at the Icefields with Yamnuska Mountain Adventures. More views today than yesterday. Reference Barry's MCR, there was pillowing on most N and E aspects.

I took some shots of the Icefields gems today. You can download at:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5ixv18wcm4aywzw/AABxc5BenaKA_X2MyU-3o6qEa

Brent Peters

Alpine Guide

Yamnuska Mountain Adventures

www.peakstratagem.com

[MCR] Rockies, AA Col Mt Athabasca

I guided an ascent of the AA Col route on Mt Athabasca yesterday, June 9th. What a difference a day makes, the night of June 8th saw new dry snow above 8000 feet and moderate to strong westerly winds, and gusts from all directions, has pushed that snow around. We saw few tracks from the previous day's activities on Athabasca and Andromeda (re James Blench's MCR of June 9). Lots of snow pillowing on the AA Col face above the glacier of that name (9000-10000 feet). We had dry winter snow over a spring like melt freeze crust that supported weight. Knee deep dry snow in numerous places. I would suspect a wind slab sitting on the Ramp right now and would avoid that route until the heat from direct sun and warmer air temperatures can promote some bonding at the new snow/old snow interface.

Happy trails,

Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
www.barryblanchard.ca
www.yamnuska.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.
See http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.
See http://informalex.org/subscribe.shtml#unsubscribe to remove your name from this list.

[MCR] Pinnacle Peak Area, St. Elias Range, Kluane National Park. May 29th - June 3rd, 2014

A group of 5 Parks Canada staff from Kluane, Banff and Jasper spent 6 days in the Pinnacle Peak area of the St. Elias range last week. Here is what we found:

Weather: Mostly clear weather with light winds and temperatures ranging from +10 to -10. We had a significant storm on the morning of June 3rd which dropped 30 cms with moderate ridgetop winds.

Travel Conditions: The strong diurnal cycle created good travel conditions overnight and in the mornings with a 10cm+ thick melt freeze crust.  This crust was breaking down on solar aspects around noon. Ski and boot crampons were very useful. We consistently probed over 3m of snow on all glaciers in our area. We had good confidence in crevasse bridges when temperatures were cool, but could see many obvious sags where the weight of the bridge was starting to cause strain.

Avalanche Activity: We saw minimal avalanche activity throughout the week and gained confidence in our danger rating of Low. Avalanche problems were typical for spring: loose wet related to daytime warming and small windslabs on high north aspects. We forecasted the avalanche danger to rise to Moderate or Considerable with the precipitation we received on the 3rd but didn't get out in the field to test our theory.

We had additional flights on both the way in and out around the south side of Mt. Logan and Mt. Kennedy/ Hubbard and Alverstone and noticed very little avalanche activity and no recent deep fracture lines. Many of the steeper faces were blue and icy. Kluane National Park staff felt glacier coverage was average, but some glaciers were more broken than normal.

We found the terrain to be nicely varied with many options for ski touring and general mountaineering in close proximity to our camp.

It has been better than average weather up there this spring - hopefully it holds out for folks still planning trips there this season.



Ian Jackson & Max Darrah
ACMG Mountain Guides
Parks Canada Visitor Safety
Banff/Yoho/Kootenay & Jasper National Parks
www.parksmountainsafety.ca | www.parcsecuritemontagne.ca

[MCR] Mt. Andromeda Conditions

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Eric Ostopkevich and I had a great day on Mt. Andromeda's North Face with four Yamnuska Mountain Adventures guests. Travel through the lower Andromeda icefall was straightforward however there is one large crevasse that will become problematic as the bridge deteriorates. The snowpack has settled significantly since last week's storms and on the whole we encountered boot top penetration with occasionally more industrial sections. Conditions on the face itself were excellent with supportive steps that allowed us to move together most of the way. Radiation and heating effects were limited  and we did not observe any new avalanches in the Andromeda and Athabasca basins. Skyladder received 2 ascents yesterday and the parties reported similar conditions as we found however there is a few hundred feet icy section at 2/3 height. The cornices over the "Practice Gullies" and the Strain are large and looming. The Silverhorn on Mt Athabasca was climbed and the party reported good conditions. the AA col descent off Athabasca has good coverage and footing appeared to be good watching that party descend.

 

Stay Safe

 

James Blench IFMGA/UIAGM

[MCR] Rogers Pass - Mt Tupper

Yesterday June 7th I climbed Mt Tupper via the South Couloir and the East Ridge, then descended by the West Ridge and the Lone Pine slide path. Snow all the way down to the snowshed and a good freeze made for excellent travel up to the col. The rock was mostly dry with a few snow patches on the East ridge, and all the cruxes on the West Ridge were dry. The upper part of the Lone Pine slide path is melting out fast, but currently only a few patches of scree/mud to cross.

Alex Geary

ACMG Ski Guide & Apprentice Alpine Guide

Summit of Mt Tupper from the West Ridge

Mt Rogers - Swiss Peaks - Hermit Mountain

Mt MacDonald

[MCR] Silverhorn - Mt Athabasca - JNP

Climbed the Silverhorn on Mt Athabasca today (June 6).
 
Conditions were snowy and cold for our ascent with estimated wind chill values near -15 degrees in the early hours of the morning. Between 20 and 40cm of low density snow has fallen in recent days with no wind effect. The skiing would have been fantastic! This recent storm snow sits on a 5 to 10cm thick crust and the storm snow appears to be bonding well in most, but not all, areas that we explored today. Wind slab formation could lead to an avalanche problem in localized areas, but today it wasn't an issue. The buried crust provides double penetration trail-breaking with the occassional post-hole to knee deep (or worse) at lower elevations on the glaciers. This improves above 2700m where the crust becomes mostly supportive. Travel conditions are highly variable, but significant trail-breaking efforts were put forth throughout the day today with all the new snow.
 
Avalanche activity was quite limited as the storm snow stayed cool with the frigid temperatures and a bit of wind. Solar radiation was taking effect in the afternoon with moist snow and sluffing on mostly West aspects.
 
Crossing the bergshrund at the base of the Silverhorn posed no problems. The bottom third of the route and the upper third of the route are primarily ice climbing with the 20 to 40cm of storm snow sitting on top. Ice screw belays were easy to find. The middle third of the route remains quite snowy and pickets were used for belays.
 
Descent was made via the AA col route. The crust was still holding up well in this basin and the bergschrund was easy to cross. Once again we were suprised at how dry the storm snow stayed due to the frigid conditions, but this will likely change with any significant solar input and warmer temperatures. Travel conditoins on this glacier were significantly better than on the approach to the Silverhorn, North Face and Ramp routes.
 
Overall, early season conditions exist in this region with significant amounts of snow lingering in the high peaks. When this recent snow has settled out conditions should become quite favourable.
 
 
Jeremy Mackenzie
IFMGA/ACMG Mountain Guide

[MCR] Rogers Pass conditions, June 4, 2014

For anyone looking to get out this weekend,

Mt Tupper's West Ridge is looking mainly snow-free, with a few snow patches
lingering on ledges. I'd expect that there may be a bit of moistness in
some of the shaded cracks. A quick ascent/descent could be made using the
Lone Pine slidepath, which links into the start of the W Ridge. Start early
to get up the snow gully while it is firm. If you choose to take the trail
to Hermit Meadows, it is mainly snow-bound from 1700m upwards.

Mt Macdonald has shed much of its snow and the Crossover avalanche path
that descends to the creek is still well-choked with snow. The snow would
be a fast approach with minimal bushwacking to gain the Herdman Couloir or
any of the routes on the N or W side of Macdonald.

Prime quartzite alpine climbing is starting to shape up at Rogers Pass.

(See attached file: Mt Tupper 2014-06-04.jpg)(See attached file: Mt
Macdonald 2014-06-04.jpg)

Chris Gooliaff
Parks Canada Visitor Safety
IFMGA/ACMG Mountain Guide

[MCR] Rockies, Aftenroe

I climbed Aftenroe yesterday, June 3rd. While on the climb a large bear foraged across the approach trail. Take bear spray and make noise.

Happy trails,

Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
www.barryblanchard.ca
www.yamnuska.com

[MCR] Sky Pilot and Habrich - Coast Mts

Got to climb Mt Habrich on the 31st of May via the south face. There is still quite a bit of snow, starting 2/3s of the way up, on the approach covering the "Trail". It takes about 40 minuets now to the start of the climbers trail from the top of the new Sea to Sky Gondola. The route itself was in good condition, didn't encounter any wetness.  The first few moves are also covered in snow still.  Jeremy Firmer's new route worked nicely as the rappel off the mountain with one 60m rope.   http://www.jeremyfrimer.com/uploads/2/1/2/7/21278832/escape_velocity_topo.pdf 

From looking over at Sky Pilot from Mt Habrich, Sky Pilot is still well covered with snow and has a track leading to the West Ridge. Looked to be 10 or 15 people on the Sky Pilot.  Snow travel was boot top at worst. 

Fun day out.

Crosby Johnston
ACMG / IFMGA Mountain Guide

[MCR] Ha Ling Peak, NE Face, Yamnuska Traverse

I attempted to guide the NE Face of Ha Ling peak today, June 2nd. There are several snow patches to kick steps into on the approach. I was happy to have an ice axe to hand to my guest as several of the fall aways were ugly. The biggest and most threatening snow patch can be skirted below. If you are going to Sisiphus Summits you will have to start off of snow at present, but you won't have to clip the first several bolts as they are buried. We stood under my tarp for an hour 60 metres up the NE Face as hail and sleet fell, then we ran away to the Yamnuska Traverse.

When I guided the Yamnuska Traverse on May 27th I had to step on snow and ice a dozen times, today I didn't step in any. Summer is coming.

Happy trails,

Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
www.barryblanchard.ca
www.yamnuska.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.
See http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.
See http://informalex.org/subscribe.shtml#unsubscribe to remove your name from this list.

[MCR] Coast range- Tantalus

Just in from 3 days climbing in the Tantalus. Good conditions for a very short early morning window, especially short on east aspects. We were on top of Dione at 5:30 am and felt we needed to get off the East face fast as it was already starting to lose strength in the first sun. Decided not to climb Tantalus after that as it is still sporting some big snow features on the normal route from Dione. North aspects down to about 2000m still felt kinda wintry, just a crust overnight and unconsolidated snow underneath.

Good snow cover on Serratus and Alpha. Decent corn skiing below the Haberl hut in both directions if your timing is right. Hut is in good shape but when we left we couldn't re-open the lock with the combo. We will notify the ACC but ask for a key in the short term.

Larry Stanier
Mountain Guide
laristan@telus.net

_______________________________________________
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.
See http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.
See http://informalex.org/subscribe.shtml#unsubscribe to remove your name from this list.