I guided an ascent of Louise Falls today, March 4th. There is still a large dagger on climber's right. The crux pitch is narrow and steep and hard for Louise Falls. It can be accessed from climber's left or right (we came onto it from the left).
Six parties behind us today.
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.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Sunday, March 3, 2013
[MCR] Burnie Glacier/Howson Range
I've been working out of Burnie Glacier Chalet for the past 11 days. I
arrived with the first wave of the recent storm, which over the week
dumped about a meter of storm snow on the area. Epic powder skiing
throughout the entire storm, with very little wind overall and only
surface instabilities to be concerned about which never amounted to
much. Throughout the storm we were able to ski very steep tree runs
and moderately steep alpine runs with confidence.
We are now into a period of good stability here. Stability tests
ranging from aggressive ski cutting to test profiles over the past
couple of days have shown a well settled snowpack without significant
layers of concern. The melt freeze crust from last month's warm period
is down about a meter now except in shallow wind exposed areas, where
it could still be a problem along with the deeper basal facets from an
overall thinner than usual snowpack (total snowpack depth is 180 cm at
1000 m elevation, which is down about 35% from the normal range in
this big snow area).
The ski quality today was excellent on S to E facing slopes from
mountain top to valley bottom and we were able to ski aggressive lines
lines up to the low 40 degree range.
Tom
--
Tom Wolfe
Mountain Guide ACMG/IFMGA
www.sawback.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.
arrived with the first wave of the recent storm, which over the week
dumped about a meter of storm snow on the area. Epic powder skiing
throughout the entire storm, with very little wind overall and only
surface instabilities to be concerned about which never amounted to
much. Throughout the storm we were able to ski very steep tree runs
and moderately steep alpine runs with confidence.
We are now into a period of good stability here. Stability tests
ranging from aggressive ski cutting to test profiles over the past
couple of days have shown a well settled snowpack without significant
layers of concern. The melt freeze crust from last month's warm period
is down about a meter now except in shallow wind exposed areas, where
it could still be a problem along with the deeper basal facets from an
overall thinner than usual snowpack (total snowpack depth is 180 cm at
1000 m elevation, which is down about 35% from the normal range in
this big snow area).
The ski quality today was excellent on S to E facing slopes from
mountain top to valley bottom and we were able to ski aggressive lines
lines up to the low 40 degree range.
Tom
--
Tom Wolfe
Mountain Guide ACMG/IFMGA
www.sawback.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] Jasper to Sask xing closed hy 93
Hy 93 from Jasper to Saskatchewan crossing is closed. Opening tomorrow by
5pm, high confidence. Call 780-852-3311 for up to date road information.
Garth Lemke
Public Safety Specialist
ACMG Assistant Ski Guide
Spécialiste, Sécurité publique
Guide de ski auxiliaire, Association des guides de montagne canadiens
Jasper National Park of Canada | Parc national du Canada Jasper
Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
P.O. Box 10, Jasper AB T0E 1E0 | C.P. 10, Jasper (Alberta) T0E 1E0
Garth.Lemke@pc.gc.ca
Telephone | Téléphone 780-852-6158
Facsimile | Télécopieur 780-852-6135
Cellular Phone | Téléphone cellulaire 780-852-8811
Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada
www.pc.gc.ca/jasper
Think GREEN! Please don't print this email unless you really need to.
Soyez ÉCOLO! N'imprimez ce courriel que si vous devez vraiment le faire.
_______________________________________________
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.
5pm, high confidence. Call 780-852-3311 for up to date road information.
Garth Lemke
Public Safety Specialist
ACMG Assistant Ski Guide
Spécialiste, Sécurité publique
Guide de ski auxiliaire, Association des guides de montagne canadiens
Jasper National Park of Canada | Parc national du Canada Jasper
Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
P.O. Box 10, Jasper AB T0E 1E0 | C.P. 10, Jasper (Alberta) T0E 1E0
Garth.Lemke@pc.gc.ca
Telephone | Téléphone 780-852-6158
Facsimile | Télécopieur 780-852-6135
Cellular Phone | Téléphone cellulaire 780-852-8811
Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada
www.pc.gc.ca/jasper
Think GREEN! Please don't print this email unless you really need to.
Soyez ÉCOLO! N'imprimez ce courriel que si vous devez vraiment le faire.
_______________________________________________
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] HWY 742 closure
HWY 742 (Spray Lakes Road) remains closed between the Mt. Shark Road and the Grassi Lakes Trailhead road due to elevated avalanche danger. Avalanche control work is scheduled for Monday pending weather. Estimated time of the highway re-opening is late Monday afternoon with low confidence.
Check our Facebook and Twitter accounts for updates:
http://www.facebook.com/KCPublicSafety
https://twitter.com/KCPublicSafety
Jeremy Mackenzie
IFMGA/ACMG Mountain Guide
Kananaskis Country Public Safety
Check our Facebook and Twitter accounts for updates:
http://www.facebook.com/KCPublicSafety
https://twitter.com/KCPublicSafety
Jeremy Mackenzie
IFMGA/ACMG Mountain Guide
Kananaskis Country Public Safety
[MCR] Avalanche Control - Mt. Whymper, Mt. Stephen, Mt. Boswoeth and Mt. Field
Parks Canada will be conducting avalanche control on Mt. Whymper, Bosworth,
Stephen and Field tomorrow March 4.
No climbing, skiing or any other activity in these locations.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Parks Canada
Visitor Safety
_______________________________________________
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.
Stephen and Field tomorrow March 4.
No climbing, skiing or any other activity in these locations.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Parks Canada
Visitor Safety
_______________________________________________
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.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
[MCR] Avalanche Control - Bourgeau and Whymper
Parks Canada will be conducting avalanche control on the Bourgeau slide
paths as well as Mt. Whymper tomorrow March 3. No climbing, skiing, or any
other activities in these areas.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Parks Canada
Visitor Safety
_______________________________________________
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.
paths as well as Mt. Whymper tomorrow March 3. No climbing, skiing, or any
other activities in these areas.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Parks Canada
Visitor Safety
_______________________________________________
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.
Monday, February 25, 2013
[MCR] Rockies, Junkyards, Cascade Falls
My fellow guide, Pat Delaney and I guided at the Junkyards today, Feb 25th. Ice screws melting out became an issue for the first time this year when I was able to pull one long screw straight out on our sunniest top rope anchor at the end of the day.
Yesterday I guided an attempt on Cascade Waterfall as the middle pitch that suffered and ice collapse one week, or more, ago has been refreezing and repairing itself. It is climbable on the climber's right hand margin but it is being undercut by a lot of water. The climbing was complicated and serious for Cascade. The sun came out below the crux pitch and we ran away from the heat. There has been little significant avalanche activity on Cascade, one class 1.5 was about all that I could make out. There seems to be a lot of water flowing behind the ice, probably from all of the snow that is sitting up in the start zones above the climb melting and not avalanching.
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.
Yesterday I guided an attempt on Cascade Waterfall as the middle pitch that suffered and ice collapse one week, or more, ago has been refreezing and repairing itself. It is climbable on the climber's right hand margin but it is being undercut by a lot of water. The climbing was complicated and serious for Cascade. The sun came out below the crux pitch and we ran away from the heat. There has been little significant avalanche activity on Cascade, one class 1.5 was about all that I could make out. There seems to be a lot of water flowing behind the ice, probably from all of the snow that is sitting up in the start zones above the climb melting and not avalanching.
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.
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