[MCR] Mt Fay N Face

Friends Glenn, Maarten, and I climbed a direct line up Mt Fay's left couloir (Roth/Bern, Chouinard).

Conditions today were Scottish. The rain changed to snow at 2900m and there was limited refreeze. There was about 3cm of new storm snow above the freezing level. Since last Sunday the snow line on the glacier has risen to 2950m and the bridges over the crevasses between the top of the Perren Ledges along the direct approach to the north face were unsupportive. The W Ridge was predominantly snow covered and the descent slope was more icy than last week. The bergshrund is still filled in but the bridge was soft and had failed left and right of where we crossed. There are also some open and hidden crevasses on the flat summit glacier. We kept a rope on to traverse this terrain. 

Of note, since my last MCR the two fixed rappels on the W Ridge descent have been replaced. We found the first one on the ledge just below the old slung triangular block. The second one was above the old slung boulder.

Brent Peters

Alpine Guide

PeakStratagem.com

[MCR] ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued September 24th, 2014

ACMG Mountain Conditions Report Summary for the Rockies and Columbia Mountains issued September 24th, 2014 It is currently a warm and wet world in most of the summary region. High freezing levels and various amounts of rain. For the weekend it is hard to say exactly what this will mean but I expect my next two days(thursday/friday) will be slippery and soggy. If the weekend forecast is correct and we get a good overnight freeze there could be some decent glacier travel and alpine snow and ice climbing. Glacier snow cover is still pretty thin. A few little cornices had formed in the last storm so if the alpine looks white, these cornices will have probably gotten even bigger without getting stronger. The rock will take some time to dry out. The alpine has had a fair bit of moisture recently so if we get a REAL sustained freeze sometime soon it could be "Runnel World"!! It is the time of year when some Parks are pulling bridges out so do check if your trip involves a critical bridge. Larches are out and there are some "shocking" crowds and traffic issues in the classic viewing places. Avoid the road rage and go somewhere obscure if you can. 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] Rockies, Mt Assiniboine

I guided an ascent of the N Ridge of Mt Assiniboine on Monday, Sept 22nd. The mountain is largely snow covered and we had crampons on for the top 5/6ths of the ascent. Good cold snow on the way up and frustrating snowballing onto our crampons on much of the way down. 14 hours hut to hut.

The Gmoser Highway was snow free on access, and egress as of today.

Happy trails,

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

summit ridgeline Sept 22, woodsmoke in the air:

[MCR] Elbow Lake/Piper Creek, Opal Range, Kananaskis Country

Fall has arrived in Kananaskis Country!

Just got out yesterday from a few days into Piper Creek area via Elbow Lake on a personal trip. We hiked up the Elbow Lake trail, then followed it north past the lake for 3.5kms on the Big Elbow Trail. We then hooked up with the narrower but well-used Piper Creek trail that heads northwest at grid reference 419 148. The fall colours are spectacular with dwarf birch patches turning red and orange and larches yellow. All but the highest north-facing slopes are free of snow from the storm earlier this month. Piper Pass is snow-free as viewed from the south. No recent bear sign was seen. Plenty of moose and bighorn sheep sign in Piper Creek valley.

A great option for a hike that doesn't take long to get up into some excellent views and colours. Elbow Lake can also provide some productive fishing for brook trout, and they are in their fall spawning red and orange coloration.

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 - Lake O'Hara September 20-21

Further to Larry’s report, we witnessed a subsequent rockfall event from Mt Odaray / Tarrant Buttress at about 11:am on Sunday September 21^st.  See photos of dust cloud and the light colored scar after the dust settled.  The snow is melting from the last big dump, so expect more rockfall to occur on Mt. Odaray as well as on other peaks in the area.

 

The larches are in superb color, it’s definitely worth a hiking/climbing trip to the Lake O’Hara area while the weather holds. 

 

Jordy Shepherd

ACMG / IFMGA Mountain Guide

Web: www.PeakAlpine.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JordyCanmore

 

[MCR] Pigeon Spire - Bugaboos

Hi All,

Yesterday we climbed West Ridge of Pigeon Spire in a day from Invermere, access via Bugaboo Glacier. AM snow was fully supportive and there are a couple of tricky bridge crossings which we chose to completely avoid in the PM heat. Most of the ridge is free of snow until you turn the corner onto the north side to gain access to the summit, where it is still full on winter with plenty of ice and snow. We kicked ankle-to-boot-top steps around this section and cleaned out cracks for gear, again kicking steps in snow right to the summit. Spectacular bluebird day.

No crampons were used for the descent and we used the Snowpatch rock bypass to avoid the heavily crevassed glacier all the way from the rock rib that extends from the south face of Snowpatch, down to the base of Son of Snowpatch. It should be noted that the upper section of the rock bypass goes through very unconsolidated talus and scree and is generally unstable – careful footing and minimizing exposure is paramount.

Other parties up in the Bugaboos were on the sunny aspects of Snowpatch, the Crescent Spires and one party gave the Ice Hose a pass due to overhanging bergschrund difficulties and word has it that no one has been on the Bugaboo-Snowpatch for a number of weeks now due to constant rockfall.

Enjoy the great weather!

Cheers,

 

Kirk Mauthner

IFMGA Mountain Guide

Basecamp Innovations Ltd

PO Box 399 Invermere, BC

Canada V0A 1K0

www.basecampinnovations.com

250.342.6042

 

[MCR] Rockies, Lake O'Hara conditions and Tarrant/Morrison buttres rockfall.

Fine day in the hills today. Climbed Victoria via the Huber Glacier. Still some breakable crust on a lot of the Huber glacier and the gully up to the ridge but it got warm today so it should be more supportive tomorrow. Soft, dry snow only in very steep shady north pockets. Ridge is snowy and therefore somewhat challenging. Huber NW face looked good.

Lefroy still looks terrible, thin snow over old ice and rock. Hungabee and Biddle also are in poor shape and probably out for the season as rock routes. Everything below 2800m is in good shape and dry.

Notable event-Saturday afternoon around 3 pm a natural rockfall occurred on the NE face of Mt Odaray. It appears to have started about 2/3 of the way up the Tarrant/Morrison buttress on Mt. Odaray, just above where the quartzite ends and just west of where you get on a decent limestone rib for awhile. The rockfall was heard from all over the valley and produced a sizeable dust cloud. It appears to have ravaged the lower quartzite pitches. I haven't had a close look at it but I am pretty certain it would be a REALLY bad idea to try and climb that route this fall. Rocks continued to fall at intervals later that day and there will certainly be lots of dust and debris on all those ledges and lots of damaged rock just waiting to fall from the fracture.

Larry Stanier
ACMG 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.