[MCR] Mnt. Athabasca, 15/08/05

Hello

I guided an attempt on Athabasca yesterday.  Via the Ramp route (N. glacier normal in The Alpine Select Guide).  The glacier is blue ice to 2800m. 50-100cm's of fern snow sit on the ice above this elevation.  The crevasses on the normal route above this elevation still remain bridged nicely.   The bridge strength in the afternoon is suspect though,  due to the warming temperatures.  Where obvious sags and air pockets are present.

There was a small amount of new snow up to 3cms above 2850m from the night of 15/08/04.  Which in pockets of lee areas the storm snow was 5-7cm's from overnight West winds.  This new snow quickly became moist to ridge top elevations in the later AM.  Making for careful cramponing coming back down the Ramp.

Given these conditions, I would say Athabasca North Glacier and Silverhorn routes are in ideal mountaineering shape.  If you time it with a cooler or cloudy day.

Again, the flavour this year.   Electrical activity potential was the reason I pulled the pin yesterday on route.

Jon Simms 

Jonny Simms                             

ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide

1(604)815-9225

Golden, BC

http://jonnysimms.com

[MCR] Trail Condition Report for Fryatt Valley August 4-5, 2015

Hi Folks

A stormy night turned a previously dry trail into a somewhat slippery experience, especially at the head wall (at end of valley)

By and large, the Fryatt Valley Trail is in good condition, with a few small to medium sized trees dotting the trail occasionally.

Expect some smaller water crossings at the braided drainage system in the upper portion of Fryatt Valley, some of which will require a bit more attention, especially after a heavy rain.

Caution, a grizzly is in the upper valley area.

Happy Trails, Martina Wakeman

ACMG Hiking Guide

[MCR] Conditions - Mount Fay & The Neil Colgan Hut Area

Hi everyone,

I spent the past few days at the Neil Colgan Hut with two guests on a 3 Day Cloud Nine Guides Mount Fay & Neil Colgan Hut Program.  We used the Perren route for access and climbed the West Ridge of Mt. Fay on Sunday and scrambled up Bowlen on Monday morning before descending.

The two short ice faces used to access the West Ridge of Fay still have a couple good snow bridges over the bergrschrund.  With an early start we avoided any rockfall on the ice pitches.  In order to avoid this same hazard we descended via the SW face in the late morning.  Despite the usual scrappy scree, it felt less threatening than the north side descent because of less sun exposure at that time in the morning and generally less steep terrain.

The other north face routes on Fay seem to have changed little since the last report on them.

Generally, lots of rockfall was observed by mid/late morning with the warm temps and mild overnight freezes.

Pierre Hungr

IFMGA/UIAGM Mountain Guide

Cloud Nine Guides

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[MCR] Mt Assiniboine, NE Ridge, August 2

I guided the NE Ridge of Mt Assiniboine on August 2.

The high freezing levels of the previous two days had helped clear the mountain of snow, and we were able to summit without crampons. This may have recently changed for the worst...

The new rappel anchors are very useful and much appreciated.

On another note, I found a pair of glasses and several sets of contacts that had been left behind in the Hind Hut. I brought these out with me and they can be claimed at the Yamnuska office in Canmore.

Take care,

Grant Meekins
ACMG Mountain Guide
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures

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[MCR] Mt Robson Patterson Spur route info.

With recent inquirers about Mt Robson Patterson Spur route please see attached information, rather than calling the Cariboo Grill in Valemount.
Fell free to call me at 778 266 0022.
For porters in Valemount contact: info@robsonenergy.com or http://robsonenergy.com. They might have someone available.

This is the route I took for the most part up and down.
http://www.gravsports-ice.com/icethreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/14445/Mt._Robson_-_Patterson_Spur_(S

This is a link to Reiner Thoni's blog with some more information on it.

http://theoutsideout.blogspot.ca


Here is a link from Reiner's blog that shows the route into the alpine from Kinney Lake.

[MCR] Bugaboos Conditions Photos

Hello,

Here are some photos taken yesterday. The second one is a close up of the upper Bugaboo glacier which people have still been using the to access Pigeon Spire and East Creek.

All the best,

Marc Piché

marc.piche@icloud.com

ACMG Mountain Guide

[MCR] Selkirks: Fairy Meadow/Gothics/Adamants

Just back from a week based at the Bill Putnam Hut.

The Granite Glacier is quite dry and is challenging to travel. Much of the glacier is bare ice but requires travel across snow plugged crevasses, especially towards Austerity and Adamant. It looks more promising heading towards Unicorn and perhaps Colossal with more snow in the glacial depressions heading that way.

A party traversed Pioneer Pass and reported several pitches of steep ice up to Grade 3/4.

The Echo Glacier below Friendship Col is mostly snow free. The right hand lobe carries a lot of rock and the ice is dirty with rockfall potential there. The left hand lobe is significantly cleaner with less rockfall hazard but it is steeper.

The Gothics glacier is easier travel although there are still many crevasses showing.

Precipitation from early in the week lingers in the form of snow on ledges above 3000 m.

Mark Klassen

Todd Anthony-Malone

ACMG