[MCR] Selkirks and Rockies Aug.22-30

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Just home from one of the Assistant Alpine Guide exams.

 

We spent the last 10 days between Rogers Pass (Mt. Rogers and Mt. Tupper)
and the Lake Louise/ Bow Valley areas (Mount's Fay, Little (via the Perren
route), Castle, Cascade (Mothers Day), and Kid Goat. All this occurred as
the nice summer weather decided to take a turn to the worse - what we call
perfect exam weather!

 

In Rogers Pass (Aug.22-24) we found a mix of snow and ice with some open
crevasses on the approach up the Swiss Glacier and hard frozen snow on the
face of Rogers - the bergshrund was still easily crossed on the climbers
right side - Tupper was in fine shape the next day and we replaced and
removed some old anchor material on the descent (it was once again snow
covered on my drive home today).

 

Our time in the Rockies (Aug.26-30) started with a sunny summer day (maybe
the last there?) for our climbs on Castle which deteriorated later in the
evening with the first of a series of systems. This storm of Aug.27th
deposited @ 5cms. of snow down to the toe of the Fay glacier (@ 2800m.),
which after a clear cold(-4.5 in Moraine Lake at 6 am) had a layer of 5mm.
surface hoar (yes already!) over it. The snow on the lower glacier had
drifted into a number of narrow (meaning leg breaking) crevasses making
travel tricky up the center section with lots of probing.

 

 The fair weather held for the day of the 28th and once again deteriorated
that evening and deposited another 5-10cms(2900m.) of snow overnight with
light westerly winds. The snow stopped by the am and we climbed the Roth
Kallen and Central Ice Bulge - descending the Roth Kalen via v-threads
rather than the West Ridge which was now snow covered. There had been
several small loose snow avalanches off the ice faces overnight from the
previous evening snowfall. The central Ice Bulge bergshrund is still
reasonable to negotiate (though the leader had to plow through the sluff
deposits) and the Roth Kallen required some aiding off of ice screws  to
surmount the overhanging upper wall. The ice faces ranged from firm neve to
ice and there are still old cornices overhanging both routes.

 

The snowfall began again in the afternoon and by the time we left there had
been another 10-15cms. of snow @ 2900 m. that tapered with elevation loss
and it was pouring rain in the valey well into the evening adding I am sure
to the previous snowfall figure. 

 

Needless to say conditions are not great out there in the alpine with all
this new snow and glacier travel will only be trickier - may be time for a
trip to Skaha for some rock climbing!

 

Thanks to all the candidates for providing a safe and fun week in the
mountains!

 

Cheers,

Scott Davis

ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide

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