[MCR] Rockies, Junkyards, Cascade Falls

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

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