[MCR] Southern Great Divide Ski Traverse, Rockies, May 2-11, 2013

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Just completed a 10 day ski traverse of the Southern portion of the 
Great Divide with Owen Short, Sara Mae, Jenn, Thomas, and Sepp! 


We began up the Alexandra River valley May 2nd and exited via Bow 
Lake this morning, with ascents of Lyell, Mons, Barbette and Baker along the way.  With early starts we had very good spring travel conditions 
overall and were fortunate to have ten days of sunshine in a row!  A 
spectacular trip in some beautiful, remote country with nothing but bear tracks for company!

Early morning travel conditions on the glaciers were excellent with 
solid over night recoveries despite the warm temperatures (+7'C at Peyto hut at 0400 this morning). A supportive crust in open areas was still 
present down to Bow Lake at 0900 today.  Isothermal snow was found 
beneath this crust in thin alpine areas and below treeline with some 
wallowing near rocks and trees.  The canyon below Bow Hut required some 
wading to descend and soon will not be passable. 


Avalanche activity revolved around daytime warming with low hazard in the mornings and considerable to high hazard by late morning or early 
afternoon especially on steep solar aspects.  We observed numerous wet 
slides to size 3 on solar aspects as well as many cornice failures as 
things heated during the days. Quite a few slabs of various depths have 
failed recently on depth hoar or other persistent weak layers on all 
aspects, but this activity seemed to have diminished over the past few 
days.  

For future reference if you are planning this trip... 

We were able to ski 90% of the way up the Alexandra River on May 
2nd.  We gained the Alexandra Glacier via the left side with some boot 
packing through the rock cliffs below the glacier toe to avoid the serac hazard on the right.  Crampons may become necessary to gain the glacier depending on how the glacier recedes, we were still able to ski onto 
the left side of the toe.


Many thanks to Larry Dolecki for the use of the Mons Hut as a great spot to overnight and to store our food cache.

The Mons rappels are well set up with a 25m and a 25-30m rappel off bolts 
equipped with cord and mallions. Bring replacement cord for these. A 60m lower worked well for the first 5 folks in the crew then two raps for 
the final person. While descending from the Mons rappel into Forbes 
Creek stay on skiers R of the creek once in the trees. 

The climbers L (East) of the two possible Niverville Col options has a nicer lower angle entrance onto the Freshfields but both work. 

Descending from tree line on skiers R of Lambe Creek has well spaced 
trees to use if required, and an easy log crossing of the Blaeberry 
River was present at the confluence with Lambe Creek this year. 


Traversing along the bench to gain Parapet Creek was a bit of a grunt but 
certainly preferable to the Blaeberry River descent, a higher line may 
be easier.


Lower elevation trees in both the Blaeberry River and Forbes Creek areas 
provided wet but generally supportive travel on a more dense snow 
pack even late in the afternoon.

A really great trip to go and experience!

 
Cheers, Conrad Janzen
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide
www.banffmountainguides.com
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