[MCR] Jasper area avalanche observations - June 3, 4 2009

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Jer and Conrad were climbing in Lost Boys (dry conditions) on Wednesday and
around noon heard a large avalanche in the distance. When driving to the
Icefields on Thursday June 4 we noted a slab avalanche high on Gerldine Peak
which was the likely culprit. The east facing bowl high on the peak released
a size 2 slab which ran a long distance over steep rock cliffs. One or two
other size two events were noted on east aspects during the drive to the
Icefields.

Spent Thursday at the Parker Ridge Crevasse rescue practice area where an
unseasonably large amount of snow still sits on the ground. The snowline has
now crawled up to around treeline on the west aspects along the parkway.
Scrambles such as Nigel, Tangle and Sunwapta are still not in shape.

Someone climbed the N Glacier route on Athabasca on Thursday but no report
of conditions there. Still very snowy at the Icefields in general. Ice is
starting to show at the toe of the North glacier and we will report on that
at the end of the day. A2 has a lot of snow coverage on the glacier at this
point and the N facing ice face is still mostly a snow face.

Further north near Jasper townsite the south aspects are drying off rapidly
with yesterdays roasting hot temperatures. Forecast for the next few days is
grim however with a return to cold temperatures and showers.

Cyril Shokoples MG
Jeremy Mackenzie MG
Peter Amann MG

Rescue Dynamics
http://www.rescuedynamics.ca
http://www.rescuedynamics.com

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