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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
615 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2010 : 12:46 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by lobo
there is no snow around town, but if you head out of the valley, like Maligne Lake, there is still lots. Cinquefoil can definitely be climbed. Roche Miette as well.Pyramid is still questionable. I have very recent pictures of all those mountains, just not here at work.
Sweet. Thanks lobo! I have 3 Kane peaks left in Jasper, Utopia, Cinqfoil and Pyramid. I'm hoping to get up them as soon as the snow melts back enough.
V. |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1028 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2010 : 1:10 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by vern.dewit
quote:
Originally posted by lobo
there is no snow around town, but if you head out of the valley, like Maligne Lake, there is still lots. Cinquefoil can definitely be climbed. Roche Miette as well.Pyramid is still questionable. I have very recent pictures of all those mountains, just not here at work.
Sweet. Thanks lobo! I have 3 Kane peaks left in Jasper, Utopia, Cinqfoil and Pyramid. I'm hoping to get up them as soon as the snow melts back enough.
V.
You're welcome. Love to help when I can. Pyramid can be done now, but there's still a lot of snow. Cinquefoil is almost completely clear of snow. I hiked up the Rocky River and biked up to Miette Hotsprings in the last couple of weeks so I saw Utopia from both sides and it is virtually snow free at the summit, but there is still lots of snow down low. Hopefully it'll all be gone real soon |
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| Engor
Intermediate Member
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Calgary
838 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2010 : 3:00 PM
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| I wanted to do Pyramid a few weeks ago but lobo's photos changed my mind. I think I'll wait till May at least. |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1028 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2010 : 9:19 PM
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I like this picture because it shows a cornice failure and the resulting slide the failure caused. I took this last week. I'm not sure if that would be considered a big slide or not, but be careful out there.
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
615 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2010 : 09:33 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by lobo
I like this picture because it shows a cornice failure and the resulting slide the failure caused. I took this last week. I'm not sure if that would be considered a big slide or not, but be careful out there.
Yeah - that's a big enough slide. Funny thing about avalanches is that the after effects often look small but even a 10 meter slide can be tons of snow and can kill. Small gullies are famous for burying people in tiny slides that are still deadly.
Hiked in the Crowsnest Pass on Saturday April 10 2010. Way more snow than I was expecting to the west (we were on Hillcrest Mountain, just south of Turtle Mountain). It'll still be weeks before mountains further west will be clear enough to scramble or hike. Also evidence of recent slides on very low angle northeast aspects.
V. |
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Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
793 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2010 : 11:21 AM
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Fantastic cross-country skiing conditions in to Skoki lodge on Saturday.
So good I'm going back next week! Hopefully it is still as good. |
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Canmore, AB
Canada
1238 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2010 : 11:54 AM
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Boowen,
How was the ski out to Temple Lodge? There were some very thin areas when I skied it 2 weeks ago.
Skoki lodge is kind of far but I'd consider skiing to the Halfway house. Just to enjoy that fast section through the trees on the way back. :)
Was in the Emerald lake area yesterday. The Field area is dry but there's some good snow around the lake. We're supposed to get some more snow this week! Woohoo! |
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Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
793 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2010 : 12:52 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by spicytuna
Boowen,
How was the ski out to Temple Lodge? There were some very thin areas when I skied it 2 weeks ago.
Skoki lodge is kind of far but I'd consider skiing to the Halfway house. Just to enjoy that fast section through the trees on the way back. :)
Was in the Emerald lake area yesterday. The Field area is dry but there's some good snow around the lake. We're supposed to get some more snow this week! Woohoo!
Excellent coverage on the ski out. No ice or bare ground in sight.
However...I expect that to change very soon! It wasn't deep. |
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Finally stopping that crazy suffering that is ice, climbing to concentrate on great ski tours!
3502 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2010 : 1:46 PM
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| Ken, did you eyeball the Emerald Slide Path? If the stability gets better before the snow melts, I'd love to give it a ski. |
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Alberta-based choss climbin', flame throwin', rappel lovin', ass talkin' hater who doesn't like "Gumby" for a descriptor
6302 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2010 : 3:20 PM
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From what we have seen, we have been getting harder results in our pits, but the quality of shear (practically jumping off the block) is still spooky, and we have still been getting remote triggers and some very very very large scary settlements. Extended column tests have been going clean, sudden colapse, right across the block. The stuff that has been getting triggered is propogating very large distances and going around terrain features. Pits are fine and all, but you'd have to be a moron to upgrade your days objectives based on pit results alone.
The face of Twin Cairns that faces Standish chair ripped out along the top from one side to the other. |
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Finally stopping that crazy suffering that is ice, climbing to concentrate on great ski tours!
3502 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2010 : 5:46 PM
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| Those weak layers are still there, still like ball bearings, and really living up to the "persistent" part of PWL. If we get a series of good melt/freeze cycles... |
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calgary, ab
Canada
122 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2010 : 8:59 PM
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tons of whumphing and settlements in k country on sunday. we couldn't get anything to slide, but regardless, we stayed in the low angle stuff.
aside from the avy conditions, the ski quality was terrible. 10-15cm of soft storm snow, on top of an unsupportive crust, on top of a lot (70cm) of facets. |
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Alberta-based choss climbin', flame throwin', rappel lovin', ass talkin' hater who doesn't like "Gumby" for a descriptor
6302 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2010 : 2:50 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by go_up
aside from the avy conditions, the ski quality was terrible. 10-15cm of soft storm snow, on top of an unsupportive crust, on top of a lot (70cm) of facets.
What aspect / elevation? |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1028 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2010 : 6:40 PM
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Parker's and Hilda ridges are looking really good. I took these this morning
  
Highway 93 in perfect condition all the way from Jasper to Banff |
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calgary, ab
Canada
122 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2010 : 09:16 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by time2clmb
quote:
Originally posted by go_up
aside from the avy conditions, the ski quality was terrible. 10-15cm of soft storm snow, on top of an unsupportive crust, on top of a lot (70cm) of facets.
What aspect / elevation?
NE. we lapped 2050m down to 1800m. |
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| Engor
Intermediate Member
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Calgary
838 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2010 : 10:11 PM
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Mt. Burke is Southern Kananaskis is in very good shape. Very little snow in the trees, packed hard by previous parties, bone dry above the treeline.
Hailstone Butte is in fairly good condition. Very wet but almost no snow on the trail until final 20 or so meters to gain the ridge. We carefully kick-stepped on bulletproof snow. We didn't use crampons but some will feel more confident having them.
From Hailstone Butte we went north (very nice ridgewalk), descended the ridge and hiked up Sentinel Peak. Sentinel Peak is dry but the valley between the Butte and the Peak is very wet and has several patches of knee-deep snow. Then we ascended via a connecting ridge the unnamed summit south-east of Sentinel Peak. It's completely dry too.
Windy Peak Hills are bone dry as seen from Hailstone Butte.
We had a fantastic outing, 20-22C with little or no wind, sunny weather sans a Sunday afternoon snow storm.
Ticks are out in force. Found two on my body. |
Edited by - Engor on 04/18/2010 10:25 PM |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1028 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2010 : 1:35 PM
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| Celestine lake road is open. It is so dry in there I wouldn't be surprised if you could ride to the Snake Indian falls. In fact I'll try to get there on Friday |
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26 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 08:02 AM
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| Went as far as first Summit Lake on the Jacques Lake trail on Sunday. The trail condition is very much that oft-referenced "variable conditions". Mainly shallow snow covered, although nothing that should even crest the top of your boot. Just crystalizing, spring-like and enough to slow your going down every so slightly. Other parts of the trail were ice-covered, clear and dry, and some wet spots. All you need are hiking boots and poles and you will be fine. Poked my nose up the Jacques Lake turnoff at the first Summit Lake and it looks more of the same. If you plan to putter about the first Summit Lake, it is mainly snow covered and deep in some spots. The open ground is quite wet. Extensive exploring might be more enjoyable in snowshoes and/or gaiters. Otherwise, the trail is very good up to the lake. The middle of Summit Lake is open water now, and Beaver Lake is still fully ice covered. |
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737 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2010 : 12:19 PM
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Was up Lady Macdonald on Saturday. Most of the trail was pretty snow-free until the boulder field. The snow was very grippy which made for good treading. However, in the sun on the way down, it was quite muddy. Quite a bit of snow past the teahouse and no ridge attempt will be intelligent for at least another 3 weeks (buried my hiking pole up to the handle on the ridge).
LOTS of beautiful, white snow on those mountains...makes for some gorgeous photos (given the right light). I believe that the photo below is looking towards Epic Mythic but at least it gives you an idea of how much snow that there is on top right now.
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Edited by - Granticulus on 05/04/2010 3:17 PM |
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26 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2010 : 9:26 PM
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So, my plans of doing some K country hikes with some elevation on the long weekend (hoped to do Moose Mountain and Raspberry Ridge...for a few active fire lookouts and some nice views) look a little sketchy now with all this snow. Any suggestions? My wife is not a fan of tough scrambles, so has to be in the hiking vein. It still can be steep though!! Will all this recent accumulation be gone? I am thinking of waiting a few weeks and filling in the long weekend with something and somewhere else.
Cheers. |
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Alberta Recent conditions reports
