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Ice climbing
and avalanche conditions for the more popular ice routes and ski
descents in Rocky Mountain National Park are updated regularly by Eli Helmuth; Estes Park resident, IFMGA licensed mountain guide, AIARE trained avalanche educator and owner of ClimbingLife Guides.
<span class=""><span class="">jan</span>.11 conditions</span>
Warning:
Ice
and avalanche conditions change constantly and the information provided
here should not be the final say in making the best decisions in regard
to your risk management in the mountains.
ClimbingLife, LLC and its
contributors accept no liability for your decisions based on this
information. Ice and mixed climbing are very dangerous sports
and one
can easily die or be seriously injured engaging in these activities.
Proceed at your own risk, plan for the best outcome and be
prepared for the worst.
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January 8th, 2010
Ice
and Snow Report
Rocky
Mountain National Park
We've survived the recent cold snap with temperatures reaching 0F for
two nights in a row here at 8,700'. Snow accumulations during this time were
minimal in the Estes Park Valley, with just 1-2" observed from 7500' up
to the Bear Lake trailhead at 9520' where only 3" were recorded at the monitoring station from
this most recent storm and a total of 7" of new snow have landed there in
this first week of the New Year.
Although Bear Lake has this weather station with real time date, the
reality of RMNP in the winter is that the strong rain (snow)
shadow affect combined with extreme wind transport and resulting lee
loading, give us a highly variable snowpack. A great example
of this high variability was where I dug a test pit yesterday at the
junction of the Dragontail and Dead Elk couloirs, just a few feet below
the bottom of the photo at right.
After digging down a meter
below the surface to look at layering and do a column
compression test, I put my 2.5m probe pole into the bottom of this pit
and it didn't hit pay dirt. So in this spot I had more than
11 feet of snow beneath the surface- significantly more than the almost
3 feet at the trailhead just 2 miles to the east. Just 50' to
the side of this pit, I could see bare ground with short grass sticking
up above an inch or two of snow.
This is an
extreme example of 'high variability' in the snowpack, but it
illustrates why snowpit data is less relevant in areas like this where
the snowpack can be completely different within a short distance and so
what you find in one pit sample could be completely non-representative
of the snowpack just a few feet away.
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The
spectacular Dragontail Ridges on Jan. 7th, 2010. There was
significant avalanche debris piled up along the base of the Dragontail
Couloir (at right) from recent naturally released avalanches in the
last few days.
Click
on outlined photos to enlarge.
Skiing in the Dragontail Couloir with ClimbingLife Guides.
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As you can see in
the photo above of the east face of Thatchtop Mountain, which divides
the Glacier Gorge and Loch Vale drainages, wind scouring has removed
most of the snow from the ridge crest where the avalanche danger would
be considered LOW. The lee slopes that are snow covered in
this photo conversely would have CONSIDERABLE avalanche
danger, especially where there are steeper angles, convexities in the
slope (similar to why ice shatters when you swing the tools into a
bulge), and above cliffs where the slopes are unsupported by the
terrain below.
Ice
climbing locations
like the Loch Vale ice area, All Mixed Up, and Necrophilia all sit on
the flanks
of Thatchtop Mountain, and these areas are all very different in
character from other locations in RMNP as they are aquifer
based. It seems that the
water level is lower this year as these areas are relatively dry and
unlikely to grow anymore at this point in the season.
Aquifers are fed by snowmelt and rainfall during the spring
and
summer months, and for some reason this does not appear to be a good
year. The Loch Vale ice area is the leanest I've seen it in
the last decade and it will only shrink as the cold winter weather
tends to sublimate what ice is in place- very little at the moment.
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Although
the Bear Lake snotel site is a good indicator of recent snowfall
amounts, as I mentioned earlier, the combination of wind loading and
increased snowfall amounts as you move west towards the divide in RMNP,
create very different amounts of snow on the ground.
One
of my favorite skiing spots in the park are the slopes adjacent to the
Dragontail Spires where higher snowfall totals combined with lee and
cross-loading create a very deep snowpack and the snow depth in this
pit shown at right, was greater than 11 feet to the ground.
So
depth hoar is a non-issue in this specific location, but there were
other weak bonds in the upper snowpack that showed relatively moderate
reactiveness in the one shovel compression test that I had time to
perform.
Although
we have worried a lot this winter for good reason about the depth hoar
base to the snowpack as it has been the source of many large
propagating slab avalanches in Colorado, statistically depth
hoar is not the big killer and in places where the snowpack is
consistently more than 2 meters deep, depth hoar is likely a non-issue
unless we are cliff jumping or riding around on fast, heavy machines or
there is high variability in snowpack depth.
Traveling
on a deeper snowpack, especially on slopes that are well supported from
above and below and that lack convexities can be the key components in
avoiding slab avalanche problems.
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A test pit dug on Thursday the 7th of January at the base of the
Dragontail Spire.
Boot penetration was only a foot deep in
this location through the 30cm of fresh snow that was deposited in the
last 24hrs. Below this most recent storm snow was another
almost two foot thick layer of also recent storm snow with this
combined 90cm of new snow sitting on a pencil hard layer of wind
hammered snow. In compression tests, the interfaces of both
of these new storm layers sheared moderately well away from each other.
On the opposite side of this valley was a recent slab crown
(shown below) that based on the size, was likely at this
upper layer interface.
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A
view from Emerald Lake of the Dragontail apron and adjacent couloirs.
Typically by this time of the year, there are only a few
rocks showing on these slopes and so we need another meter of snow on
these lower slopes to bring this often sweet skiing location into good
shape.
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The
Hallett Couloir at right was photographed on Jan. 7th, 2010 and this is
the same slope that a CMS guide and his clients fell down together in
May of 2009, luckily resulting in only minor injuries to the clients
and an unfortunate shattered ankle for the guide.
The
upper part of this couloir is in the mid-40 degree angles and the crown
from a slab avalanche in this photo is an area of the couloir that is
in the mid-30 degree range of steepness.
It's
rare to find good mid-winter skiing in this couloir and even in the
spring the lower sections are often bare rock which make for a shorter
than ideal ski run. This couloir is the common descent for
the East Buttress of Hallett but not for the rock routes on the North
Buttress of Hallett as the ledgey cliffs to the right of the couloir
are the common descent route.
There was no ice on the lower 2/3 of the Squid in the Tyndall Gorge and
the only visible ice was the small flow at the base of the First
Buttress of Hallett, shown below.
The
only good ice climbing this winter in RMNP seems to be centered around
the most common flows which are waterfalls and stream fed:
The West Gully, Black Lake Slabs, Jewel Lake, The Squid, and
Hidden Falls are all in good ice shape this winter and will remain so
for some months to come.
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Looking up the
north-facing Hallett Couloir, which lies just east
of the Hallett Chimney. The white line in this
photo about 2/3 up the couloir is the crown from a recent naturally
released slab avalanche that would have run in the last 24hrs and is
the best indication that stability on such slopes is POOR with
avalanche danger being HIGH. The terrain trap of large
boulders that sit at the bottom of this couloir would make this a
likely injurious ride.
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(Above) The north
and west faces of Longs Peak showing mostly snow-free terrain on
January 7th, 2010. Avalanche danger on these slopes is likely
in the LOW to MODERATE rating and so these is the terrain where a
winter ascent of Longs would be most ideal to avoid post-hole type snow
and avalanche potential.
Winds
over the last few weeks had been consistently peaking in the
60 mph range at 12k along the
Continental Divide, and so there are many areas with LOW avalanche
danger despite the current rating from the CAIC
that ranges from CONSIDERABLE to HIGH for the Front Range and
has
stayed at this potential defined as: human caused
avalanches are
probable or likely on slopes greater than 30 degrees in steepness.
This forecast
would be most true
for specific slopes that are loaded
from these high
winds and new snow and include:
1. lee or cross
wind- loaded
2. 35-45 degree angle
3. convex
or unsupported terrain
As
always, the CAIC website
should be checked daily
to follow changes in the snowpack and for the most current danger
ratings and avalanche activities across the state of Colorado.
We have
been very fortunate thus far this winter that despite a very weak and
reactive snowpack, there have been no avalanche fatalities in Colorado.
This is likely a result of the less than ideal
riding conditions
which have decreased the amount of backcountry traffic and thus
potential for avalanche accidents.
(Above)
Views of the Chaos Canyon and below, the Terrain Park with
the mid-slopes of the South Face of Hallett Peak showing some snow
coverage. The old glacier slope at the head of Chaos Canyon
was flanked by large crowns in late December and is prime avalanche
terrain with mid-3o degree slopes and severe lee loading on convex
slopes.
(Right) Looking up the Tyndall Gorge with the North Buttress
of Hallett hiding in the cold shade and much of the upper gorge
snow-free. The remnant Tyndall Glacier at the head of the
valley is also prime avalanche terrain and one of the more likely
places to cause a slab avalanche in these mid-winter conditions.
(Left) The short section of ice that leads into some fine Hallett style
gneiss for a short multi-pitch adventure. Check-out the
description of this route on Mountain Project.
(Right) Ryan Bogus and I have been spending much of our free
time this winter exploring the mixed potential of the Hidden Falls area
of the Wild Basin in RMNP. With more ice than usual in this
sheltered location and just a short, flat walk from the trailhead, this
is about as close to Vail-like mixed climbing as you'll find in RMNP
with mostly trad-protected cracks on solid granite being the style of
climbing here.
This video was shot on our first day of 'working' the route which we named "Firhang" due to the Fir tree start to an overhanging crack. This new route is adjacent to the well formed and most popular ice climb in RMNP- Hidden Falls. Ryan and I both led this cimb the following week in better style, but still with gear pre-placed in the crack. Competition ice climber, Rob Cordery-Cotter led this route in early January, onsight with the gear pre-placed as a warm-up for the Ouray ice comp.
Eli
Helmuth of ClimbingLife Guides offers ski tours and private backcountry
Avalanche
Seminars
and Backcountry
Skiing
Clinics that focus on
practical skills for minimizing the
risks while maximizing the fun in snow covered
terrain whether you are on skis, board, snowshoes,
or crampons. If you've already taken an avalanche course,
check-out our Level 1 Refresher Clinic
which is a mountain-based
day in the peaks of RMNP, dedicated to increasing your abilities in
making decisions in avalanche terrain.
These
seminars will increase your skills and abilities in
making
better backcountry decisions while taking advantage of the great
mid-winter
skiing and
climbing that Colorado has to offer. Check-out our full
schedule
of outings here
for the 2009/10 season.
Contact
us
at:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or call 970.744.4898 to plan a fun-filled and
educational mountain outing with Eli Helmuth, RMNP's most experienced
mountain guide.
Check-out
photos from our recent trip to Ecuador here
for climbs
on
the mighty volcanoes which flank the Altiplano, between the Amazon
Basin and Galapagos Islands of this exotic Andean nation.
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Photos
below
are only representative of common conditions, they are not current.
Consult
the
CAIC website for
current Avalanche Danger forecasts here.
Routes
are
sorted by current forecast Avalanche Danger Level:
LOW
Avalanche Danger as of 1/7/10
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Hidden
Falls
WI- 3+
IN -getting beat up
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Loch
Vale Ice
WI
2-5
M1-8
barely
IN- bad year
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Jewel
Lake
WI
2-3
IN
and busy
with guided groups.
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LOW Avalanche Danger as of 1/7/10
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Jaws
WI
3-5
IN
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not complete
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Squid
WI 5
OUT
- too dry
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Deep
Freeze
WI-
5
OUT - too dry
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MODERATE
Avalanche
Danger as of 1/7/10 (human caused possible)
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Columbine
Falls
WI
3-4
IN
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Necrophilia
WI
5, M5
OUT
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Black
Lake Slabs
WI2
IN
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MODERATE Avalanche
Danger as of 1/7/10 (human caused possible)
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The
Crypt
WI-4
IN-
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Grace
Falls
WI
3-5
IN
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NE
Gully
WI3
IN
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CONSIDERABLE
Avalanche
Danger as of 1/17/10 (human caused probable)
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Flying
Dutchman
WI-2
OUT
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All
Mixed Up
WI
-3, M2
IN-
rock in middle
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West
Gully
WI
- 3
IN-
fat
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CONSIDERABLE
Avalanche
Danger as of 1/7/10 (human caused probable)
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Martha
WI - 2, M-1
could
be IN
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Hallett's
Chimney
WI-5,
M-4
OUT
- wait until spring
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Field's
Chimney
WI-5.
M4
OUT
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CONSIDERABLE
Avalanche
Danger as of 1/7/10 (human caused probable)
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Alexander's
Chimney
WI-4,
M4
IN
but thin
and
not complete
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Smear
of Fear
WI-5,
M5
OUT
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New
Beginnings
WI-5,
M5
OUT
but forming
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CONSIDERABLE
Avalanche
Danger as of 1/7/10 (human caused probable)
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The
Window
WI-5,
M4
OUT
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Vanquished
WI-5,
M4
OUT
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Hot
Doggies
WI-5+
OUT
but close to IN
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HIGH
Avalanche Danger as of 1/7/10 (human caused likely)
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East
Face, Notchtop
WI-3+, M3
IN - thin year
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North
American
Avalanche Danger Scale
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Danger Level
(& Color)
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Avalanche Probability and Avalanche Trigger
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Degree and Distribution of Avalanche Danger
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Recommended Action
in the
Backcountry
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Why
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Where
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What
to Do |
LOW
(GREEN)
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Natural avalanches very unlikely. Human triggered avalanches unlikely.
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Generally
stable snow. Isolated areas of instability. |
Travel
is generally safe. Normal caution is advised. |
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(YELLOW)
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Natural
avalanches unlikely. Human triggered avalanches possible.
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Unstable
slabs possible on steep terrain.
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Use
caution in steeper terrain and on certain aspects.
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CONSIDERABLE
(ORANGE)
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Natural
avalanches possible. Human triggered avalanches probable.
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Unstable
slabs probable on steep terrain. |
Be
increasingly cautious in steeper terrain. |
HIGH
(RED)
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Natural
and human triggered avalanches likely.
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Unstable
slabs likely on a variety of aspects and slope angles.
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Travel
in avalanche terrain is not recommended. Safest travel on windward
ridges and lower angle slopes without steeper terrain above.
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EXTREME
(BLACK)
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Widespread
natural or human triggered avalanches certain.
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Extremely
unstable slabs
certain on most aspects and slope angles. Large, destructive avalanches
possible. Large, destructive avalanches
possible.
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Travel
in
avalanche terrain
should be avoided and travel confined to low angle terrain well away
from avalanche path run-outs.
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