MCR Summary, Rockies and Columbia Mountains.

The last few weeks have brought warm sunny weather drying out rock routes, and melting out snow and ice routes. A cold front is brining mixed amounts of precipitation and thunderstorms across the ranges today, with the possibility of snow on the highest peaks!
Forecasts are talking about sunny skies returning Sunday, and temps warming back up by mid week.

Conditions have been great for alpine rock climbing, and expected to be great once the sun returns and routes have a day or two to dry out. Glaciers generally have good snow coverage, however with the warm weather the snow is retreating quickly and with no overnight freezes it is punchy and can be hard travel, with weak snow bridges.

I would be avoiding or approaching any snow/alpine ice climbing with a skeptical mind, and have a plan B. We are hitting the point in the summer where rocks start melting out of the last lingering snow and come trundling down. Places like the Bugaboo Snowpatch Col may deteriorate quickly now.

Wild flowers are going off right now, bears and other animals are active and with the changes going on in the world make sure you check the appropriate trial and access reports. The mountains are busy, so plan accordingly and be nice. We all just want to have fun and come home safe at the end of the day!

Photo 1
Numa Pass
Photo 2 East Creek Bugaboos
Photo 3 Vowel Glacier Bugaboo spire, Howser Towers
Photo 4 Pigeon and west face of snow patch