The ACMG Training and Assessment Program recently completed the second AAGE in the Rogers Pass and Columbia Icefields areas. Here is a quick summary of observed weather and conditions

The weather for the week was highlighted by a high pressure system, clear sunny days, warm temperatures and calm to light winds at all exam venues. The freezing levels were at 4400m on the Columbia Icefields. Morning temperatures at the icefields were around 5 C at the parking lot but temperatures increased steadily as we climbed higher out of valley bottom.

Conditions in Rogers Pass:
No snow on ridges. Glaciers on N aspects have up to 2 m of snow above 2400 m, and on S aspects 20-80 cm above 3050 m. Good snow travel conditions remained on the S Face of Rogers with good steps to the top.

Large Na rockfall witnessed off of Donkin Peak, suspect collapsing moraine feature. Isolated Na rockfall with solar on other features such as Pollux peak onto the Thorington Bench and the S Face of Rogers.

Conditions in Columbia Icefields:
Bare ice travel on glaciers up to 2800 m. Above, bridges and snow plugs were weakening with daytime warming and solar. Several significantly unstable scree slopes were encountered, particularly on the E slope of Boundary Col to reach the Boundary Gl (not currently recommended due to unstable scree over ice). No recent evidence of serac activity observed. Small Na rockfall events with solar in the Silverhorn area and off A2 onto the boundary glacier. Turning the corner on the ramp route of Athabasca deteriorated significantly in the PM on Sept 2, with several failing bridges even on the tracks from the previous day. The remainder of the ramp had several open slots but travel was on snow with short sections of bare ice that were easily bypassed.

Routes climbed in the Rogers Pass:
-Asulkan Traverse to Sapphire Col
-NE Ridge of Castor to Jupiter Traverse, return to Sapphire Col via the Thorington route
-Asulkan Glacier descent from Sapphire Col to Asulkan valley bottom
-W Ridge of Tupper
-SE Ridge of Rogers
-S Face of Rogers - Swiss Peak

Routes climbed in the Bow Valley:
Lookout Buttress
UltraBrewers
Eisenhower
N Ridge of EEOR
Buttress #4 (Boot Crack) on Buller
NE Glacier on Andromache

Routes climbed in the Columbia Icefields
-A2 via N Glacier Ledges and Boundary Col
-The Silverhorn

All in all an amazing week with excellent weather and mountain views.

Hope everyone is enjoying the tail end of summer

Mike, Marc, Matt and the AAGE student group