First, should one go skiing at Rogers Pass right now?

Nope.

One can still hike to 1800m on the Hermit trail without touching snow, gaping crevasses loom on all glaciers visible from the highway, and boulderfields are nowhere near being safely covered to ski through. In the high alpine, there are isolated pockets of windslab, especially on N-facing slopes, that could pose a hazard if you're up there.

Be patient. Winter's coming. La Nina is the long range forecast for our neck of the woods, so we'll see our fair share of flurries and frostbite this winter.

Next, there have been a number of folks inquiring, "Hey, what does the N face of Macdonald look like? Is there much ice?" See the attached photos to decide if there is enough for your psyche level to give it an attempt. With the Glacier National Park Winter Permit System still over a month away, limited amounts of snow/cornices overhead, and a decent forecast for the next 3-4 days, perhaps there are a few keen folks that would like to scratch their way up it?!

Enjoy a bit more sunshine and blue, smoke-free skies this week.

Chris Gooliaff
Glacier National Park Visitor Safety
ACMG MG