Ice Fields conditions

[Vernman23]

thinking about heading up to Canada the first week of April. Would love to climb the weeping wall and polar circus. The classics. Any perdictions on the conditions of both during that time period or am i too late?

[Dane]

Anything is possible, but you are likely too late....for anything that gets direct sunshine like WW or PC. Professors, Lake Louise and Field would be better options I suspect. April is getting long in tooth for Canadian water ice. There are some exceptions, Curtain Call and Nemesis might be a couple because of their locations.

[Dane]

always better to look here I suspect:

 

http://www.gravsports-ice.com/icethreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=4&page=1

[genepires]

while I don't have local experience, it seems like murchisons has a long life. Always seems extra cold up there. If you are aiming for WW and PC, then murchisons will be right up your alley.

[trainwreck]

Curtain Call starts to get some sun in the afternoon in late March/early April as does Murchison. I would imagine Polar Circus would be climbable but you'd have to do it pretty much all in the dark. It gets a lot of sun early and stays on it the majority of the day. Professors would still be good, as would Whiteman Falls, like Dane said the Field climbs would still be okay but it's a bit late for water ice.

[JasonG]

The Wapta, on the other hand, will be in primo ski shape. If you are fixed to that week there is surely something to keep you busy up there.

[Dane]

Hey Train Are the alpine conditions really as bad as they sound in the Icefields? AA area anyway?

[trainwreck]

Hi Dane,

 

I wouldn't know. I am in Vancouver this winter chained to my computer and a library desk getting edu-ma-cated.

 

I do know that there has been an insane amount of snow in the alpine in Jasper and along the Parkway this year. It sounds like more a ski traverse type of spring than a alpine climbing type to me, but I think that routes like the Humble Horse and Asteroid Alley will form up really well in late April early May. I had some friends on Asteroid Alley a month or so ago (they wore beacons for the approach) and said it was in good shape and had been climbed recently.

[Dane]

Thanks Grant, even Vancouver is closer than me. Appreciate the help as always.