Association of Canadian Mountain Guides

06/06/2026

Mount Logan

David Lussier - Saturday, June 6, 2026 - 11:30

Hi all,

We just finished guiding a successful ascent of Mount Logan spanning 21 days from May 16 to June 6, 2026.

Our 2 groups of 4, ascended Canada’s highest peak on skis via the King Trench route and summited on June 2nd and June 3rd respectively. We reached basecamp from the Silver City airstrip in Yukon with the Pilatus ski plane from Icefields Discovery. Lucky for us, we were able to fly in and out as per our planned itineraries. During our expedition, we traveled from 2750m to 5960m on the Quintino Sella Glacier, King Trench, Prospector Col and Summit Plateau areas on route to the main summit.

Late-spring transitional weather pattern prevailed across the St-Elias Mountains, with cool temperatures, extensive remaining snowpack at mid and high elevations, and a mix of clouds and intermittent precipitation. The alpine environment remained firmly in winter-like conditions persisting on glaciers and high peaks. Overall, I would say it was colder and windier than many previous trips here at similar time. Temperatures varied from -30C overnight to -15C during the day.

Despite the weather pattern, we progressed upwards close to our scheduled itinerary. We endured a severe windstorm at camp 1 (3300m) that nearly destroyed our tents and snow walls. After a quick reset, we continued and reached camp 2/King Col (4100m) on May 23rd and camp 3/football field (4900m) by May 27th where we endured several small storms while acclimatizing and build red blood cells! On May 31st, a marked improvement in the weather allowed us to move to a jump camp at 5250m just below the south side of Prospector col. The following day, June 1st, we moved our camp to the summit plateau (5100m) via the Prospector Col (5520m) in with out but warmer conditions. This is when we entered our first warming trend of the trip. Favorable weather conditions with minimal winds allowed us to summit on June 2nd and June 3rd respectively. We then started our descent the following days.

Traveling conditions, snow coverage and crevasses were generally excellent this year. Snowpack depth on glaciers was greater than 250cm and increased with elevation. Thinner snowpack areas were observed in some wind exposed locations. The crevasses and snow bridges above the King Col headwall (4200m) felt less spicy and intuitive, generally more manageable then in previous years. Similarly, the crevasses and tension areas immediately below the Football Field (around 4800m) were well covered and easy to navigate this year. That said, the Queen Peak icefall (4550m) was more like the Kumbu icefall this year. A large, climax like, serac release occurring about a moth prior covered roughly 150m of the entire normal route. This required us to navigate through an area of fresh ice debris. On a positive note, the crevasses in this area were easier to negotiate then in previous years.

Gear wise, we used ski crampons, boot crampons and ices axe in specific locations. Ski crampons were useful for ascending above King Col early in the mornings. They were also very useful for ascending to last few meters to Prospector Col. Boot crampons & ice axe were used to tackle the final steep slope and ridge walk to the main summit where good cramponing on varied firm surfaces lead to the summit. We believe our success is directly related to adequate group fitness, perceverence, and decent mountain conditions on the route. That said, our ascent progression (carry high & sleep low) while taking strategic rest days certainly contributed to it. In the end, it seems as though patience and determination were almost as important as fitness and weather factors.

Feeling lucky to have had the opportunity to guide yet another great group of folks up Canada’s highest peak!

Cheers,

David Lussier & Max Darrah

ACMG Mountain Guides

Summit Mountain Guides

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Hi all, We just finished guiding a successful ascent of Mount Logan spanning 21 days from May 16 to June 6, 2026.

06/05/2026

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Photo: ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide Gearys Guiding

05/29/2026

Mt Begbie - Southern Monashees

Alex Geary - Thursday, May 28, 2026 - 18:30

This morning my partner and I climbed Mt Begbie via the East Col, then skied down the NE Face.

We found good hiking conditions up to 1700m (only post-holed once or twice), then used a combination of skins and boot crampons to get to the summit, mostly on snow with short sections of rock.

In the alpine it's getting close to a summer snowpack. Despite not having a freeze last night, we weren't sinking in more than 15cm on skis, 15-30cm on foot (except in isothermal shallow rocky areas), and pole probing was usually 10-30cm. Snow was sticky to ski, except where the surface snow had been sluffed off.

Below tree-line it felt like a summer snowpack, only sinking in up to 5cm. Below 1650m it was mostly dirt.

The scramble above the East Col is getting more difficult with continued snow and glacier melting, now requiring some 5th class moves after you cross a bergschrund looking sag I don't remember seeing before. When rappelling, 2 x 30m ropes barely get you to the snow from the bolted station, so I'd recommend bringing some longer ropes or be prepared to rappel off a single bolt.

We ski cut a size 1.5 loose wet avalanche high on the NE Face, which ran over the cliffs (about 300m total).

All things considered a great day of ski mountaineering.

Alex Geary

ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide

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This morning my partner and I climbed Mt Begbie via the East Col, then skied down the NE Face. We found good hiking conditions up to 1700m (only post-holed once or twice), then used a combination of skins and boot crampons to get to the summit, mostly on snow with short sections of rock.

05/22/2026

In 1966, on the East Face of Mount Babel, a Rockies rescue story unfolded that still feels astonishing today: cries for help across Moraine Lake, a message spelled out in toilet paper, an untested cable system and one of the first helicopter-assisted climber rescues in North America.

What stands out for us is how deeply guiding knowledge was already woven into mountain rescue in Canada.

Walter Perren, whose support helped establish the ACMG in 1963, played a central role in organizing the rescue. Brian Greenwood, one of the climbers rescued, was also one of the ACMG’s founding members and led the first ACMG guides’ course in 1966. Bernie Sc*****er, part of the rescue effort, went on to become an ACMG Mountain Guide and later served as ACMG president.

Long before today’s systems, standards, and training pathways, ACMG people and ACMG-connected leaders were helping shape how Canadians moved, guided, taught, and responded in the mountains.

The ACMG has been part of Canada’s mountain story from the start — in guiding, instruction, rescue, mentorship, and public safety.

Read the full story from Gripped Climbing Magazine: https://gripped.com/profiles/how-the-historic-first-helicopter-rescue-of-climbers-in-the-rockies-went-down/?_bhlid=3393652fd0361932441cea974a7950997f347c1e

05/19/2026

Waddington Glacier, Waddington Range

Dave Sarkany - Monday, May 18, 2026 - 19:00

I guided a fly in ski camp on the Waddington Glacier this past week, we skied at elevations ranging from 3200m down to 1500m

We flew in from Bluff Lk (White Saddle Air) and camped on a 2640m col 1.8km SE of the summit of Mt Agur. From there we skied towards 3 objectives (Snow Dome, Mt.Munday and Irresistable Mt). We also skied many slopes close to camp on the Waddington and Bert Glaciers on poor viability days. The best skiing was on Thursday where we woke up to 30cm of cold new snow. I was like a winter day.

At 2300m there is at least a 3m snow pack depth above glacier ice. Above 2300m HS is 3m+. Crevasses are opening and saggy. Conditions look more like the end of May/early June. There is not much winter snow left below 1000m.

Above 2000m 30cm of past HST has turned to melt freeze where sun effected or is settled and bonded to the 260513 crust on true N aspects.. Under this the upper snowpack was mostly frozen and locked up (with a 50cm + crust) above 2300m. Below this elevation much of the pack is isothermal to at least 1m down.

To exit for a lower elevation (and better weather) pick up we toured down the west edge of the Waddington Glacier passing Martello Tour and Pivot Dome for a pick up at a 1500m tree line meadow.

Thanks Mike, Stephen and Alison

Lovely remote ski camp location with plenty of objectives,

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I guided a fly in ski camp on the Waddington Glacier this past week, we skied at elevations ranging from 3200m down to 1500m We flew in from Bluff Lk (White Saddle Air) and camped on a 2640m col 1.8km SE of the summit of Mt Agur. From there we skied towards 3 objectives (Snow Dome, Mt.Munday and Irr...

05/16/2026

Columbia Icefields

Sebastian Taborszky - Friday, May 15, 2026 - 18:45

Climbed Boundary Peak today on firm snow most of the time. Going up we had a supportive snowpack, with little boot pe*******on of 2-3 inches, never above ankle. Coming down in late afternoon some postholing ocurred in the usual shallow spots and close to the edges of snow fields. Looking over at A2 and Boundary lake there is way more snow in that drainage, down to the road, Boundary lake still frozen.

Read More ACMG

Climbed Boundary Peak today on firm snow most of the time. Going up we had a supportive snowpack, with little boot pe*******on of 2-3 inches, never above ankle. Coming down in late afternoon some postholing ocurred in the usual shallow spots and close to the edges of snow fields. Looking over at A2....

05/12/2026

Mt Begbie

Alex Geary - Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - 13:45

I found great corn skiing on the NE Face of Mt Begbie this morning at 9:30am.

Travel conditions:

I walked up the Begbie trail in hiking boots to 1500m and I was able to skin from there. On the way back down I managed to ski to 1340m with a few dirt patches to cross. There was a weak freeze at 1400m, though not sinking in more than a couple of cm's. At tree-line and in the alpine there was a good freeze requiring ski crampons and boot crampons.

Avalanche problems:

There were no avalanche concerns early this morning, but I imagine loose wet and wet slabs will be a concern later when it warms up. It was already becoming isothermal in shallow rocky areas on the way down.

Glacier conditions:

A few sags were visible on the lower half of the Begbie Glacier. The bergschrund below the East Col is visible and open on the far climbers right. A faint bergschrund sag was visible in the centre of the slope from a distance, although it was subtle enough that I couldn't see where it was when I crossed it.

Cornice:

There is a large cornice on the summit of Mt Begbie overhanging the East Face. It looks like it's been trying to fall down the mountain for a while and is cracked.

The peaks in the Gold Range looked like they would have amazing corn with good timing.

Photos attached.

Alex Geary

ACMG Mountain Guide

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I found great corn skiing on the NE Face of Mt Begbie this morning at 9:30am. Travel conditions: I walked up the Begbie trail in hiking boots to 1500m and I was able to skin from there. On the way back down I managed to ski to 1340m with a few dirt patches to cross. There was a weak freeze at 1400m,...

05/08/2026

Mt Athabasca

James Walter - Friday, May 8, 2026 - 11:30

On Friday, May 8 I made an ascent of the North Face Bypass, and descended the Ramp on Mt Athabasca.

With clear skies overnight and a temperature of 3° at the Icefield Center when we started before sunrise, we found a strong crust recovery at all elevations. This crust was breaking down below 2500m at noon.

Old serac debris from the Ramp and Hourglass are evident and have run far.

The strong re-freeze on the glacier gave conditions that would be supportive to boots. On skis, ski crampons are helpful at times.

Climbing from the glacier to the ridge, we had an easy bergschrund crossing and perfect snow for kicking steps. Higher, the classic "ice gully" is similarly filled with snow.

Ski conditions vary, but the sun-softened corn skiing was excellent.

Photo of the upper North Face route included for those curious.

Happy trails,

James

Read More ACMG

On Friday, May 8 I made an ascent of the North Face Bypass, and descended the Ramp on Mt Athabasca. With clear skies overnight and a temperature of 3° at the Icefield Center when we started before sunrise, we found a strong crust recovery at all elevations. This crust was breaking down below 2500m ...

05/06/2026

Tune in to hear ACMG Mountain Guide Jordy Shepherd join BC AdventureSmart’s Expert Webinar Series for a conversation on Distance, Darkness and Decision-Making: Avoiding Trouble in Northern BC’s Big Wilderness.

Jordy shares practical insight from years of guiding, rescue, avalanche work, and national park experience covering how to plan for remote environments, manage time and terrain, and make smart decisions before conditions change.

This is a great listen for anyone heading into big wilderness terrain this season.

🎧 Watch/listen here:

Northern BC’s vast landscapes can turn small missteps into serious situations. This webinar explores how distance, limited daylight, and decision-making all ...