Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, Canmore, AB (2025)

08/07/2025

MOUNT MONARCH

Daniel Robb - Monday, August 4, 2025 - 14:30

We managed to climb the east ridge of monarch (3555 m) on August 3/4. We accessed from a heli-drop on the south horseshoe glacier (2500 m).

We had admired the Monarch from our successful Waddington ascent a few days prior. We decided to head up to the bella-coola valley and take advantage of an incredible weather window and favorable climbing conditions.

The lower half of the ridge has a mix of snow climbing and two distinct rock steps. (low 5th). From the top of the last rock step you can gain the hanging glacier and climb for 300 meters navigating a bergschrund and some crevasses. Climbing the glacier at this time of year was manageable. From the top of the glacier there is an obvious mixed gully to ascend, with 3-4 pitches of Wi3/5.6. Monarch’s rock is a metamorphosed volcanic variety so rock protection is limited but there is good climbable ice all the way to the summit ridge and on to the summit.

Of note to get in there; It's a 0.5 one way from Hagensbourg. so about 2 hrs flight time there and back. The heli operators on the central coast are often being pulled to fires and can't reliably commit to being able to pick up if you are out there a long time. Something to consider when planning trips such as this in the coast mountains. There aren't many other options around if the machine gets called onto a fire.

A fine few days deep in the coast range.

Dan Robb

MG

Read More ACMG

We managed to climb the east ridge of monarch (3555 m) on August 3/4. We accessed from a heli-drop on the south horseshoe glacier (2500 m). We had admired the Monarch from our successful Waddington ascent a few days prior. We decided to head up to the bella-coola valley and take advantage of an incr...

08/05/2025

Yak Peak-Windwalker

Ian Welsted - Monday, August 4, 2025 - 19:15

Guided Windwalker , the relatively new route on Yahk Peak, today.

The route is a tale in three parts. The first few pitches follow the previously established CardiYak Rhythm on quality granite slab climbing with relatively spaced bolts.The next 6 pitches feature great rock and a mix of good gear and tighter spaced bolting. The last three pitches have some truly poor kitty litter climbing, even requiring a fixed chain in order to get past the worst of it.

Overall a great addition to the feature, though the memory of the good middle pitches is marred by the poor quality ending.

A sufficient rack would leave behind one #3 and one #4 from the rack suggested by the first ascensionists as reported on Mountain Project.

Read More ACMG

Guided Windwalker , the relatively new route on Yahk Peak, today. The route is a tale in three parts. The first few pitches follow the previously established CardiYak Rhythm on quality granite slab climbing with relatively spaced bolts.The next 6 pitches feature great rock and a mix of good gear and...

08/03/2025

Mount Waddington

David Lussier - Saturday, August 2, 2025 - 17:45

Hi all,

We just wrapped up a 6day trip with 3 guests to Mount Waddington in the coast mountains spanning July 27th to August 2nd. We successfully summited the main summit via the Bravo glacier route on the evening of July 30th.

Weather conditions were warm but excellent. We were under the influence of a strong high pressure system which blessed us with beautiful clear weather for the duration with no precipitation and light winds. We benefited from slight overnight freezes above 3000m.

We flew in/out with whitesaddleair from bluff lakes and ascended the route from a basecamp at Rainy K**b (2000m). We climbed the route over 3 days and camped in the Cauldron (2750m) and at the Spearman saddle (3225m). We needed 2 attempts to successfully climb the main summit (4018m). During our first attempt on July 29th, we got shut down at the Tooth-Waddington col by excessive natural ice falling from the much rimed features forming the upper south face. We retreated and changed our tactic before our second attempt. We needed to climb the final tower while it was in the shade which meant arriving at the summit around sunset and descending in the dark. This strategy worked and we reached the summit at 9:30 pm on July 30th. We were lucky to have excellent weather, and previous knowledge of the route, for our second attempt and planned overnight descent.

The overall conditions in the Waddington range were different than anticipated. Below 2800m glacier travel was challenging with open crevasses, minimal bridge options, and challenging bergshrund crossing. Much more reminiscent of mid summer conditions. Above 2800m there was much more remaining winter snow and conditions resembling to early summer with well covered snow bridge, passable bergshrunds, but also lingering avalanche problems and poor punchy walking snow surfaces. Perhaps this is due to a substantial snowstorm that swept the province in mid July. Perhaps this is also related to climate change affecting the lower mountain conditions more that the upper mountain. Either way, it makes planning an ascent of this nature more problematic. The final tower offered super interesting mix snow, ice, and rock climbing with good protection in the 5.8/M4/WI 3+ range. South facing alpine rock routes on Combatant, Tiedemann, and Asperity apear to be generally snow free from a distance.

We were pretty lucky to have such a good weather window and favorable conditions. It wasn't without significant efforts though. We used all our tools and every imaginable techniques to overcome the various challenges on the route. Above all, we hugely benefited from a thorough fly by of the lower Bravo glacier to be able to pick the best possible route through the exposed crevasse maze.

Grateful for and excellent adventure in the rugged coast mountains!

David Lussier and Daniel Robb

ACMG Mountain Guides

summitmountainguides.com

Read More ACMG

Hi all, We just wrapped up a 6day trip with 3 guests to Mount Waddington in the coast mountains spanning July 27th to August 2nd. We successfully summited the main summit via the Bravo glacier route on the evening of July 30th. Weather conditions were warm but excellent. We were under the influence....

07/30/2025

Commander Glacier

Kris Irwin - Wednesday, July 30, 2025 - 16:15

Just returned from a 3 day trip to Commander Glacier. We approached via Farnham Creek FSR, and bivied at 2050m below the Commander Glacier. We summited Commander Mountain and The Cleaver on July 29th. Despite a lack of an overnight freeze we found excellent travel on firm snow and good coverage above 2950m. The snow was a bit slushy near the firm line but only for a short distance. We stayed high and traversed just below the upper glaciel plateau. No issues with crevasses or bergschrunds.

1st Photo is Commander Mtn from the parking area

3rd picture is The Cleaver taken from Commander

Read More ACMG

Just returned from a 3 day trip to Commander Glacier. We approached via Farnham Creek FSR, and bivied at 2050m below the Commander Glacier. We summited Commander Mountain and The Cleaver on July 29th. Despite a lack of an overnight freeze we found excellent travel on firm snow and good coverage abov...

07/29/2025

Banff, Yoho & Kootenay National Parks

Parks Canada - Monday, July 28, 2025 - 18:00

Attached are photos taken during a flight on July 28th, 2025, of the following climbing and scrambling routes in the Lake Louise and Lake O'Hara area.

- Mt Temple South Ridge scramble route - Banff National Park

- Lake O'Hara - Yoho National Park

- Hungabee West Ridge - Yoho National Park

- Hungabee Upper Ridge - Yoho National Park

- Abbot Pass - Yoho National Park

Enjoy the summer!

Visitor Safety

Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks

Read More ACMG

Attached are photos taken during a flight on July 28th, 2025, of the following climbing and scrambling routes in the Lake Louise and Lake O'Hara area. - Mt Temple South Ridge scramble route - Banff National Park - Lake O'Hara - Yoho National Park - Hungabee West Ridge - Yoho National Park - Hungabee...

07/29/2025

Wapta Icefield Conditions

Jorg Wilz - Sunday, July 27, 2025 - 17:00

We did the "Little Wapta Traverse" from Bow Lake to Peyto Lake via Bow and Peyto Hut in 3 days last weekend exiting Sunday July 27. We had quite wet weather the first two days with rain to summit elevation. The traverse route is largely snow free / bare ice with thin, at times slushy coverage in the low angle terrain crossing the Thompson - Rhonda glacier crest into the Peyto drainage. As in previous years, exiting Peyto Glacier needs to be done above the glacier tongue descender's left along the "Peter Ledge" and down a small drainage that carries water but is basically snow free now. As usual, the most challenging and hazardous part of the trip are the creek crossings on the last day, especially Peyto Creek, which we crossed in a braided section about half-way to the lake. It seems that the "new" trail side-hilling along the descender's left side of the creek is getting better and better with travel and crossing Peyto Creek close to the lake is the longer but easier way to go.

Read More ACMG

We did the "Little Wapta Traverse" from Bow Lake to Peyto Lake via Bow and Peyto Hut in 3 days last weekend exiting Sunday July 27. We had quite wet weather the first two days with rain to summit elevation. The traverse route is largely snow free / bare ice with thin, at times slushy coverage in the...

07/29/2025

Banff National Park

Parks Canada - Monday, July 28, 2025 - 15:00

AREA CLOSURE IN EFFECT

Please be advised that the slopes and travel routes on Eagle Mountain above the Sunshine Parking Lot in Banff National Park will be CLOSED on July 29, 2025. Access to Healy Pass, the Sunshine Gondola, and all the Sunshine Meadows hiking trails remains open.

This area closure is in place to allow for the safe disposal of unexploded devices used for avalanche control operations in winter.

No hiking, scrambling or other activities on these slopes tomorrow.

For more information on the avalanche closure boundaries, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/webpsp4d

Thanks for your cooperation,

Visitor Safety

Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks

Read More ACMG

AREA CLOSURE IN EFFECT Please be advised that the slopes and travel routes on Eagle Mountain above the Sunshine Parking Lot in Banff National Park will be CLOSED on July 29, 2025. Access to Healy Pass, the Sunshine Gondola, and all the Sunshine Meadows hiking trails remains open. This area closure i...

07/28/2025

AA col

Sebastian Taborszky - Thursday, July 24, 2025 - 14:00

A late report from July 24th, we climbed Athabasca from AA col. The morraine leading up to the glacier has shifted significantly, with the trail being wiped out in the lower half, making for tedious going.

Glacier was dry, with the firn line far back, starting just below the AA col.

The Andromeda side of col was a mix of bare ice and/snow, schrund is open, with a bridge far right.

The Athabasca side had some good, continous snow ramps all the way up, that had avalanched up to size 2 the previous 1-2 days. Unfortunately there had been no overnight freeze, heavy rain to ridgetop that morning, and it wasn't clear what snow remained above, so we took the scree bash going up and left that was all dry.

Very sloppy snow going up Silverhorn and along the ridge, fully saturated snowpack, boottop to mid-calf pe*******on.

On return, we noticed the trail skirts the edge of the steep morraine very closely while approaching the ice coach road. One steep morraine feature that was yellow, overhanging below the trail, and shedding rocks continously, high up above the coach road, seemed to be ready for take-off. On the flat morraine above, many new sagging cracks suggest the feature is peeling off. We gave it a wide berth by staying far back from the edge.

Read More ACMG

A late report from July 24th, we climbed Athabasca from AA col. The morraine leading up to the glacier has shifted significantly, with the trail being wiped out in the lower half, making for tedious going. Glacier was dry, with the firn line far back, starting just below the AA col. The Andromeda si...

07/28/2025

Mt Alberta

Takeshi Tani - Monday, July 28, 2025 - 09:45

Mountain Conditions Report – Mt. Alberta (July 22–27, 2025)

Objective: Mt. Alberta via the Japanese Route

General Conditions:

I climbed Mt. Alberta with four climbers from Japan during a 6-day trip marked by unstable alpine conditions and fresh snowfall. No clear skies were observed throughout the trip, and visibility was consistently limited due to persistent cloud cover.

Weather:

• Overcast and cold with no direct sun

• Approximately 20 cm of new snow above 3000 m

• No significant warming trend observed

Route Conditions:

Approach:

Travel below the Woolley Shoulder was unstable due to saturated ground and melting ice beneath loose rock. Several spontaneous rockfalls were witnessed in this area.

Japanese Route:

• Snow-covered from mid-route upward

• Final pitches in the Japanese gully required sustained snow and ice climbing

• Crampons and ice tools were necessary from mid-route to summit

Descent:

• Additional pitons and nuts were added to reinforce rappel anchors

• Some stations were buried or marginal—recommend carrying extra pitons and cord to supplement anchors

Summary:

Mt. Alberta is currently in serious condition. Fresh snow and sustained cold temperatures turned the upper route into a snow and ice climb. The approach terrain below Woolley Shoulder poses increased rockfall hazard due to undermined and melting ice. Rappel descent demands extra caution and anchor assessment.

Takeshi Tani

ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide

Read More ACMG

Mountain Conditions Report – Mt. Alberta (July 22–27, 2025) Objective: Mt. Alberta via the Japanese Route General Conditions: I climbed Mt. Alberta with four climbers from Japan during a 6-day trip marked by unstable alpine conditions and fresh snowfall. No clear skies were observed throughout t...

07/28/2025

Deville-Glacier Circle-Illecillewaet

Mark Klassen - Monday, July 28, 2025 - 08:15

We spent several days in the south end of Glacier Park last week, returning July 26.

Excellent conditions were found on Mt Wheeler NW Ridge and the Selwyn-Dawson Traverse (east ridges of both peaks). There was good snow coverage and crevasse bridging on both the Deville and Illecillewaet Icefields.

Rock ridges were dry and snow travel was mostly firm even without overnight freezes, with the exception of steep south facing terrain in the afternoon. However, deep sun cups on the icefields made for tedious and slow travel! Some were shin deep.

The descent from the Selwyn-Dawson climb was made down the south face from the col between Selwyn and the "shale topped minor point". I think glacial recession has exposed steep rock here and it was harder to get onto the glacier than I was expecting. I would only consider this route if it is mostly snow and temperatures are cool. Even with snow you must be comfortable route finding and down climbing in 4th class ledgy/slabby terrain with no opportunities for anchors.

There are 5 rappels required to descend the Deville headwall in summer. The top rappel is at 11U 473900 E 5667302 N (cairn).

The river crossing in Glacier Circle was made at the lower braids and consisted of 4 channels with water depths knee to crotch deep and a strong current. We investigated a higher crossing, above the upper lake, which looked like it might have been about the same depth and only one channel but decided against it as a loss of footing would have led to being carried into high consequence rapids below.

Observed hazards included the river crossing; some steep, loose rock on the upper part of Selwyn E Ridge and on the "shale topped minor point" between Selwyn and Dawson (both of which required short bits of 5th class climbing); and a few loose wet avalanches size 1-1.5, minor rockfalls, and a cornice fall, all in steep south facing terrain late in the day.

Heavy rain on July 25 deposited some snow above 3000 m which was still there on July 26.

Images:

1. Wheeler NW Ridge

2. Lower Deville Icefield

3. Fox Glacier

4. Illecillewaet Icefield

5. Mt Dawson summit block

6. Bishop Range

7. Sun cups 😬

8. Terminal Pk S Face

9. Sapphire Glacier and environs

10. Glacier Circle river crossing

Read More ACMG

We spent several days in the south end of Glacier Park last week, returning July 26. Excellent conditions were found on Mt Wheeler NW Ridge and the Selwyn-Dawson Traverse (east ridges of both peaks). There was good snow coverage and crevasse bridging on both the Deville and Illecillewaet Icefields.....

07/28/2025

Mt Alberta

Takeshi Tani - Monday, July 28, 2025 - 09:00

Mountain Conditions Report – Mt. Alberta (July 22–27, 2025)

Objective: Mt. Alberta via the Japanese Route

General Conditions:

I climbed Mt. Alberta with four climbers from Japan during a 6-day trip marked by unstable alpine conditions and fresh snowfall. No clear skies were observed throughout the trip, and visibility was consistently limited due to persistent cloud cover.

Weather:

• Overcast and cold with no direct sun

• Approximately 20 cm of new snow above 3000 m

• No significant warming trend observed

Route Conditions:

Approach:

Travel below the Woolley Shoulder was unstable due to saturated ground and melting ice beneath loose rock. Several spontaneous rockfalls were witnessed in this area.

Japanese Route:

• Snow-covered from mid-route upward

• Final pitches in the Japanese gully required sustained snow and ice climbing

• Crampons and ice tools were necessary from mid-route to summit

Descent:

• Additional pitons and nuts were added to reinforce rappel anchors

• Some stations were buried or marginal—recommend carrying extra pitons and cord to supplement anchors

Summary:

Mt. Alberta is currently in serious condition. Fresh snow and sustained cold temperatures turned the upper route into a snow and ice climb. The approach terrain below Woolley Shoulder poses increased rockfall hazard due to undermined and melting ice. Rappel descent demands extra caution and anchor assessment.

Takeshi Tani

ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide

Read More ACMG

Mountain Conditions Report – Mt. Alberta (July 22–27, 2025) Objective: Mt. Alberta via the Japanese Route General Conditions: I climbed Mt. Alberta with four climbers from Japan during a 6-day trip marked by unstable alpine conditions and fresh snowfall. No clear skies were observed throughout t...

Association of Canadian Mountain Guides

08/07/2025

08/05/2025

08/03/2025

07/30/2025

07/29/2025

07/29/2025

07/29/2025

07/28/2025

07/28/2025

07/28/2025

07/28/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share