Conditions Report -- January 21, 2009

RED ROCK CANYON:

--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.

--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

A climber on Abbey Road (5.5)
Photo by Jason Martin

--The late exit and overnight permit number for Red Rock Canyon is 702-515-5050. If there is any chance that you will be inside the park after closing, be sure to call this number so that you don't get a ticket.

--The hours to the scenic drive recently changed. The BLM has begun to open the loop at 7 AM in order to save money. Please call Mark Tenaka-Sanders, the Las Vegas Field Office manager at 702-515-5365 to complain.

JOSHUA TREE:

--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Par k.

--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.

Eric Braswell on Sail Away (5.8)
Photo by Paulina Vashavskaya

--The climber's coffee program runs every Saturday morning and will begin to run both Saturday and Sunday mornings beginning in February. This program takes place in the Intersection Rock parking area and allows climbers and rangers to exchange ideas and information. Climbers generally meet at around eight in the morning.

NORTHWEST:

--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

Stacy Moon skiing Mount Baker's Easton Glacier on Saturday
Photo by Toby Tortorelli

--Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

--Webcam for Leavenworth and the Stuart Range.

--Forecast for Mount Rainier.

Sunrise over Gibraltar Rock on the Gibraltar Ledges Route on Mount Rainier on Saturday
Photo by Matt Clifton

--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.

--Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth and Highway 2.

John Mauro, Josh Stern and Jim Cronan traverse Eightmile Mountain
Mount Stuart is in the background.
Photo by Matthew Peters

--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest m ay be found here.

--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.

John Plotz on the First Complete Winter Ascent of the Backbone (IV, 5.9) on Dragontail Peak.
Photo by Ade Miller -- For more cool shots see Ade's Website

--After all the crazy weather in the Pacific Northwest, a high pressure inversion made it's way into the area. And though the warm air didn't lead to stellar ice, it still lead to a lot of ascents. Perhaps the most interesting ascent over the weekend took place on Dragontail Peak. This party made the first complete winter ascent of the Backbone Ridge on Dragontail. This party climbed the Gibraltar Ledges route on Mount Rainier. And t his party -- which included former AAI Guide Gene Pires -- climbed the South Face of the Tooth.

--The inversion didn't lead to great ski conditions. Indeed, it was quite icy in the backcountry over the weekend...but nobody stayed inside and a lot of parties got out skiing all over the range. This party skied Mount Snoqualmie and Red Mountain. This party skied Mount Baker's Easton Glacier. And this party skied Eightmile Mountain above Leavenworth.

--So this is weird, the National Park Service is counting skiers who use the chairlifts at the Crystal Mountain Ski resort who access the backcountry. The NPS sees the use of the resort as a means to access the backcountry inside the Mount Rainier National Park as a violation of Crystal's Commercial Use Authorization. Because they consider this to be commercial use on park lands, they have been trying to limit access. To read more, click here and here.

Alice Bremmer on Mount Baker's Easton Glacier
Photo by Stacy Moon

--Speaking of Mount Rainier, it appears the the road to Paradise will only be open on weekends and holidays until the spring. To read more, click here.

--The Forest Service has delayed opening the Mount Index Road (Forest Service Road 6020) until possibly Friday. It is now open temporarily to local residents 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily.

SIERRA:

--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.

--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite National Park.

A climber sending in Lee Vining a couple of weeks ago.
Photo by Rob Yang

--Though it's still not in prime condition, parties are climbing in Lee Vining. This party made their way in a few weeks ago and found plenty of stuff to do.

ALPS:

--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.

--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.

ALASKA RANGE:

--Forecast for Denali

--Webcam for Denali National Park.

--The Alaska season is over until April of 2009, but we are already in the process of gearing up for it. We are now accepting applications for our 2009 Denali expeditions.