[MCR] Campbell Icefields Dec 31-Jan 7

Subject: [MCR] Campbell Icefields Dec 31-Jan 7
Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2006 21:50:42 -0800
Just back from a week up at the Campbell Icefields Chalet north-east of Golden, 
B.C.  Dec 31-Jan 7.  A great place to spend new years.

Quite a stormy week with 40-60cm of new snow throughout the week (35cm of which 
fell on the evening of Jan 5).  Only 2 days of weather good enough to go 
explore 
in the high country (Jan 2 & 7), the rest of the days were spent close to 
treeline so we could see something.  Fog, fog and more fog was the theme of the 
week... and snow!

We had 2 skier controlled avalanches (size 1.0) on convex south facing alpine 
terrain during the snow and wind storm on the 5th, snow that had any wind 
effect 
at all was reacting very easily with 15-20 degree slopes cracking and moving 
slightly underfoot (some fractures travelling up to 15m).  This reactivity 
settled out quickly and the snowpack on the 6th was considerably more stable.  
No natural activity was observed at all during the week.  Wind effect was 
restricted to alpine terrain only.

Deeper down in the snowpack (around 50cm from the surface) we found the mid 
December facet layer, which in this particular area was rounding out well and 
sheers were in the moderate range with a resistent fracture character (CTM 15 
RP).  The november facet/crust layer was present around 150cm from the surface 
with hard, sudden fractures present (CTH 23 RP on SC size 2.0).  There was, on 
average, around 2m of snow on the ground at treeline, up to 220cm probed on the 
Campbell Icefields proper.

We skied some rather committing terrain during the week but it was entirely on 
slopes that had previously avalanched during the Dec 24 event.  We turned away 
from one large north facing slope at 2500m (around 37degrees) during the week 
due to the shears in the snowpack, lack of past natural activity on the slope 
and a rather committing kick turn on the slope over a rather large drop.  In 
general we were cautious with our terrain decisions throughout the week if the 
slope had no evidence of previous natural activity.

When we left on the 7th I was calling the avalanche danger C/M/L with caution 
in 
lee terrain.  

Ian Tomm
Assistant Ski Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association