Conditions are slowly shifting towards spring in the northern Coast
Mountains. There are 140 cm of snow at the Burnie Glacier Chalet and
more than 350 cm on the Solitaire Glacier.
There was a notable avalanche that released spontaneously some time last
week (see attached photo). This is a frequently skied moraine slope at
an elevation of 1300 m with a southerly aspect. The avalanche was a soft
wet slab, 200 m wide, fracture line depth 60-90 cm, ran for 80 vertical
metres, size 2.5. Note the numerous old ski tracks that end at the
fracture line. I was unfortunately unable to investigate the fracture
line further, but assume that it ran on the 8 March interface.
At the higher elevations, the snowpack is still far from isothermal even
in the southerly aspects. Several crusts shear when tested, but there
were no other natural avalanches and ski cutting released only sluffs.
There were no notable cornice failures. Skiing quality was good with
powder on the colder aspects and incipient corn where sunny.
--
Christoph Dietzfelbinger
Mountain Guide, Bear Mountaineering and Burnie Glacier Chalet
Box 4222
Smithers, B.C. V0J 2N0 Canada
tel. 250-847-3351 fax: 250-847-2854
info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.bearmountaineering.ca
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