While it has been very warm in the valley, winter is firmly entrenched
above 1000 m. The temperature has not risen above freezing, all the
precipitation fell as snow, and the winds continue strong from the
south. The 6 December raincrust is now 60 cm down at this site at 1500
m, but other parties have found this crust absent or much thinner in
other areas of the Bulkley Valley. There are several shears in the
storm snow, but the moderate temperatures will settle those out
quickly. Of more concern is the continuing loading. There is a lot of
wind transport in the alpine and at timberline, and more snow and wind
are forecast. Expect widespread windslabs that could be more than 60
cm thick in places. A stiff layer in the storm snow could propagate
far if the load increases enough.
--
Christoph Dietzfelbinger
Mountain Guide IFMGA
Bear Mountaineering and the Burnie Glacier Chalet
Box 4222 Smithers, B.C. Canada V0J 2N0
tel. 250-847-3351 fax 250-847-2854
info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.bearmountaineering.ca
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