[MCR] Fire Cut Line North of Mt. Stanley, Kootenay National Park

Went to the fire cut line just off Hwy 93 past the continental divide for a couple of afternoon turns. The clear cut line is well visible and quickly approachable from the road and gets skied regularly since it was about 2 summers ago. Cold temperatures in the morning (-20C) and warming up a bit with overcast that developed around noon. We could see occasional wind transport at ridgeline with southerly winds in the pm. No avalanche activity observed, except some sluffing in some of the steeper start zones of the big avalanche paths on the other side of HWY 93 (Mt. Wymper).

 

Surprising to me were two things:

The snow pack was only 50 - 70cm thick and very weak. Basal depth hoar and lots of faceting throughout the snow pack topped by 5 mm surface hoar crystals. The strongest part of the snow pack is a 1 finger, 20cm thick "mid-pack", which collapsed at times, making the skiing pretty hazardous given the chances to get your skis caught on rocks and roots along the ski line. No November crust to be found anywhere?

 

Upon return, we found the rear window of our car shattered - probably by a rock from a passing truck. There is not much space on the sideline for parking to begin with. Maybe we should have listened to the Wardens that we talked to earlier, who warned us of this very hazard! You were right, Percy! Probably best to park at the trailhead for Stanley Valley or Continental Divide and do the longer approach?

 

Cheers, 

 

Jorg Wilz

 

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