[MCR] Wapta Icefields, April 20, 2007

Spent the last six days on the Wapta Icefields with Jeff Bullock.

 

We had a little bit of snow each day for a total of about 25cms with limited wind or sun affect making for really nice ski conditions.  Overnight temperatures dropped to around -5'C. Daytime freezing levels rose to around 2400m so below this in the afternoon the surface snow was moist but still offered easy ski and travel conditions on a firm base.  Snow depth on the glaciers ranged from 2.5m to over 3m.

 

We saw a few slab avalanches and cornice failures off of steep N aspects in the past couple of days due to wind loading at ridge tops, as well as some moist snow avalanches on S aspects when the sun came out.  One skier triggered avalanche was reported to us a few days ago on a steeper wind loaded slope on Mt. Rhonda North.

 

Great time to be up on the Icefields!

Conrad Janzen,

Mountain Guide with Yamnuska Mountain Adventures

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