A short trip to the Solitaire Meadows today showed 100 cm at the lodge
and 180 cm at 1500 m. There was almost constant whumpfing and cracking,
some over longer distances, as long as we were below timberline in
sheltered areas. I suspect that there is surface hoar buried under the
last 30 cm of snowfall. We saw several size 1.5 to 2.5 soft slabs in a
variety of aspects and elevations. They seemed to be 24 to 36 hours old
and about 30 cm deep. Ski cutting steep E and S slopes did not produce
any avalanches, however. We dug a pit at 1500 m and found a faceted
layer 30 cm down that produced shears. We saw no surface hoar in that
pit, which was just above timberline. There was a crust 120 cm down and
the temperature gradient was rather strong. The snowpack structure is
much less stable than it was at this time last year. At -11 degrees and
deep soft snow, the skiing was good but slow.
--
Christoph Dietzfelbinger
IFMGA/ UIAGM Mountain Guide - Bear Mountaineering and the Burnie Glacier Chalet
Box 4222 Smithers, B.C. V0J 2N0 Canada
tel. 250-847-3351/ fax 250-847-2854
info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.bearmountaineering.ca
_______________________________________________
These observations and opinions are those of the person who submitted them. The
ACMG and its members take no responsibility for errors, omissions, or lapses in
continuity. Conditions differ greatly over time and space due to the variable
nature of mountain weather and terrain. Application of this information
provides no guarantee of increased safety. Do not use the Mountain Conditions
Report as the sole factor in planning trips or making decisions in the field.
Please check out http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.
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