[MCR] Howsons 26 Feb 08

Subject: [MCR] Howsons 26 Feb 08
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:21:21 -0800
Conditions are changing rapidly and in ways that I have not seen before. We skied Loft Peak yesterday and found surface hoar to size 2 and 3 all the way to the ridgetops in all aspects that were not affected by wind. We actually skied off the summit in surface hoar. That is now buried by 20 cm of new snow. There was little wind to destroy the surface hoar. Today we skied the north flank of Tom George Mountain and the Solitaire Ski Peak. The new snow sheared easily on facets. It is quite dense (100 kg/m3) and cohesive. Today there was not enough new snow yet to form slabs in skiable terrain, but I don't think that time is far off. There was no visibility all day, but we heard several avalanches off Hut Peak. At least the skiing was very good for those who had reference ...

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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

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