[MCR] Wapta Traverse, March 31 to April 4th, 2008

Spent the last week enjoying the Wapta Icefields Traverse with good skiing and good travel conditions.  Cool temps made it feel more like mid-winter than spring (-7 to -20'C).

 

Glacier coverage was reasonable with 250-280cm in most places on the main glaciers, but several areas seemed shallower than usual. 

 

The late February surface hoar layer was still present 60-80cm down in many locations.  While no recent avalanches were observed on this layer, test results still showed it to be reactive in the moderate to hard range and sudden planar.

 

Skiing out the Sherbrooke Lake exit today the party ahead of us remotely triggered 2 small avalanches on a surface hoar layer down about 20-30cm, on a steep SE facing roll around 2200m.  Whumphs and cracking were also observed on this layer just above treeline. 

 

Below treeline the snow was moist by noon but still provided good travel. 

 

We took fairly conservative ski lines with regard to both crevasses and avalanches as it seems we are not quite into the well settled spring snow conditions yet, but we enjoyed some great skiing!

 

Cheers, Conrad Janzen
IFMGA Mountain Guide
403.678.8336(cell)// 403.760.0887(home)

A person should have wings to carry them where their dreams go, but sometimes a pair of skis makes a good substitute. -Hans Gmoser-

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