[MCR] Whistler/Blackcomb backcountry conditions

Went for a tour out to Decker Mountain today. Surprisingly there is a fair bit of ski-able slopes out behind Blackcomb at the moment, although there are alot of hazards out there too. 

The only really good places to ski are were there was some snow left over from last winter or on glaciers. 

All the glaciers we skied on today (Decker and Spearman Gl.) had many open crevasses and you had to be quite careful were you went. I sure wouldn't want to be out there in a white out! We probed around a fair bit and found an average of 120cm's over the summer firn. With the high winds and rain we had earlier in the season it has made a fairly good "feel" on the glaciers, but don't be fooled 120cms over a crevasse bridge really isn't that much. When heading out on any glacier right now I'd make sure I had a rope and harness and a long probe for probing.

We also notice quite a bit of wind effect throughout the alpine, some wind slabs that were developing were over 1m thick!  We had several settlements throughout the day and saw one skier triggered slab that I would have been wanted to be caught in. 

Of course one of the biggest hazards out there right now are the rocks. Not just for the hazard while skiing, but also if you were caught in any size of avalanche that ran though these hazards it would not be good. 

There is some good skiing out here, but just be careful and prepared for these not so normal times.

 

Craig McGee, ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide
cell 604 902 0296
craigskibum@xxxxxxxxx

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