I finished a couple of weeks of work in the S Chilcotin
Mountains yesterday pm. Basically the snowpack was like an eastern Rocky
Mountains pack until the last snow fall – thin, faceted and very weak. Then
it snowed close to a meter and the region experienced a huge avalanche cycle.
Yesterday, when the storm ended, the mountains showed avalanches
size 2 – 4 on all aspects running full path. Almost all mountain sides
where cut with fracture lines that where 1-3 m deep.
I skied only slopes less than start zone angle and stayed
very very well away from overhead hazards. Slopes where still sliding mid day
yesterday (a self guided ski touring party reported a size 4 they probably
triggered)
This is not like a coastal snow pack at all. The stability
and the hazard is not likely to improve quickly. Avalanches can be remotely
started from way below, like valley bottom. And lots of snow will move, I did
not see small avalanches. There are lots of slopes primed to slide. But the ski
quality is good to excellent...
Dave Sarkany
Ski Guide