[MCR] Selkirk Mountains, Roger's Pass, Connaught Drainage, Oct 30, 2009

Subject: [MCR] Selkirk Mountains, Roger's Pass, Connaught Drainage, Oct 30, 2009
Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 08:13:18 -0800
I was out for an adventure stroll yesterday up towards the Balu Headwall in Rogers Pass. We were able to travel on skis from the hotel but still coverage is minimal
over the rocks.

Temps started off slightly below freezing but that all changed around 1130 @ 1800m when they jumped up to +1 and the snow turned to rain. Travel on the trail (compacted old tracks) was OK but any venture off trail resulted in
ground strikes in the unconsolidated snow.

We continued up to Balu pass (2070m). On our way up the final headwall, we avoided the convex rolls as we were getting easy handshears in the top 10cm & 30cm. On our way down the turns were more like survival tactics, as each bump in the snow held fears of the season ending rock. Needless to say we
made more zigzags than actual figure eights,

The total snow depth varied from 30-50cm @ 1900m. to 50-60cm at the pass. The snowpack was unconsolidated and upside down (meaning denser snow over
less dense snow), 1Finger resistance in the top 20cms. and 4Finger
resistance below that to ground.  Occasional wind drift pockets were
approximately 1m deep. The recent snowfall totaled 10-15cm, with the top 10
becoming moist with the temp & rain.

The ground features were approx 50% covered, so total snow depth appears to
have reached threshold for avalanching in steeper terrain.

On the way out we witnessed one large spindrift (loose) avalanche fall off some cliffs and 1 size 1.5 wet avalanche (see pic 2) on a N aspect. I would
suspect a combination of wind (constant 10-30 knots from the West) and
rising temperatures as the trigger. We observed another recent size 1.5 on
the same slide path - both stopped before they reached the valley bottom
(mid runout).

The drainage was quite busy with early season explorers - we counted 9
people in 4 separate parties. Everybody had turned around at the headwall
when they had encountered the coastal like conditions.

Dave Healey
ACMG Assistant Ski Guide

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