[MCR] Coast Mountaints, Hope Creek, Snow and Avalanche conditions

Subject: [MCR] Coast Mountaints, Hope Creek, Snow and Avalanche conditions
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 01:23:45 +0000
Howdy,

We spent the last two days skiing up in the Hurley Pass area. This afternoon there was temperature spike and the freezing level went all the way up to about 1650m, with rain about 100m below that. Above 1800m the snow was light and nice, below was not.

Foot penetration was about 65 cm and ski penetration was about 40cm for most of the weekend. Yesterday things were quite stable but today with 30cm of new heavy snow everything started to slide. We had several naturals to size 2 around us and every little roll we skied popped out.

We ski cut things until about mid day knowing that it was only storm snow that was sliding, but after a couple slopes in different areas and aspects stepped down another 40-45cm to the Dec 14 layer, we backed off moved out of avalanche terrain for the rest of the day.

The slopes that stepped down were unsupported and quite steep (35+ deg) and at or below treeline. With another 20-30cm of snow forecasted for tonight I will really watch my step tomorrow.

Conny Amelunxen
MG



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