Today I checked out the new Hankin Mountain skiing area in the
Kitseguecla drainage. I could not see it all as the visibility was
limited. I could see no avalanche debris in the fading light. The main
risk right now is hitting stumps, rocks and logs as the snowpack is
still shallow this side of the Coast Mountains. At treeline (1300 m)
there were only 110 cm of snow. Most of that is facetted and there is a
layer of surface hoar 37 cm down. This surface hoar is old, but well
visible and a good 3 mm large. It produced moderate sudden planar
shears. It is rare for our area to show surface hoar in the alpine, but
it was sunny and cold for quite a while this winter. It would be good to
investigate the extent of this layer and to be wary of it at least near
treeline. It is now getting just the right amount of load to fail and
allow slab avalanches.
--
Christoph Dietzfelbinger
IFMGA/ UIAGM Mountain Guide - Bear Mountaineering and the Burnie Glacier Chalet
Box 4222 Smithers, B.C. V0J 2N0 Canada
tel. 250-847-3351/ fax 250-847-2854
info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.bearmountaineering.ca
_______________________________________________
These observations and opinions are those of the person who submitted them. The
ACMG and its members take no responsibility for errors, omissions, or lapses in
continuity. Conditions differ greatly over time and space due to the variable
nature of mountain weather and terrain. Application of this information
provides no guarantee of increased safety. Do not use the Mountain Conditions
Report as the sole factor in planning trips or making decisions in the field.
Please check out http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.
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