|
Spent the past week in the Esplanade Range, NW of
Golden, NE of Roger's Pass.15 to 20cm of storm snow fell the past three
days with some wind, forming soft slab over Feb24 SH. Feb24 SH dwn
20cm and Feb10 SH dwn 35cm remain reactive with sudden fractures in stab tests,
the Feb. 24th layer being very touchy. These layers were responsible
for many skier triggered avalanches on N through E asps at all elevations. One skier had a close call on a
short steep slope N aspect at 1550 meters elevation. The fast running slide
kicked her skis out from under her and she swam for 50M ending up partially
buried to waist.
The solar aspects - S
& E were not as twitchy, but had breakable crust under the new snow, so did
not ski as well.
The buried Feb. 24
surface hoar deserves respect, and may give us grief for a couple of weeks. It
was the cause of many avalanches yesterday (Sat, the 27) in Roger's Pass and
other locations in the Selkirks and Monashees. See Larry Stanier's report from
Monashees.
Be safe. Russell
Lybarger. Ski Guide.
|