Just back from five days of setup and staff orientation at a cat ski
operation near Meadow Creek BC. Here are some observations from the field.
Mostly NE facing tree-line and below tree-line terrain was explored with
a brief excursion into SE facing alpine terrain (1500m to 2300m
elevation range). Temperatures started out relatively mild then cooling
to the minus 10C range on Thursday and remaining cool through
yesterday. Winds were calm picking up to light from the SE on Friday in
the alpine.
The December 7 surface hoar/facets/crust layer was found down about 70cm
down in several pits dug on the NE aspect at 2100m. This layer was
difficult to trigger. In one case, I took the column off the pit wall
and tried, unsuccessfully to break it cleanly over my knee. An easier
shear was found about 30cm down at the recent storm snow interface.
This layer failed in the pits with moderate tap tests. It also was
obvious with ski cutting, but failed only on steep unsupported rolls
with a lot of jumping. As this layer tightens up and with more loading,
this layer could become easier to trigger. No other avalanche activity
was observed.
Surface hoar started to grow in all areas we visited after the
temperatures dropped on Thursday. The crystals grew to 3-5mm in size
with some reaching 10-12mm before the light dusting Saturday night
partly buried them. In the alpine with the winds on Friday, the surface
hoar was either blown away or growth prevented. With the forecast new
snow, this could become another problem layer in the future.
In general we had great early season skiing. The well-settled mid-pack
carried our skis well and the loose storm snow on top made for some
great powder skiing. The main hazards were loose snow sloughing in
steeper (35+ degrees) terrain and the low snow coverage below 1700m
hiding stumps, rocks, fallen trees and alder. Despite the relatively
good stability, we skied cautiously: avoided steep convex rolls and
exposed only one person at a time on steep, open slopes.
Enjoy the holiday season and play safely out there.
Craig Hollinger,
ACMG Assistant Ski Guide.
_______________________________________________
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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