Just back from a weekend trip in the Clachnacudainn Icefield in Mt. Revelstoke Park.
We had fortunate timing with the ridge of high pressure that lasted from Friday to Sunday – a must for this totally Alpine area.
Temps were quite cold to start (-10 Friday AM), and the surface crust that was present on all but steeper Northerly aspects did not break down much on Friday.
Saturday things became more spring like and we even mixed up the powder skiing with a couple of amazing corn runs on Mt. Klotz’s SE aspect (closure ended Apr.15).
Sunday was even warmer but N. Aspects still held their powder with corn skiing on all other aspects once the crust softened up in the early am.
Nothing unexpected as far as avalanches, with loose moist/wet slides in the afternoon on steeper solar aspects starting Saturday, but most of what we saw was limited to the recent snow over the last buried crust, nothing running very deep at all. Northerly aspects produced minimal sluffing on steep slopes, though it was still a concern on some of the larger steep N. aspects we skied on Mt. Klotz.
The interesting thing was the formation of Surface Hoar(up to 5mm.) and the presence of large stellar snow crystals on the surface, quite often right over the crust – something to keep an eye on if we get a significant load in the near future, it may change the stability on those sheltered ALP N. faces, which is exactly where all the great skiing will be!
Last night the ridge broke down and we had some precipitation overnight, though it didn’t seem enough to be a major issue.
Have a great spring,
Scott Davis
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide