Fellow Mountain Guide, Steve Holeczi, and I attempted to ski the
Chester Lake Couloir in Kananaskis Country yesterday, April 26th.
Once into the couloir we found a firm to hard chalky snow surface,
not the best for skiing. We surmised that the couloir had seen a lot
of sloughing recently, and that wind had subsequently pressed the
surface. We turned around 400 meters up and did a lot of side
slipping until the lower couoir, that is more open and less steep,
where we were able to start turning.
Next we skied up to a col just southwest of Mt Chester. This slope
had a size 3 avalanche come out of it earlier this winter and
although that made for a very firm base it also churned up some rocks
that we had to be wary of on the ski down. But back to the col, some
good views of the Ranger Creek ice climbs (below). We did get some
good turns threading the needle between avalanche debris and sun crusts.
Happy trails,
Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
www.barryblanchard.ca
www.yamnuska.com
Ranger Creek
R& D, Lone Ranger and The Chalice and the Blade. _______________________________________________
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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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