[MCR] Selkirk Mtns - Rogers Pass - Bruins Pass Nov.2/2011

Greetings early season keeners,

 

I couldn’t afford a helicopter, so went for a tour with fellow guide Anne Keller up Connaught Ck. today, eventually  ending up at Bruins Pass via 8812 bowl.

 

Weather was broken cloud with no snowfall, and I noted moderate wind transport from the west along the higher Alpine ridges (above 2300m.)

 

Quite good early season coverage (emphasis on EARLY), with @60-80cms of snow in the valley bottom and upwards of 120cms once you are above 2000m.

 

The snowpack feels like a typical well settled early season snowpack, with no significant shears observed.

 

There are 2 exceptions to the above statement:

- one is some isolated wind slabs (approx. 10cms thick) that had formed higher up where the wind had some effect, may be more prominent in the higher alpine which I didn’t observe.

 

-  the second, which is more of a concern, is a well developed Surface Hoar layer(those feathery crystals that form on the surface during clear calm weather). This layer formed in October and was probably buried October 20^th – we observed this layer in a profile done Oct.27/2011 at 2300m. on McCrae Pk. (@ 30km. south of Revelstoke in the Selkirks)

 

– (I know not everyone is familiar with this all these test – but I include it for those who are)- we found well preserved crystals 10-15mm. in size positioned 45cms from the ground, which produced clean shears(Sudden Planar) in 2 compression test at the high end of the moderate range, we also tried an Extended Column test which did not propagate across the wider column – then we did a Propagation Saw test which failed once we had cut just 25cms into the weak layer and the failure propagated to the end of the column.

 

-          What that means to me is that I would be a bit leery of steeper glaciated features above 2300m. (like Youngs Peak Headwall and Mt. Rogers), until I get a better handle on the distribution and reactivity of this layer.

No significant avalanche activity observed today.

 

Cheers,

Scott Davis

ACMG/IFMGA Mountain 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.