[MCR] Rockies ...Icefields Parkway Crowfoot Glades, Bow Lake area. Jan

Subject: [MCR] Rockies ...Icefields Parkway Crowfoot Glades, Bow Lake area. Jan 4-7
Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2012 20:27:44 +0000
Spent the past 3 days guiding on the Parkway between Mosquito Creek and Bow Summit.
 
30cm of HST fell on the 4 and 5th with an average temp of -5 and fairly significant winds.  I observed winds slabs in Alpine features and some cornice growth, with continued upper level winds through the 6 and 7th.  Temperatures lowered to -14 overnight on the night of the 6th morning of the 7th.
 
The Dec. surface hoar layer was unreactive to tests at the open areas at Tree Line and below I found it 90 to 110cm down.  The depth hoar/facet combo is up to 40cm at the base, and very easy to feel when you plunge a pole or probe around a bit.  On the North aspects the HS is about 130 at Tree Line and South aspects (suspect) about 70 to 130.  I gave South aspect a miss due to the very obvious scouring Alpine and Tree Line and plenty of exposed rock in open areas Below Tree Line
 
One party skied a burn on the lower South shoulder of cirque peak,  they reported a number of whumphs..yet continued to go into open terrain close to rocky out crops.  It is a good time to notice this kind of obvious clue like whumphing, windslabs, thin snow areas and choose appropriate terrain to travel through.
 
No new avalanches observed yesterday the 7th.  
 
1 Cornice failure above Crowfoot glades did not pull out a slab on the lower fan.
 
Lots of good skiing to be found up there...be cautious on or under windward(southern) slopes and cross loaded thin areas.
 
Merrie-Beth Board
ACMG
Ski and Assistant Alpine 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.