We spent Monday-Thursday skiing in Rogers Pass.
The beginning of the week saw the tail end of a major storm and avalanche cycle. On Monday we observed several avalanches in Connaught Creek including large windslabs, one a meter thick, that were hitting the valley bottom from the north face of Mt Cheops. There was also a skier triggered size 1.5, 30 cm thick, on a steep convex roll in Grizzly Shoulder that day.
On Tuesday we skied conservative tree lines in lower NRC Gully and just along the trim line on MacDonald West Shoulder. The day started out with "upside down" storm snow but we could feel it settling over the day and the skiing and avalanche conditions improved.
On Wednesday in Bonney Trees the snow was definitely "right side up" with great skiing. No wind effect in this area. Thursday we did a short tour to Christiana Glades and found the same. On the walk out the snow on the McGill side of Bostock Creek was moist on the sun.
By the end of the week our main concerns were cornices and lingering windslabs in the alpine/treeline, and tree wells and creek holes at lower elevations.
Mark Klassen IFMGA/ACMG Mountain Guide
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