[MCR] Rogers Pass conditions March 20-23. Glacier Crest, Bonney, Ross Pk, Lily traverse.

From March 20^th – 23^rd we received a bit of snow which did refresh skied terrain. Not  much wind associated with these intermittent snow showers. We skied mainly North and West aspects. Great snow above 1700M. South and East aspects had sun crust treeline & below. Below 1500M warming snow is getting heavier, verging on upside down in places. Snowpack generally feels stable apart from solar or wind exposed/loaded features.

 

The snowpack is settling fast with warming temps, in places it could be forming a settlement slab. Glide cracks opening up on slabby terrain.

 

March 20^th – Abbott trees & Glacier Crest.  Abbott -  Only one slope facing more NE was good, everything else had sun crust.  Glacier Crest – Excellent conditions but getting wind affected near ridge top.

 

March 21^st – Bonney Morraines-  trackless this day!  Snowpack felt very positive. We put a high up-track above the end of the first Ross peak avalanche runout. This big scary avalanche path  has not yet run, it gets early morning sun, same aspect and features (large start zone, cornices, shallow spots) as the Abbott path that slid to size 3 and took out the up-track earlier this week. Bonney area received heavy skier traffic March 22^nd and 23.

 

March 22^nd- Ross Peak – Very good snow Alpine to treeline and below treeline where sun sheltered. On a steep planar slope ski cutting produced two size 1 soft slab avalanches fracturing 20cm’s down in storm snow. Sun had just hit this. Moist and heavier snow below 1500M.

 

March 23^rd – Lily traverse starting from Asulkan drainage. Excellent conditions throughout. Intense radiation by 1pm in the high alpine. Snow was moist from treeline  on most solar aspects. Stiff breeze at Saphire col otherwise windless. 

Eric Dumerac- Professional Mountain Guide
✆ 403-609-1564 
Mountain Skills Academy 

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