[MCR] Coast Avalanche and Snowpack Observation Flight

Hey again,

I did another observation flight yesterday. I flew from Squamish southeast to the Harrison-Fraser Divide, up to the Stein, over Lizzie Lake zone, south of the Joffre, north of of Mt Currie, to the eastern edge of the Pemberton Icecap and south to Squamish. Here are some observations:

·         It was one of the warmest days of the year with temperatures of up to 15 degrees at valley bottom and a freezing level peaking around 2400m.

·         Although all zones received lots of snow in the past three weeks one area saw significantly more snow in the recent storm. This area  started at the north end  Pitt lake and extended East and South to the Lower mainland and over beyond the Hope into the Cascades of Manning park.

·         Several size 1-2.5 solar avalanches and snowballing were noted on southerly aspects to ridge top.

·         Except for one southwest facing Sz 3.5 no recent (prev 72 hours) slab avalanche were noticed anywhere on the coast but large destructive cycles occurred during the storm systems in the previous two weeks.

            -A first cycle occurred between March 15-19^th throughout the coast with slides to small size 4, possibly stepping down to the Feb 08 or 16 layers.

            -A second cycle occurred north of the Squamish latitude east to west as well as south of that latitude in the area east of the Stave drainage. This cycle likely occurred around 20-21^st most likely on the Mar 07/08 laye with slides up to Sz 3.5

·         Although partially covered, several large crowns were still visible from these events and looked roughly 100-250cm deep in places.

·         Most of the crowns were low in the start zones and massive amounts of hangfire remain.  In many cases less than 50% of the slopes slid.

·         The glitter of surface hoar was visible on protected north aspects from the air!

Minimal cornice activity was observed on the flight but the cornices are large and looming. Lots of glide cracks were opening up especially east of the Pitt River and south of the Joffre area.

The amount of mountain recreation and industry work was impressive. More impressive were some of the places people were going! (?) Some examples:

1.  A couple of fellows were high marking the same slope the killed the Squamish man earlier this month. The slope was completely reloaded with no evidence of previous slides. As the sleds climbed a stream of snowballs was initiated in the warm surface snow. Their 3 friends were sitting on their sleds watching from give or take 30 meters of the terminus of the previous fatal slide.

2.  Fresh skin tracks under even fresher wet slide debris on south aspects in the Lizzy Lake area

3.  Road clearing machinery parked in slide paths that were bare of snow at road level but had large start zones with cornices hanging above.

Be safe out there, although it is spring and things are settling out there is still a lot of snow in the hills!

Cheers,

Conny Amelunxen

MG

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