Originally planning to ski up Bruins Bowl and over to the north side if the snow looked good – I changed destinations when it became obvious that the overnight freeze was not as deep as I had hoped for.
The crust was 5-10 cms thick with 30-40cms of wet and weak snow below that – though the crust carried your weight on skis it was breaking down quickly on solar aspects, and I noted a couple of small (size 1.0) loose wet avalanches off of South East aspects by 1030 am.
I found good skiing on Balu pass with a more supportive crust and great corn – after a short run there, I ascended the West ridge of Cheops to access the NW bowl (also known as Cheops 5). The sun had softened the west aspect enough to allow for easy trackesetting, though I still used my ski crampons for better bite on the underlying crust.
On the North aspect I found settled dry powder for the first 100 vertical meters of the steep couloir entrance, after which there was great corn to the valley – the crust carried (barely) all the way out the valley if you hung on the shaded side of the drainage.
Another guide who was up the Asulkan drainage confirmed the shallow freeze there, likewise they changed objectives and ended up ascending Youngs Peak. He reported powder on the summit headwall then a breakable crust that transitioned into more great corn skiing.
I doubt that things froze well last night and this afternoon it is overcast in Revelstoke – so things don’t look great for tomorrow either.
If you get a good freeze and early start (and don’t hang out under some of those remaining massive cornices)– there is some great skiing left out there!
Cheers,
Scott Davis
ACMG Mountain Guide