I went for a short tour off Whistler Mt. today. It was a warm (-3 mid day) stormy day with a short break in the weather during the early afternoon. We found the skiing to be really good. At around 1800m (Tree Line) there is enough snow depth (averaging around 1m) to make comfortable, careful and not too stressful turns in open meadows and on the summer groomed runs.
There was lots of widespread whoomfing between 1600-1900m. Almost every slope settled loudly under our weight. I tried to ski cut smaller features but could not release any avalanches. The ski penetration was 20-30 cm, and foot penetration about 70cm.
Dug a pit at 1780m on a NE aspect slope. Snow depth here was 90cm. The most notable feature was the interface between the November 4 crust and the more recent storms snow. The recent deposits had accumulated a 60cm slab of Fist (at the surface) through 1Finger hardness snow. This is on top of a 10cm layer of 4 Finger hardness facets (1.5mm crystals) which sits loosely on the Nov 5 crust.
An Extended Column Test had a fracture propagate across the entire column on the 18th tap (ECTP18) and displaced the column. The fracture happened in the facets just above the Nov 5 crust about 30cm above the ground. I have attached a picture, the Nov 5 crust is the darker snow at the bottom.
The weather conditions did not permit observation of recent avalanche activity and we did not feel like getting involved in steeper terrain so I never witnessed any avalanches, but I think there is definitely now enough snow to permit a Avalanche Hazard. I’d bet it was on the high side of Considerable. Right now it is pouring rain in the Whistler valley and no doubt the Hazard has gone up.
Feels like ski season!
Dave Sarkany
DSK Guiding
ACMG Ski Guide
SKGABC Level 3 Sea Kayak Guide
604.938.4056
dsarkany@xxxxxxxxx
