[MCR] Rogers Pass ski touring

We skied Perly Rock on Monday and Young's Peak yesterday under mostly clear skies both days.

 

Previous down flowing winds off the Illecillewaet had been enough to build variable windslab to 25cm thick on the approach slopes to Lookout Notch making the descent virtually unskiable.

 

Perly Rock provided decent snow with little wind effect.  

 

Solar aspects everywhere in the Pass now have been thoroughly cooked with a breakable crust.  Some folks had been getting turns in on the sun softened slopes of the Ravens too late in the day which resulted in 2 wet, loose snow avalanches.  Timing was everything as numerous large slides were ripping out of south and west slopes in the warm afternoons.

 

The convexity of the Dome Glacier was riddled with tracks forcing skiers further looker's right for fresh snow but note the steepness of terrain there and the large crevasse in the photo below.

 

The Seven Steps of Paradise were also seeing a lot of traffic with perhaps 40 tracks now.

 

Sluffing on this steep pitch was inevitable.  Note the far looker's left track caused sluffing that ran the length of the face and over a crevasse (along with a few ski tracks).

Late yesterday skiers dropped in to the unskied steeps even further left causing it to avalanche about 20m wide and scour the face uncovering the large rock seen above the crevasse.  

 

Great skiing to be found out there for sure but be mindful of aspect and time of day.  Good route selection is key to avoid getting pushed into more hazardous terrain in search of fresh snow.  Lots to be had out there if you keep your options open. 

 

Some impressive cornices and cornice debris to be found as well.  Heads up.

 

Cheers,

Shaun King  ACMG / UIAGM Mountain Guide

Mountain Sense Guiding & Instruction

www.mountainsense.ca 

www.facebook.com/mountainsense

 

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