Went out for a quick ski tour up Cornice Ridge in Kootenay Pass today.
Much better conditions than I expected. Here are a few observations
from my trip.
There was about 80cm of snow at the highway and around 110cm up higher.
The air temperature was -5C during the afternoon and the wind was
moderate out of the south-west. The wind was transporting a significant
amount of snow building up the cornices on the ridge (that's why it's
called Cornice Ridge).
I dug a hasty pit at 1900m and found a thin melt/freeze crust down
40cm. The snow below that was well consolidated. I dropped in off the
summit of the ridge and skied down in the bowl below. With the wind the
new snow just below the ridge was starting to form a soft slab, but the
only concerns I had was the sloughing with each turn. After my run, I
gained the ridge again and skied back to the car. I managed to leave
some p-tex on a couple of poorly covered rocks on the lower part of the
ridge. Be careful down low.
It was a busy day in the Pass, the parking lot was as full as I've ever
seen it. Great start to the season.
Craig Hollinger,
ACMG Assistant Ski Guide.
_______________________________________________
These observations and opinions are those of the person who submitted them. The
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continuity. Conditions differ greatly over time and space due to the variable
nature of mountain weather and terrain. Application of this information
provides no guarantee of increased safety. Do not use the Mountain Conditions
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