[MCR] Purcells , Bugaboos skiing

I have been out ski touring around the Bugaboo Lodge for the last three days.

 

On Tuesday I was up Black Forest to 2000m , a SE facing run adjacent to the lodge. After Monday nights' storm that dropped between 20 and 60 new snow overnight, trail breaking was on average 60 cm. ski pen on well supported snow except for below 1800 where occasionally I broke through to weaker snow underneath. On the way up the average depth of snow was 70 to 100 cm up to 2000m. Wednesday I was up Black Forest again, the storm snow had settled to a ski pen of 40cm. and snowpack depth from 2000m to 2400m. was average 100-120cm.

 

For this time of year the snowpack is stronger and better supported than usual in that typically shallow snow area and there were no shears that I was concerned about there.

 

Below 1850 m. with HS thinner, there is definitely weaker snow below Monday's storm snow and although the skiing is fantastic, a light touch on the skis was vital so as not to bury the tips in a most disappointing manner.

 

On Thursday we toured 5km. south of the lodge in Bugaboo Creek on a run called High Five, on N & E facing terrain. At lower elevations, 1750m. to 1950 there was on average more snow , 80 to 120c, and at 2250 we found an average of 140-160 cm. The storm snow had settled to 20 cm. ski penetration and that area has a stronger snowpack without any real significant shears.

 

Avalanches: There were a couple of large avalanches from the Monday storm on very steep N. facing slopes in the North Frenchman area , with fracture lines about a metre deep.  A couple large avalanches came down south facing slopes above the Bugaboo Road near where Kain creek crosses the road that came to within 200m of the road. Locally, around where we've been skiing on quite tame terrain, there were a few small releases to size 1.5 about 20cm deep on very steep N. aspects, that came out during Monday night's storm.

 

Very strong SW winds on Tuesday really pounded all the alpine terrain and lots of wind effect and slabs at treeline and down a couple hundred metres in open terrain below treeline.

 

Generally the snowpack depth and strength is better than usual for this time of year around the Bugs and one could operate a heli program successfully with the snow cover we have. That being said  it isn't a huge snowpack, just better than normal. At the lowest elevations lots of bush is showing, so there has not been the highly coveted heavy wet snowfall yet that lays the bush flat.

 

Let's go skiing! 

 

Dave Cochrane

Mountain Guide

 

 

 

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