[MCR] Evening Ridge near Whitewater ski resort, southern Selkirk Mountai

Subject: [MCR] Evening Ridge near Whitewater ski resort, southern Selkirk Mountains
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2013 21:36:04 -0800
Today I ski toured out to the Nose, which is a ridge that extends north from the 'other' side of the Whale's Back on Evening Ridge near Whitewater Ski Resort. I had a fun ski down, but had to ski cautiously for two reasons. The first was low coverage. There are many small trees that have yet to be covered and in many places I had to pick my way down through them. The other reason was the surface hoar buried on November 29. This was the main objective of my trip, to poke around in the snow and get an idea of the extent of this layer.

I found it on southern (solar aspects) slopes and on an east facing slope. I didn't bother looking on northern slopes because I knew it was there based on the snow profile I did in the Whitewater snow study plot on Monday. In all cases, it was 30-50cm down. It was not apparent on some solar slopes that would have received direct sunlight, instead I found a melt/freeze crust. On shaded solar slopes (in the forest) I did find it. And, it was definitely there where I looked on the eastern slope. The snow covering the layer has settled into a moderately cohesive slab. The compression tests I performed were not conclusive, including in the Whitewater study plot, except on the eastern facing slope where the layer failed suddenly with moderate compressions. Hmm, what to make of this?

The surface hoar layer appears to be widespread on all aspects except sunny slopes where it may exist in isolated pockets. It doesn't appear to be too reactive (easy to trigger) except in pockets on certain slopes. While there hasn't been much, if any, natural avalanche activity and little skier traffic to trigger this layer since the storm that buried it, I have to wonder, do we have a sleeping dragon out there?

As the winter progresses and we start to venture out into the backcountry, I feel a cautious approach would be prudent. I know I'll be avoiding steep slopes, convex rolls and unsupported terrain and generally treading lightly on my next few trips.

Craig Hollinger,
ACMG Assistant Ski Guide.
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