Hello ski friends
Interestingly we still hear about areas with a marginal snowpack. Something
that is difficult to imagine after skiing week after week in the Northern
Selkirk Mountains, 45 km northeast of Revelstoke. Today we measured, at
tree-line, a strongly settled snowpack of 250cm to 280cm. All suspected weak
layers are strongly bonding and while skiing no weaknesses have been observed.
Test profiles show a strong snowpack with hard shear results at the January 7th
surface hoar only. All other known persistent weak layers have not reacted to
testing for the past few days. In the alpine we also have observed an
incredibly strong snowpack, 380cm to 450cm well settled snowpack. Several test
profiles over the past days have shown hard and no shear results on the January
7th surface hoar layer, down 70cm to 80cm and no clean shear results on the
deeper persistent layers.
It is good to know that the snowpack in this area is at the time strong and
big. The only concern we have are crevasses. This concern is the result of the
hot and dry summer, the fast moving glacial ice during the summer months,
pulling crevasses apart and making them much wider than what is usual. With the
large snowpack the majority of the crevasses are filled in or have strong
bridges. Still, there are crevasses that are wide open and have to be detoured.
Overall, skiing in the northern Selkirk Mountains is fantastic. Today I enjoyed
together with my ski guests an absolute 5 Star day in the alpine, skiing large
terrain and fun alpine peaks and ridges. Another truly inspiring day ……
Enjoy the great winter and its snow
Ruedi Beglinger
ACMG / IFMGA Mountain Guide
Selkirk Mountain Experience
www.selkirkexperience.com
_______________________________________________
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