February 28th, 2014
Hello
I have been guiding and poking around in quite a few areas within the vicinity of Golden this week.
Looking at the snowpack and how the Feb 10th layer is healing.
I've been as far West as Bostock creek in Glacier park. In this area, the February 10th layer is producing no result or at the far end of hard results. It is down about 90-120cm's. At tree line and below I have looked on all but North aspects.
Around the Info centre at Roger's Pass, the results have been consistently the same. Hard results,
similar depth, same aspects.
Around the Selkirk's, this layer is starting to bond. There is also evidence of aggressive ski tracks in bigger alpine features I have noticed, that also back up this theory….. Things are healing. I not sure about the North aspect though.
On the East side of Glacier, I was skiing in the vicinity of the East side of Mount Tupper. I dug twice around tree line on South and East aspects. Test results where similar to the other areas West, in Glacier. But, the difference in this area is significant evidence of wind effect on the upper snowpack. The upper snowpack felt hallow and funky. With numerous density changes in the upper 50 cm's. This produced moderate snow pit test results. The wind effect is related to the cold temperatures we've experienced to the East. The McDonald weather station info this week, backs this up.
Around the Purcell's (Golden) and Emerald Lake (Yoho) the February 10th layer is producing test results on the easier side of moderate, with a sudden collapse character. The depth of this layer varies around 40-70 cm's. I have had a lot of whumpfing in these area's, this week. Looking at the pit wall, the February 10th interface is completely obvious. There's little bond happening on this layer, unlike on the central and west side of Glacier.
Because of the cold weather on the Eastern side of the Columbia's and the Rockies, this layer has not had a chance to properly heal. There is still a very good chance of skier triggered avalanches.
East of the Selkirk's, I have no confidence in any big alpine/tree line terrain. Which hasn't previously been skied to moguls... For the matter, I still have no confidence in any big, steep, terrain anywhere around here….No matter how much I dig.
Be careful around the Western Rockies and Purcell's this weekend.
Jonny Simms
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide
1(604)815-9225
Golden, BC