[MCR] Roger's Pass and Benedict Creek

Observations from Rogers Pass and Benedict Ck. April 4-12

ACMG Ski Guide Exam

 

Weekly Summary

 

Weather

The week consisted of mostly overcast to broken sky conditions.  With convective activity we received about 5cm of new snow per day in the alpine through the week, bringing HST up to 40-45cm over the April 2^nd interface.  Winds were generally light to moderate with periods of strong from the SW-NW.  FZLV started off around 1700m lowering towards the end of the week to 1200m.  We experienced alpine lows of -10c and high’s of 0c.

 

Snowpack & Avalanche Concerns

As the week started the layers of concern were April 2^nd, Mar 22 & Mar 2^nd in the upper snowpack, and with the Feb 10^th & basal facets below.  On April 6^th a Sc sz 1.5 on a Westerly aspect at 2200m below Perly Rock illustrated the weakness of the April 2^nd layer on solar aspects.  As the week continued we gained confidence in these upper snowpack layers.

 Moderate westerly winds through the week re-distributed the recent HST, creating WSL in isolated lee features and near ridgelines that bonded well to old surfaces. Rising freezing levels through the day brought moist snow up 1800m creating a supportive crust in the am with diurnal swings.

Several whumphs were felt through the week in shallow snowpack areas near moraines in the alpine.  The snowpack stability and avalanche hazard improved through the week starting off with Fair Stability and Considerable Hazard, trending to VG/Moderate by April 12^th.

 

 

Hazards & Concerns

Crevasse hazard was greater than usual for this time of the year due to variable distribution of HS in the alpine, and warm previous summer.  For example the Illecillewaet & Bonney Glaciers have much bigger and more exposed crevasses than usual.   Cornices are well developed and continued to grow and fail through the week.  Otherwise flat light in the alpine with wind lips/scoops and variable surface conditions created minor hazard to ski traffic.

 

General Comments

We generally skied in the alpine through the week up to 2750m trying to avoid skiing below 1600m.  As we built confidence in the snowpack towards the end of the week we skied ALP & TL terrain to 48 deg.  We primarily skied on northerly aspects through the week.  We feel that we have a well settled Spring snowpack, and that great skiing can be found on northerly aspects TL & above.

 

Daniel Morton

Lucas Holtzman

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