[MCR] Rockies-Polar Circus, Feb 17th, 2015

Subject: [MCR] Rockies-Polar Circus, Feb 17th, 2015
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2015 18:12:34 -0700
Turned around above the pencil on Polar Circus today around 10 am. Below this 
point the snow was almost all either stone hard avalanche debris or spectacular 
snow/ice. On the traverse though, there was still a facetted base to the 
snowpack and some recent windslabs. It was not terribly scary at 10am but with 
daytime heating it felt likely it would/could get scary.

Extensive avalanche control had been done on and above Polar Circus by Parks 
Canada as part of last weeks recovery effort. It is probably about as safe as 
it gets on the lower route and above the route but the effects of daytime 
heating on the shallow facetted areas and the recent small windslabs provided 
just a bit too much uncertainty in a very high consequence place for us.

Larry Stanier
ACMG Mountain Guide


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