Travelled into Peyto Hut on March 25th. Thin, rock hard snow up to the
Moraine from the parking lot thanks to good overnight freeze recovery. The
lake had no water below the snow surface at this time and was quick to
traverse. The moraine had a small windslab release in the usual small gully
climber's right of the boot pack section that looked to be at least 3 days
old. Thin snowpack on the Peyto approach, as thin as 60cm even 1km up from
the toe, but thickening to a more consistent 175cm by about 2600m. Scoured
and windslab in the Baker/Trapper col on the east approach on the 26th, but
a consistent pleasant 20cm of ski pen down the Baker/Wildcat Glacier to
Mistaya lodge. On the 27th, with scattered cloud and strong solar, only
small point releases on solar aspects below 2200m but 2 notable windslab
releases from NE steep slopes. A size 2, 40cm deep slab from below Nexus
peak (2800m) toward the Ophidian glacier, only running down to 30 degree
terrain, and a size 3 windslab, 200m wide, crown avg 100cm, from 2500m
elevation off the ridge immediately south of the Baker/Nexus col, from
steep terrain, again terminating in 30 degree track. The rising freezing
levels and occasional bursts of solar on the 28th created a new melt freeze
crust to 2300m and solar slopes became moist to as deep as 50cm at 2100,
where the HS is still 175cm. With limited visibility it was hard to track
where the activity was coming from but loose snow avalanches, small cornice
failures, and point releases occurred throughout the day, though none
larger than size 2. Also on the 28th, warm temps and precip flooded Peyto
lake, with reported misery for the crossing in water and slush, with some
parties opting for the shore circumnavigation. Our group had a refreeze of
Peyto lake for our exit on the 29th, and were able to skate ski back
across. Good snow for the ski out to 2200m with up to 10cm of fresh snow,
then isothermic below that level. Treacherous, to ground penetration for
our navigation on the moraine descent, then a circuitous route from the
base of the moraine to the lake on rapidly diminishing islands of snow.
Even with the 175cm at Mistaya lodge (2040m), and mostly near zero temps.,
there were sightings of mosquitoes on the 28th, so expect emerging
grizzlies to be an April ski touring hazard.
Landon Shepherd ASG
Max Darrah MG
_______________________________________________
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