| We returned yesterday from a week skiing in the Selkirks between Ventego Creek and Moberly Pass.
The first few days were exceptionally good spring conditions with supportive crusts and corn on south aspects and powder skiing on north aspects above about 2200 m. On the norths below 2200 m the skiing transitioned seamlessly to good crusts and corn.
The exception was on the south aspect above Bachelor creek, which had melted out below 1550 m, but it only took a couple of hours to travel the 150 m of alders from valley bottom to the snow. The north side and valley bottom were ok travelling even though the snowpack was thin.
On Tuesday April 28 freezing levels shot up above mountain top; we reached Moberly Pass that afternoon and 20 minutes later it started raining accompanied by thunder and lightning. On Wednesday we moved camp up to 2000 m below the Goat Glacier to get above the freezing level and skied from there until our Saturday morning flight out. During that time the temperature varied from +1 to -1, and it snowed at least 40 cm. This snow settled rapidly, and sits on top of very wet snow. Winds were generally calm or light.
We observed few significant avalanches although there were a couple of large loose and wet slides coming out of steep alpine terrain. As well as some isolated cornice falls.
The snowpack averaged over 3.5 m on the glaciers and about 2.7 m at treeline near Moberly Pass.
It was clearing and cooling nicely when we left.
Mark Klassen
ACMG-IFMGA Mountain Guide
|