[MCR] Rogers Pass - Then(Nov.1/06) and Now (Nov.3/06)

I went for a hike/ski tour up the Asulkan valley on Nov.1 and here are some observations I made that day.

 

Valley bottom had progressively 10-30cm. of snow cover – the lower 2/3rds was a strong melt freeze crust and the upper 1/3^rd was fluffy powder snow.

 

The crust pretty much carried to around 2000m. (6600ft.) above which it quickly disappeared – average snowdepth at this elevation was @60cm. – the upper 25cm was again fluffy powder snow. Once I climbed above treeline the snowpack depth was highly variable due to the high winds that accompanied the earlier snowfall – I didn’t travel any higher than the elevation of the Asulkan hut (@2200m – 7200 ft.).

 

I did note a number of size 2 avalanches that had released to the glacier ice on some steep rolls on the Sapphire Col Glacier. I could also trigger sluffs easily by pushing the soft snow with my skis on top of the crust – meaning that it is now well bonded to the crust for sure.

 

As Larry mentioned in his earlier summary the skiing was nothing short of early season conditions with numerous hazards related to shallow snowpack conditions.

 

That was then – and this is NOW.

 

I am not sure what Rogers Pass has received as of this time but there is approximately 30cm. of heavy snow in the Revelstoke townsite that has fallen overnight – so if you are thinking of going skiing this weekend (that would be the guy on your shoulder with the devils horns speaking to you) – think again – the precipitation is expected to continue throughout the weekend and into Monday with climbing freezing levels – given what I saw the other day I am sure that anything that is worth skiing would be quite unstable with this additional heavy snowload – so listen to that other little guy on your shoulder (the one with the halo) and give the weekend a miss.

 

Best of the coming ski season to you,

Cheers,

 

Scott Davis

Mountain Guide