The size 2 skier triggered slab of April 8th (reported by Conrad
Janzen on the MCR, April 9th) spooked me out enough, when I spied it
in the field on the morning of the 9th, we didn't ski into the Baker
Col as planned, but kept our skiing that day to shallower slopes of
the upper Peyto Glacier and below ridgeline.
April 11th got a settlement (whumpf) 50 meters shy of the ridgeline
on the Diableret Glacier and went no higher.
April 12th we could see the tin foil like sheen of sun crusts on all
the southern aspects above treeline in the Little Yoho. Strong
southerly winds began to blow the night, blew over one of our guy's
tele ski (no brake) that went for a wee ski for about 100m below the
hut -stick them in good!
13th strong south winds and sub zero temps until the head of the
Niles glacier, then moist snow sitting on a crust. East face of Mt
Niles spitting size 1 solar sloughs as of 10am, none running over the
bench above the ski track, but spooky to see the cornices up there in
the sun. Looked like a solar cycle had run on the West to SW aspects
late in the day on the 12th, even a size 1.5 slab out on the SW face
of the little peak between Niles and Daly. Moist snow all the way out
and a couple inches of water between the snow and ice on Sherbrooke
Lake, the old ski track was supportive. Several full path size 3
avalanches off of the East side of Mt Ogden, and a number of upper
half path slabs on the West side of the valley (not running as far on
that side). Trail down to Wapta Lake was only icy and fast on the
steepest switchback.
Given the wind I suspect that much of the traverse will be a bit
hammered now, but it is snowing in Banff as I type.
Happy trails
Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures
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