West aspect at about 2150m just below the ridgecrest. Total snow depth
at our profile site was 170cm. There's about 20cm of low density snow
on a thin melt-freeze crust which has a thin layer of sugary facets or
feathery surface hoar (couldn't tell for sure). This is the March 6
layer being talked about in the GNP avalanche bulletin. About 40cm
below the surface is another, thicker melt-freeze crust with a
prominent layer of sugary faceted snow under it. This is the March 1
layer. in tests, both these layers "dropped", and indicatations are
both these layers are skier-triggerable and will likely propagate (a
slab avalanche is likely).
For those in the know: 20 down ECTP12 SC and 40 down ECTP16 SC.
The remaining 130cm of the snowpack consists entirely of sugary,
faceted grains which gradually get weaker the deeper you go.
This profile looked more like something you'd see in the Rockies than
in the Selkirks...
There are many (up and down) tracks in the slopes around and below our
profile site and no sign of any avalanches. Go figure.
The profile essentially confirmed what we already knew. We followed
the plan we had already made in the morning, that is: We stayed off
the steep lines and skied down the ridge a ways before heading down to
Bostock Creek on moderate to low angle slopes that were well supported.
Skiing was better on low angle slopes where we didn't feel the crusts as much.
Karl Klassen
Mountain Guide
Revelstoke, BC
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