Hope this finds Everyone enjoying this excellent early-season snow.
Backcountry travel conditions have improved over the past couple of days. The active weather that provided us with all this great snow of late, has moved east so snowfall amounts currently have eased. Along with the relatively warmer temperatures yesterday the snowpack has begun to settle a little more.
The settling snowpack became evident while tracksetting today. The skis floated more on lower-angle terrain while tracksetting uphill, but began to sink rapidly (most notably at below-treeline elevations) when small, steeper features were encountered. At times, skis the width of dinner-trays would have been lovely to keep my show afloat. Today's travel, though, was much faster than the past few days.
Probing and looking into the snow at treeline elevations (around 6200' or 1900m) showed up to 230cm of the 'white-stuff' in places. Testing of the upper snowpack on a northerly slope revealed one result 62cm below the surface. The result occured within an older layer of snow that fell during one of the latest snowfalls. It didn't 'pop' out; it was more 'sluggish' but it was a clean fracture. Perhaps something to keep in mind, for the short-term, until its strength increases. It made me think that wide and lengthy, bulging slopes were still places of suspicion.
The tree skiing was excellent and the snow was dry. The winds were light and it was simply a beautiful day to be in the hills.....
Wishing Everyone safe and fun travels,
Dale Marcoux
ACMG Asst. Ski Guide
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