[MCR] Rogers Pass update/correction

Went up Connaught today and it turns out that Frequent Flyer didn't avalanche yesterday as was reported. Most paths on the Cheops side of the valley ran yesterday but nothing bigger than size 2 and not running far. On the south facing side of the valley there has been little activity that we could see. 

We skied in the Ursus area; I hopped on the slope above the skin track that cuts across the bottom of the ridge just beyond Hospital Knob and it fractured but didn't slide. Then a ski cut into the slope on the north end of Hospital Knob caused a size 1 slab to run on the surface hoar, 40 cm thick and 15 m wide. It didn't run very far down slope. In thicker trees there were few signs of instability, same as yesterday.

During the next snow or wind or temperature spike event I would be very aware of Frequent Flyer and other open slopes at all elevations that didn't run in the last 48 hrs . The surface hoar and crusts are at the prime human triggering depth right now but the load and/or slab stiffness weren't quite there yet today for widespread triggering/propagation.

Mark Klassen

Mountain Guide