[MCR] A 30km radius of Whistler....

I hope this finds Everyone enjoying all the recent snow that we've had.
 
The snow that fell beginning Sunday and ended overnight Wednesday and into Thursday morning gave the mountains 60cm+ of the white stuff in the Whistler area. All this snow fell on top of weak snow that consisted of sugary facets, crusts (on sunny aspects), and surface hoar (the solid/frozen equivalent of dew). During the peak of this storm, and immediately afterward, there was a widespread avalanche cycle in the mountains ~ all initiating on the above-noted weak layers. There were many slopes that did not release at that time - which makes one suspicious and a bit more cautious. Since then, the snowpack has settled a fair amount but much of the testing still indicates some inconsistency (for example: there is still 'whumpfing' of the snowpack in treeline areas ~ a sign that things are still sensitive in spots); it really depends upon where you are testing the snow. Some tests show strengthening and others highlight the need for a measure of caution. The confidence remains on the low side for large and steep slopes in the alpine and at treeline. Unfortunately, it looks like there isn't much time for all this snow to cure a little more because the next round of weather/snow/wind is knocking at the door at the time of this writing...... meaning that the hazard is about to increase again with the forecasted winds/snowfall.
 
The last snowfall is helping to add cover to the mountains but there are two other hazards that are still on my mind to-date...... first, there are still many rocks hiding just below the surface of the snow so please be careful of, for example, exiting off of the glaciers and into terrain with no glaciated cover...... second, there are still many open or partially-bridged crevasses. In low or flat light, these hazards are difficult to see. If you plan to be travelling in glaciated terrain this season, then it would be prudent to have access to a rope, glacier-rescue kit, and to seek the knowledge of how to use this kit effectively/preventitively.
 
It's snowing outside right now..... looks like winter may have finally arrived.......
 
Wishing Everyone safe travels,
Dale Marcoux
ACMG Member
ACMG Assistant Ski Guide
 
 

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[MCR] Rutherford and Ryan River Drainages.....

A lot of new snow and some strong winds recently have produced a widespread natural avalanche cycle, most notably around treeline and into the alpine, that has occured over the past two days with many different types of terrain features producing various sizes of slab avalanches (many large).
 
Some of the type of terrain that had performed included steep, rocky, and 'unsupported' terrain (slopes that terminate above a cliffband or steep, bulging slopes, for example). Terrain in the lee of ridges (where winds have been depositing snow) and terrain with rolls (convex) had released. Also, steep-sided glacial morraines had released and steeply-walled gullies, too. Activity had occured on many aspects.
 
Of note, there was 'whumpfing' in shallow, rocky ridgecrest areas and around islands of trees on westerly and south-westerly slopes. 'Whumpfing' indicates that the snowpack is still fragile in places.
 
The snowpack remains sensitive in many locations and it's especially important to be wary of slopes that have not avalanched. Be very careful about large slopes, exposure to slopes hanging above you, and slopes below cornices. It is prudent to keep to safe terrain right now until all this new snow has had time to improve. What makes the current situation a little tricky right now is that there is some 'variability' in the snowpack ~ meaning that the snow at different elevations/aspects is displaying slightly different characteristics because of the different layering in the snowcover; essentially, there isn't quite enough uniformity, yet. And, much of the terrain out there is still ripe for producing sizeable avalanches. Please continue to enjoy the hills safely by selecting terrain without exposure to avalanches.....
 
Best regards,
Dale Marcoux
ACMG Member
ACMG Assistant Ski Guide

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[MCR] Peyto

Plowed out from Peyto Hut yesterday (Feb 25). 40 cm of storm snow on the glacier with snow still falling in the morning. Cold out side the hut, -25 C. Couldn't see much of anything until we were off of the glacier, then just some storm sloughing and one size one surface slab off of the steep morriane, N aspect, 7000 feet (close to the boot packing below the glacial research hut). Surprised not to hear anything running. We remotely triggered a size one storm slab on a small convex roll at 6500 feet E aspect, 30 cm crown, 10 meter wide, ran 7 meters on the storm/old snow interface.

Poor coverage below 6500 feet, we all hit some rocks. Good coverage and travel across Peyto Lake, then horrid trail breaking -to ground half of the time- from the lake to the highway -an exhausting exercise.

Great ski quality on the 24th from Bow Hut over to Peyto, and even some face shots yesterday, be magic up on the icefield today.

Happy trails

Barry Blanchard

UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guide

Yamnuska Mountain Adventures

[MCR] Johnston Canyon

Was climbing in the canyon yesterday and noticed quite a few of the pillars have very fragile looking features (blobs, daggers) growing on them from the recent warm weather. 

 

These will be become very weak during the current cold snap (today and tomorrow) and are likely to collapse.  Some were small but many of them were quite large and would hit anyone standing around at the bottom of the guardrail. 

 

Heads up if you are heading in there!

 

Cheers

 

Mike Stuart
Alpine Guide

[MCR] Selkirks: Valkyr range

Waiting for the heli ride out of the Valkyr Range in the southern Selkirks on the first snowy and foggy day in awhile.

6 cm of snow from overnight lies on a newly buried surface hoar and facet layer (5-20 cm thick), and thin suncrusts on solar aspects (which may have surface hoar on top of it). We'll be calling these interfaces Feb 23 I guess and it will give us the normal March dog's breakfast of a snowpack.

Over the week and previous to this snowfall we found there had been no change from previous reports with both the Jan 27 and December facets being unreactive to skiers. This will probably change as more load is applied, Jan 27 will almost certainly wake up again and the deeper facets will need to be thought about until the summer.

Light snowfall amounts are forecast for the week so the next avalanche cycle looks like it may sneak up on us rather than pounce. Heads up.

Mark Klassen

Mountain Guide

Stefan Poirier

Assistant Ski Guide

[MCR] Whiteman Falls and Red Man Soars Guiding Permission

About a month ago, D.Stark raised the question of not having guiding permission into Whiteman Falls and Red Man Soars. This issue is seen on the permit to Yamnuska Mountain School and may be the same on your permit as well. This issue was brought up for discussion at the Manager/Team Leader meeting late last week. The discussion concluded that Guides are able to guide clients into those climbs without any enforcement repercussions. There will be a re-write of that portion of the permit issued by Kananaskis Country for those climbs in the future. At present there will be no enforcement action taken against guides that wish to work those climbs, even though the present permit indicates they are not able to guide those climbs.

Thanks Dave for bringing the question forward.

 

George Field

Public Safety Specialist

Mountain guide

 

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[MCR] sun in Haffner

Had a couple of ice screws melt out to the point that they could be pulled out on a couple of top roping anchors in Haffner today. We them backed up with Abalakovs, probably a good idea if you are top roping for awhile. The sun is gaining punch.

Happy trails

Barry Blanchard

UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guide

Yamnuska Mountain Adventures