[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

[MCR] Kootenay Pass, Southern Selkirk Mountains

Lots of skiers at Kootenay Pass in Stagleap Provincial Park today.
After reading public avalanche postings, I was expecting some 'touchy'
conditions. Turned out to be pretty good.

We skied cautiously but found no evidence of wind slab from the recent
storm on the NE or W aspects at 2100m we were on. Aggressive turns on
moderate slopes (30-35*) below this elevation produced only minor
sloughing. Ski cutting some steeper slopes of about 45* resulted in
sloughs that brought along the top 5cm but were reluctant to run far.
No evidence of recent avalanche activity was observed.

About 40cm of 4F (fairly soft) snow was on the Dec 28 surface
hoar/crust combo. Compression tests resulted in moderate to hard
results on this layer. Tests on the Dec 12 facet layer, down about
80cm, didn't produce any results. The snow pack below this was well
settled. Some whumpfing was noticed on low angled terrain, but didn't
propagate more than half a ski length away.

Air temperature was around -4 during the day. Must have been above
freezing earlier, the moist surface was forming a thin crust between
1800m and 2100m elevation. Something to note when more snow falls.

Happy New Year.

Craig Hollinger,
ACMG Assistant Ski Guide.
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These observations and opinions are those of the person who submitted them. The ACMG and its members take no responsibility for errors, omissions, or lapses in continuity. Conditions differ greatly over time and space due to the variable nature of mountain weather and terrain. Application of this information provides no guarantee of increased safety. Do not use the Mountain Conditions Report as the sole factor in planning trips or making decisions in the field.
Please check out http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.

[MCR] Southern Selkirks, Valhalla Lodge (Dec 26th-Jan 2nd)

Hi All,

We just finished a fine ski touring week at the Valhalla Lodge in the Southwestern Selkirk Mountains (Dec 26th-Jan 2nd). Below is a summary of our observations.

Weather:

We enjoyed some clear weather early in the week, at times windy in the Alpine, and some snowy/stormy conditions for the second half of the week. Daytime temperatures at the Lodge (2100m/6900ft) were near zero early in the week and oscillated around -9.0 for most of the week. As this last system moved through the area, Moderated to Strong southerly winds near ridge tops picked up and temperatures rose closer to zero again.

Snowpack:

Snowpack height at treeline in the area was 165cm, a pretty average value there. During the storm that lasted from December 28th to January 2nd, we received 40 to 50 cm of new snow. This new snow was generally evenly distributed at treeline and below. Some exposed treeline areas near ridge top and most alpine areas saw lots of snow redistribution and slab build up from the Mod to Strong southerly winds. This new snow is overlying a variety of suspect surfaces like; variable wind slabs or wind affect above treeline, recent surface hoar to 20mm and/or sun crust on steep solar aspects at treeline and below. This interface is our next/current problem layer and should be carefully monitored in the near future. The December 12th facet layer, now 10-15cm thick, was found 75cm down from the surface. The mid and lower snowpack was generally stiff and well settled.

Snowpack tests showed Easy (resistant planar) shears down 40cm on the December 28th surface hoar layer and Hard to Very hard (sudden planar) shears down 75cm on the December 12th facet layer. Shears on the December 12th facets seems to be gaining strength over the course of the week.

Avalanches:

Earlier in the week we saw evidence of the December 20th natural avalanche cycle with several old size 2-3 slab avalanches both above and bellow treeline on NE to SE aspects. December 28th was windy above treeline. Small but touchy soft and hard slabs developed in steep lee slopes of southerly winds. We felt several moderate size whumpfs at treeline throughout the week, less as the week went on (we suspect the December 12^th facet layer). As the storm progressed, we saw some natural and skier triggered sloughs in steep terrain to size 1.5. As it intensified and warmed up later in the week, we pulled back from challenging to simple terrain. We observed some minor surface cracking with significant slab development in lee slopes from southerly winds near ridge top. By the time we left this morning, we hadn't seen any new slab avalanches.

This will likely change/is changing in the near future as the December 28th surface hoar layer gets buried deeper and the slab above it consolidate. As this occurs, the risk for human triggered avalanches will increase.

In the meantime, keeping an eye on the weather trend is advised. There is plenty of great skiing to be add on simple terrain.

Happy new year!

David Lussier
Mountain Guide

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[MCR] South Purcells

Hello,

I wanted to pass on some snowpack observations from a trip into the upper St Mary's drainage in the southern part of the CAC's South Columbia forecast area.

There is about 40cm of storm snow overlying the variety of surfaces that were buried around Dec 28. The most notable is a layer of large surface hoar (2cm thick) that is present in the 1500m - 2000m elevation band. Yesterday this layer began producing small skier triggered avalanches as soon as the storm snow developed the slightest hint of slabbiness. There were a few natural slides in the size 1 range overnight and by the end of the day today there was a 40cm soft slab that could best be described as 'hair trigger'. Any open area would predictably fail and propagate with human weight and cause avalanches up to size 2 wherever the terrain was steep enough. Some of these were triggered from around 100m away.

Did not venture into the alpine due to poor visibility, but there were pockets of non-reactive windslab near treeline. Height of snow was 190cm at 2200m.

Heads up out there right now, that low elevation surface hoar layer could turn out to be a persistent problem.

Jeff Volp
SG
Kimberley, BC

[MCR] Rogers Pass

There was an avalanche cycle in Rogers Pass today. Apparently Frequent Flyer hit the valley and put 2 m of debris on the Connaught trail. There were other avalanches running in that valley today too.

Plenty of avalanches size 1-2 in open areas below treeline in the highway corridor.

We skied the Corbin area and saw twitchy soft slabs running on crusts, triggering easily in open areas below treeline. 30-40 cm deep, size 1-1.5 but not propagating very far. Extensive cracking around our skis. In the thicker trees there was no crust and fewer signs of instability, good skiing.

Mark Klassen

Mountain Guide

[MCR] North Ghost, Fang & Fist

Climbed the Fang & Fist in Malamute Valley of the North Ghost river today. Perfect conditions on the route; 3 pitches of dry, one stick ice climbing. The first pitch was grade 5, other two a bit easier. Two hours of easy walking from parking at the GBU. This is an excellent route.

Driving was tricky. The drifts are deep, but there are packed tire ruts to follow. River crossings are getting tough as there are big ice shelves to drive up and over getting out of the water. High clearance is essential.

Grant Statham

Mountain Guide

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[MCR] Super Bock/Guiness Gully, Jan 2

Started out for Super Bock today, Jan 2nd. I had three settlements and wumpfs between the Trans Canada Highway and the CPR tracks east of the Mt Stephen tunnel. Half way up the approach gully to the route I got another wumpf and settlement, they'd all described about a 2-3 meter radius around me. We decided that the mountain was talking to us and we skeddadled to Guiness Gully, where I knew there would be a well established track (not the case at Super Bock). My concern was releasing a small slab in the steeper snow slopes of Super Bock, not a concern given the traffic on Guiness, having said that we were the only people on Guiness today.

Happy trails

Barry Blanchard

UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guide

http://www.barryblanchard.ca

barryb3@telus.net

1 403 609 4615

cell 1 403 609 1321