[MCR] Coast Range ~ Miller Creek & The Spearhead Range

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Happy New Year.

 

I spent the past two days skiing a variety of terrain in mostly alpine and treeline country.

 

Generally, the wide open north-facing glaciers had a good deal of wind and temperature effect from last week's warmer weather at those elevations. With the shift to cooler weather lately, the previously warmer surfaces on south aspects (alpine-treeline) have now become refrozen to form into a hard, crust layer and most of these surfaces are now being buried by new snow. Some relatively sheltered north north-west facing alpine terrain offered some pretty good skiing yesterday in softer sugary (faceted) snow.

 

The best skiing has been true north-facing terrain at treeline and below treeline. Some terrain features in upper treeline areas have accentuated recent wind effects and, with the new snow to 'buff-up' the surface, it can be challenging to see the differences/changes in snow texture. In open treeline locations and on the backside of steeper rolling terrain, and in gully features, the previous winds have hardened the surfaces there. Essentially, the snow can feel quite variable underfoot (going from soft to hard/very hard to soft again) until you reach that magical elevation at around 6000' (1825m) where the snow becomes softer and more skiable.

 

Ski quality below treeline and in the trees on north-facing terrain has been quite good. Be careful, as you ski, of refrozen tree bombs/chunks that have landed in some spots around tree bases.

 

Testing of the snow in one sheltered treeline area revealed no significant results in the top 80cm of the snowpack. As the current sugary snow surface becomes buried, in these locations, we'll likely see a return to some instability.

 

Crevasses seem to feel reasonably bridged/covered in some locations but many still appear 'saggy' and some are still open.

 

Wishing Everyone safe travels in the New Year....

 

Cheers,

Dale Marcoux

Asst. Ski Guide

 

 

 

 

 

 
 		 	   		  
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