[MCR] Hankin Mountain

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Today I checked out the new Hankin Mountain skiing area in the 
Kitseguecla drainage. I could not see it all as the visibility was 
limited. I could see no avalanche debris in the fading light. The main 
risk right now is hitting stumps, rocks and logs as the snowpack is 
still shallow this side of the Coast Mountains. At treeline (1300 m) 
there were only 110 cm of snow. Most of that is facetted and there is a 
layer of surface hoar 37 cm down. This surface hoar is old, but well 
visible and a good 3 mm large. It produced moderate sudden planar 
shears. It is rare for our area to show surface hoar in the alpine, but 
it was sunny and cold for quite a while this winter. It would be good to 
investigate the extent of this layer and to be wary of it at least near 
treeline. It is now getting just the right amount of load to fail and 
allow slab avalanches.

-- 
Christoph Dietzfelbinger
IFMGA/ UIAGM Mountain Guide - Bear Mountaineering and the Burnie Glacier Chalet
Box 4222	Smithers, B.C.		V0J 2N0	Canada
tel. 250-847-3351/ fax 250-847-2854 
info at bearmountaineering.ca		www.bearmountaineering.ca