[MCR] Monashees-just across from the Gorge, North of the TCH and west of the Perry River. Feb 1st, 2011

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Spent the last two days ski touring in the K3 catski tenure. Excellent conditions, beautiful calm days, warm in the sun but cold in the shade and on the snow surface.

Good uphill ski travel with the only difficulties being the odd hard crust under some fluff on steep south slopes near ridgetops. Downhill skiing just plain excellent almost everywhere from alpine start zones to low elevation cut blocks. A little wind effect just below ridge crests and the surface was just starting to get warm on steep south this afternoon. Possibly a suncrust on steep south tomorrow.

LOTS of steep skiing going on with a film crew hucking off BIG features and catski guests skiing some moderately steep terrain. Our ski touring group skied a couple of previously unskied alpine features with some long sections of 35 to 40 degrees. One was pure north, one east. Sloughing in steep terrain but that has slowed down over the past two days. After a big slash, one film crew rider triggered a very small slab(15cm deep by 15m wide) in VERY steep rocky terrain.

Surface hoar forming at all elevations and aspects and the fluff is starting to facet. I sure hope the forecast is correct and it starts snowing soon. Keep an eye on the public bulletins as it may get tricky if we get a big load on this current surface.

Larry Stanier
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide
laristan at telus.net