[MCR] Rogers Pass

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

I returned yesterday from 10 days at Rogers Pass.

At the start of the trip we had excellent skiing (except on steep
SE-SW and due S aspects up to 2300m which had thin sun crusts) and
good stability. Early last week strong winds from N blew around 10-15
cm of storm snow creating hard and fairly reactive but small and thin
slabs on S aspects. The winds pretty much ruined the alpine snow but
sheltered treeline and below zones still produced excellent ski
quality.

We skied up to 48 degree alpine features taking care towards the end
of the week with the lee windslabs. Of note, steep N aspects we skied
(>40 deg) had thin and facetted snowpacks. We had fast sloughing in
the 10-15cm storm snow from the week on top of these surfaces.

Yesterday things changed dramatically with 30cm+ storm snow falling on
the 10cm storm snow from the previous week and moderate winds from the
South. I broke heavy trail up to 2100m on Teddy Bear Trees and enjoyed
excellent ski quality, even on the steep sun crusted aspects, albeit
with fast and hard sloughing. Steep exposed areas (e.g. Grizzly Bowl
direct lines) appeared to have had a natural cycle -- very soft slab
over the facets and sun crusts.

Tom

--
Tom Wolfe
Mountain Guide ACMG/IFMGA
Canmore, AB