[MCR] Rockies, Wapta Icefield

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

I guided a fine week of skiing on the Wapta Icefield from Bow Hut,  
March 20th-25th. Easy travel across Bow Lake and up the Canyon  
approach to the Hut. Easy travel everywhere we went on the Icefield.  
Mts Olive, St Nicholas, Gordon, Rhondda and Habel (Rhondda North)  
were pretty much getting skied up daily. Great boot-top to knee deep  
skiing on the northeast through northwest aspects that we skied over  
the week.

We witnessed a size 1 skier triggered surface slab (a party other  
than ours) off of a steep convex roll on the northeast ridge of St  
Nic at about 9000 feet on March 21st. There had been significant snow  
transport from southwest winds over the evening previous.

A fellow guide/avalanche forecaster and I witnessed a size 1.5   
surface slab release naturally from the far east end of the glacier  
that sits above the hut approach from about the 9000 foot level. The  
avalanche occurred at 10:00 am and had both said forecaster, and  
myself, scratching our noggins trying to figure out what the trigger  
was as the sun had yet to touch the slope ... a wee lurch in the  
glacier? another mountain goat or wolverine lost?

Happy trails,

Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
www.barryblanchard.ca
www.yamnuska.com




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