[MCR] Rockies ...Icefields Parkway Crowfoot Glades, Bow Lake area. Jan 4-7

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Spent the past 3 days guiding on the Parkway between Mosquito Creek and Bow Summit.
 
30cm of HST fell on the 4 and 5th with an average temp of -5 and fairly significant winds.  I observed winds slabs in Alpine features and some cornice growth, with continued upper level winds through the 6 and 7th.  Temperatures lowered to -14 overnight on the night of the 6th morning of the 7th.
 
The Dec. surface hoar layer was unreactive to tests at the open areas at Tree Line and below I found it 90 to 110cm down.  The depth hoar/facet combo is up to 40cm at the base, and very easy to feel when you plunge a pole or probe around a bit.  On the North aspects the HS is about 130 at Tree Line and South aspects (suspect) about 70 to 130.  I gave South aspect a miss due to the very obvious scouring Alpine and Tree Line and plenty of exposed rock in open areas Below Tree Line.  
 
One party skied a burn on the lower South shoulder of cirque peak,  they reported a number of whumphs..yet continued to go into open terrain close to rocky out crops.  It is a good time to notice this kind of obvious clue like whumphing, windslabs, thin snow areas and choose appropriate terrain to travel through.
 
No new avalanches observed yesterday the 7th.  
 
1 Cornice failure above Crowfoot glades did not pull out a slab on the lower fan.
 
Lots of good skiing to be found up there...be cautious on or under windward(southern) slopes and cross loaded thin areas.
 
Merrie-Beth Board
ACMG
Ski and Assistant Alpine Guide   		 	   		  
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