[MCR] Rockies, Burstall Lakes

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

I instructed an Avalanche Safety Training 2 course (AST2) in the Burstall Lakes area of Kananaskis Country yesterday, March 11. We found a shelter and steep wee glade on the northwest aspect of the 2450 meter high north satellite peak of Mount Burstall to do some snow tests in. Depth of the snowpack there is 160 cms. Slope angle is 38 degrees. Elevation 2160 meters. Spooky was an easy compression test that failed on the basal facetes and depth hoar (CE 6). Surprisingly the only results we got on the Valentines surface hoar was off of the compression scale and only came with heavy pounding, but when it did come it popped with a clean planar shear. Our Rutschblock test yielded no result (RB 7) and was encouraging, yet given the easy compression test not overly encouraging.

Happy trails,

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