[MCR] Rockies - Ski touring - Crowfoot Glades & Helen Shoulder Glades Hwy 93N

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Hey all,

Just a few quick observations from a couple days touring on the Icefields Parkway the last couple days. 

Spent the 21st doing laps in the Crowfoot Glades area. Ski quality was great and the area hadn't seen much traffic recently, had the whole place to ourselves.

We saw multiple cornice failures throughout the day coming off the big head wall above the glades. Likely triggered by the heavy sun affect. The cornices released three slabs on the east face below up to sz. 1.5. But despite all that mass hammering into the slopes below, we didnt see any avalanches produced as a result on the slopes below.
In a pit at 7300ft in an open north facing feature just above treeline, stability tests gave moderate, resistant results, down 40cm's on a windslab interface, and the valentines surface hoar was down an average of 110cm's producing hard but sudden results.

Despite the makings of a good bridge over the Valentines Day surface hoar, we were really careful not to be flirting with anything that looked like thinner snowpack areas (where it would be easier to trigger). With the layer only being buried down a meter or so, doesnt seem like there's much room to be wrong right now, and the consequences would no doubt really ruin your day.

On the 22nd we were up the south end of Cirque Peak to the Helen Shoulder Glades. Two big obvious crusts on that west aspect to deal with right now. The shallower of the two down 15cms right now, gave no results in tests, but with a bit of wind that could change quickly. The deeper of the two was down on average, 70cms, and has faceted out the snowpack below it. Hard, sudden results in the tests, but when it failed it was on the ground. Again, seemed like a decent idea to stay well away from shallow areas.
On the east side of the ridge, just below ridgecrest the surface hoar was electric. Easy, sudden results in all tests down 70cms on the Valentines Day surface hoar 

In terms of ski quality it was actually pretty good on the west aspects. The suncrust down 15cms really only jumped out at you when the terrain tipped up steeper than 35 degrees.

Play safe out there!


Mike Trehearne
ACMG Alpine Guide & Assistant Ski Guide
mike at cloudnineguides.com
www.yamnuska.com