[MCR] Tributary Creek, Selkirk Mountains

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Spent the day touring up and skiing down the Tributary Creek drainage 
near New Denver.  The air temperature remained cool (around -10) despite 
the appearance of the sun in the late morning, early afternoon.  The 
entire drainage faces north-east.  The snow coverage was good but a bit 
thin lower down.  It was about 1m at 1100m elevation and just under 2m 
at our high point of 2100m.

There was evidence of recent natural avalanche activity during or just 
after the last storm.  The slides were on north facing slopes and with 
crowns up to 60cm deep and 50-100m wide.  They didn't appear to run very 
far, or the debris was covered by new snow.  I suspect one slide (60cm 
crown) failed on the January 4 surface hoar/crust layer just after the 
storm.  I was able to find this layer in hand shears down 40cm at 1200m 
and in a pit down 60cm at 2100m.  The hand shears were hard but planar.  
Compression test results in the pit were in the easy to moderate range 
and also planar.

After seeing these results, I chose conservative lines back down, 
staying out of the open bowls higher up.  I followed the creek back down 
but had to force the terrain from time to time to stay out of the main 
part of the creek - it's open with running water in several places below 
1800m.  We still managed to enjoy many powder turns.

Even though the avalanche bulletins are showing the hazard reducing over 
the next few days, I think I'd still be playing carefully until the 
early January layer has settled down.

Craig Hollinger,

ACMG Apprentice Ski Guide.