[MCR] Rogers Pass - Mt. Rogers - Little Sifton May 7/2014

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Just back from a spectacular day in Rogers Pass with amazing skiing and
travel at all elevations thanks to last night's great freeze (-5 at the
Hermit Parking Lot at 4:30am and nothing but stars!).

 

The recent storm deposited up to 30cms of powder above 2000m. overtop a 10cm
thick Melt Freeze crust - it appeared well bonded and the new snow generally
lacked any real slab properties unless affected by winds (mostly observed
downflow wind effect). Below 2000m. the storm snow had formed a 5 cm.
Styrofoam like  crust overnight, this softened into some great corn once the
sun got on it, with  the lower crust being well frozen it carried skiers
easily all the way to valley bottom (1330m.) as late as noon.

 

There were some loose dry and moist/wet avalanches out of steep sun effected
terrain mostly small (size 1-1.5) - with lots of old activity (last week) up
to size 3.5 that started as loose wet avalanches that then triggered deep
destructive wet slab avalanches. This includes the explosive control results
that the Parks Control Team had, that covered the highway with snow and lots
of trees in 2 locations (again that was during the last major warmup). Right
now things are cold up high, but as things warm up this spring, I would be
concerned about large overhead solar slopes, especially ones with drippy
cornices looming above.

 

Travel was easy with great bootpacking up to 2000m. and good tracksetting
with skis above that. I made it to within 100m. of the Col on Mt. Rogers
East face when I aborted after running into the aforementioned downflow
windslab at 3150m. up to that point the snow had limited wind effect. I saw
no wind effect on Little Sifton (which I climbed after skiing down from Mt.
Rogers.

 

How things will be tomorrow will have a lot to do with how much crust
formation we get - I am sure there is still dry snow on steep N aspects
above 2100m even after today's sunshine - the question is how long will
things hold together down low once the sun gets on them. 

 

As my Great, Great, Great, Grampa used to say - "Timing is Everything, next
to Location, Location, Location - which is of course All about TIMING!" 

 

Oh ya, he also used to say - "When the SKIING IS GOOD - GO SKIING!

 

Cheers,

Scott Davis

ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide

 

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