[MCR] Bulkley Valley ice and snow

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

I tried to find south facing ice yesterday as temperatures are dropping 
in the valley. It was only -3 on the top of Hungry Hill at 800 m, but no 
ice at all above Helen Lake. This surprises me as it has certainly 
rained in the fall. The icefall at 14 km on the Equity Mine Road was in, 
but too steep and thin for my first outing of the season. So I ended up 
touring on Hudson Bay Mountain above the ski area. The prairie is its 
usual windswept self, but the coverage is fairly firm. Most rocks can be 
avoided. There are 40 to 70 cm of highly variable snowpack in this area. 
The cornices above Crater Lake are forming, but they are by no means 
large yet. The slopes of Kathlyn Peak on the N side of Big Simpson's 
Gulch showed lots of wind effect. It was -9.5 at 1850 m. There was very 
light snowfall and a moderate SW wind, but no accumulation. The ranges 
to the west were clouded over more, but I doubt that much accumulated 
there either. So it's still thin, but there are things to do.

-- 
Christoph Dietzfelbinger
IFMGA/ UIAGM Mountain Guide - Bear Mountaineering and the Burnie Glacier Chalet
CAA Professional Member
Box 4222	Smithers, B.C.		V0J 2N0	Canada
tel. 250-847-3351/ fax 250-847-2854
info at bearmountaineering.ca		www.bearmountaineering.ca