It was nice to have some confidence in the snowpack the past couple of days. The Spring Diurnal cycle along with its buddies Sun and Wind have worked the snow over the past week. THe cornices are huge on some ridgelines so make sure to avoid being under them during the warmest times of the day and to skin extra far from them on the top.
Our party toured in Rescue creek Thursday and dug a pit on a North east aspect at 6000'. The PWL was buried almost 2 meters deep and the total snow was really deep, almost 2 probe lengths. We did not get any ECT results on the graupel layers 40 cms down and another graupel layer at 70 cms down. We skied powder on a northeast aspect all the way down to the basin thanks to the Sunday storm that deposited 5 inches of snow up high and corn on a S aspect where I still found some dry snow in spots on S. We still did not step it out too much as far as slope angle but did ski more open Alpine terrain.
It was too good to not get back out Friday. Again the overnight freezes made us feel good about climbing into the alpine with confidence. Our party toured to the head of Marion lake drainage and skied a West aspect into Essex creek drainage. The slope was smooth and carvable. We climbed up a East face to a summit. Again this aspect was worked by the wind and sun, but still held wind blown powder. Ski crampons were helpdful to get to the top. It was a pleasure to ski an East face in fast powder conditions in the sunshine. The bottom steeper pitch 200' had a few rollerballs but could be avoided. At 230 in the afternoon we climbed back up the west face and the surface was softened only 1-2 inches, good corn if you timed that up. We dropped back into Marion lake skiing the mellow North bowl in powder conditions all cheery.
This season has been a game of patience along with some powder days in February. Right now the alpine is Filled in Fat, the snowpack is feeling more solid and trustworthy and the Spring diurnal is set in. It is the time the get some classics done.
