Ski Conditions

Ski Conditions

Spent Friday the 24th to Monday the 27th at the Asulkan Cabin with Teresa Yau and the ACC Powder Camp. We walked into the hut on Friday starting from the parking lot at -25c with clear skies, but that was the last blue sky we saw until this afternoon on our ski out. On our way in we encountered the aftermath of the previous storm, with windslab in exposed places even below treeline and all the way up to the alpine in all but the most sheltered places.
Over the course of the weekend there was about 40-60cm of storm snow at treeline in the Asulkan basin, with Moderate to Strong winds from the south/southwest.
Saturday the new snow was skiing well in Tree Triangle with little in the way of reactivity. On Sunday we heard the artillery control program starting avalanches and we also heard (but couldn't see) some loud audibles from closer to where we were skiing in Triangle Moraine. Sunday there started to be storm slab reactivity, with a mix of triggers. Natural avalanches to sz1 in very unsupported features, ski cuts in terrain steeper than 38 degrees and even some remotely triggered avalanches (again to sz1) in steeper or unsupported places 10-20m from our ski tracks.
Today we skied supported alpine terrain above the hut in excellent powder with little signs of instability, however once we got below the Mouse Trap there were several places (the valley bottom exits to the Dome and Mushroom people ski lines) where there was storm slab avalanche activity to sz1.5. We suspect this was skier triggered given it's proximity to ski activity from the morning.

We didn't see any avalanche activity that wasn't storm snow related, and were choosing sheltered, supported terrain with very limited overhead hazard.

On The Map

These observations and opinions are those of the person who submitted them. The ACMG and its members take no responsibility for errors, omissions, or lapses in continuity. Conditions differ greatly over time and space due to the variable nature of mountain weather and terrain. Application of this information provides no guarantee of increased safety. Do not use the Mountain Conditions Report as the sole factor in planning trips or making decisions in the field.