I just returned from two weeks of guiding out of the Burnie Glacier Chalet in the Howson Range near Smithers, BC.

Over the past three weeks, like much of the rest of the western ranges, Burnie received over 300 cm of storm snow. This has buried the mid-January persistent weak layer (a melt-freeze crust) deeply. While still easy to find at treeline and below elevations, this layer has not been reactive in snow profile tests and has not been failing in storm snow avalanches (which have ranged in size up to 3.5) over the past three weeks. Recent snow profiles show that it is bridged by 80 to 130 cm of dense ("pencil hardness") snow.

Current avalanche concerns are limited to upper snowpack instabilities such as wind slabs and storm slabs from the repetitive storms that have swept over the area. These heal quickly, as is typical in this Northwest zone.

Coverage on the glaciers is excellent with well over 350-400+ cm of settled snow. Crevasses are well bridged and not a concern for all of the classic tours.

Skiing has of course been fantastic.

Regards,
Tom Wolfe
Guided Heli-accessed Ski Touring Lodges - www.sawback.com/current-trips/
Mountain Guide ACMG/IFMGA
2019 trips: sawback.com/winter-2019