We went up to Balu Pass today to check out conditions after the snowfall over the weekend.

At road level on the east side of the pass the snowpack is too thin to consider skiing. It changes just as you get to the pass itself and coverage on the summer trail up Connaught is good. However, the alders are still out in force so only upper elevation open features are skiable.

There was an avalanche cycle on north aspects over the weekend and several size 2s have come out of all the Cheops gullies, so they are full of debris.

From our high point of 2300 m on the Balu ridge we found a mix of powder and wind affected snow to the creek. Once in the valley there was a breakable temperature crust that made the “skiing” tough. We stayed in the track as much as we could and it was icy and fast. I was glad to have freshly tuned skis.

All in all a good fitness day in the fresh air but it is still pretty thin in the Selkirks.