I spent the day ski touring in behind Crowfoot Peak today. A very cold start to the day (-26°) but after busting through the inversion (where temps climbed to -8°C) it proved to be a fine day with clear skies and sunshine. Mind you, we mainly saw the sun from a safe distance in the shaded valleys.

Across the highway there was a bit of excitement, with two skier triggered avalanches, one of which was pretty large (size 2) on the backside of the Cirque Pk ridge facing Helen Lake (SW aspect). I have to side with the Parks Canada bulletin of calling it low hazard though, as you really need to hunt in just the right spots to find the ingredients for an avalanche right now. Just because it's Low doesn't mean you won't find isolated locations capable of producing avalanches large enough to injur or kill you. The new guidebook provides lots of great inspiration for lines previously seldom considered, but bear in mind that some of the red lines require more than just Low avalanche for a green light.

Both of today's avalanches were the result of thin windslabs from the recent northerly winds stepping down into the deeper buried facets and depth hoar near the bottom of the snowpack.

Ski quality ranged from wind scoured crusts to soft and very skiable facets. It's been two weeks since the last decent snowfall, so I was actually pleasantly surprised.

All the best,
Tom Wolfe
Svalbard Ski & Sail anyone? www.sawback.com/svalbard