Over the past four days, I guided a ski multi-day ski tour in the Central Kootenays. As the trip progressed, the skies cleared and the temperatures rose steadily, culminating in a weak overnight recovery last night and continued warm temperatures this morning; which prompted an early exit today.

The recent storm snow had settled to approximately 15-30cm on north aspects above 1800m and tapered to several cm at 1450m; this overlay the March 27 melt freeze crust on all aspects and elevations travelled. Yesterday we observed moist snow to 1800m on north aspects and melt freeze conditions on steep solar aspects to 2550m.

Ski quality ranged from fantastic to variable with widespread soft wind effect on north aspects to melt freeze/ corn and breakable crust on solar aspects. Sheltered north aspects in the alpine skied particularly well.

We operated with a spring diurnal mindset and paid close attention to glide slabs, shallow rocky solar features and cornices. We observed numerous solar induced size 1-2 loose wet avalanches on solar aspects. Today we observed a size 3.5 natural glide slab avalanche that probably failed sometime yesterday, during the peak heat on a W-S aspect.

Conor Hurley
ACMG Ski Guide
www.arctosguides.com