Excellent spring conditions up Frisby Creek in the Monashees last week (April 8th-16th). Typical yet interesting mix of spring weather: a couple storm days, some convective flurries, calm sunny days, winds at time moderate from the SW-W. Freezing levels well below valley bottom (1500m) most nights and up to 1800m on the warmest days.
Overall precipitation amounts ~20 cm in the VB and up to ~50-60 cm in the alpine above 2200m. Some wind wind effect TL and ALP but no reactive windslabs. Isolated storm slabs reactive to skier traffic in Northerly ALP aspects to size 1, on surface hoar down 20-50 cm, propagating 15-30m but not running far.
Ski conditions were good on solar aspects in ALP trending fair near VB, but not isothermal and carrying well. Excellent, mid-winter skiing conditions to almost VB on N aspects in the latter part of the exam. Travel mostly typical of Spring diurnal cycle - hard and icy in the AM, softening up with elevation gain and warming in the PM. However, with low FL's and HST, ski crampons were rarely required.
Glacier coverage over ~350-400 cm in deeper areas probed but many sags and fresh-looking crevasses with very thin snow bridges (20-70 cm) observed. Dramatic thick-to-thin snowpack on the ice. We explored a heavily-crevassed area (Shinola Glacier, see attached photo) and decided not to re-visit the area.
Several peaks were summited in all sorts of exciting conditions, many fine turns were had, and a thing or two was learned.

Winter is alive and well in Frisby Creek right now, long may it run.

Shred well and take care,
2019 SGE 1 Candidates